Director Of Sales

HEI Hotels & Resorts•Tampa, FL

About The Position

The Director of Sales is responsible for total room, banquet, catering, and room rental revenue, including yield strategies, implementation, market performance, and meeting budget, forecast, and optimal business-mix targets. The role develops and solicits business from all markets to secure the advance bookings needed for a successful and profitable hotel operation. This includes directing group, transient, and catering/banquet sales activities; managing pricing and sales deployment strategies; and developing the hotel’s strategic sales plans, budgets, forecasts, and reports. The Director of Sales leads the sales staff, including recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, evaluating performance, and addressing personnel issues. The role also represents the hotel in community and industry organizations and events, conducts market research, and ensures departmental matters comply with applicable employment and civil rights laws.

Requirements

Knowledge of the travel industry, current market trends, and economic factors.
Ability to access, understand, and accurately enter information using a moderately complex computer system.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Delphi.
Knowledge of computer accounting programs, math skills, and budgetary analysis capabilities.
Extensive knowledge of sales skills, revenue management, recruitment, supervision, training, and management motivation.
Ability to listen effectively, communicate, and use diplomacy with internal and external customers and staff.
Ability to stand and move throughout the hotel property and continuously perform essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to adapt communication style for different audiences, including supervisors, coworkers, and the public.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Five or more years of sales leadership experience in a similar-sized operation preferred.

Responsibilities

Direct sales staff solicitation efforts through effective oral and written communication, and oversee rate, date, and space commitments for group room sales.
Recruit, interview, hire, train, and guide staff; recommend performance evaluations and discipline or termination when appropriate; and resolve problems while maintaining open communication.
Ensure training programs are conducted regularly and HEI performance standards are met, providing staff guidance and counsel toward improvement.
Prepare or oversee reports on Sales Department operations, including annual and monthly forecasts, lead management, group booking pace, STAR reports, and sales meeting minutes.
Research the travel industry and market trends, and recommend marketing strategies to improve business potential across markets.
Develop and deliver persuasive verbal sales presentations to prospective clients.
Prepare and execute the computerized annual business plan, reviewing and adjusting plans as market conditions require.
Organize or attend sales department, executive committee, and related meetings.
Direct and manage group, transient, and catering/banquet sales activities to maximize hotel revenue.
Prepare, implement, and compile data for the strategic sales plan, monthly reports, annual goals, sales budget, forecasts, and other required reports.
Develop rates and group sales and catering deployment strategies based on competitive data, demand analysis, and mix management.
Represent the hotel professionally at community and industry organizations and events.
Oversee departmental matters related to federal, state, and local employment and civil rights laws.
Comply with attendance rules and be available to work regularly.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.