Director of Sales-Hilton Garden Inn Ponte Vedra

Coury Hospitality•Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

About The Position

Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville/Ponte Vedra is hiring a Director of Sales to develop and execute sales strategies that support occupancy, average daily rate, room revenue, group production, and overall hotel performance. The role builds and maintains client relationships, identifies new business, grows existing accounts, negotiates agreements, and represents the hotel in the Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, St. Johns County, and surrounding business communities. It also coordinates with Revenue Management, hotel leadership, and operating departments to ensure that client commitments and group or event details are delivered successfully. The Director of Sales is expected to use market and production data to guide sales activity, maintain accurate records and forecasts, and help the hotel earn client loyalty and repeat business. The position involves office and hotel work, local travel for sales calls and community activities, property tours, and attendance at client meetings and networking events. Flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, may be needed to meet client, event, and business needs. The role requires moving throughout hotel areas, sitting, standing, and walking for extended periods, using computers and sales technology, and lifting or moving items weighing up to 25 pounds.

Requirements

Previous hotel sales experience required.
Strong understanding of hotel sales strategies, account management, forecasting, market segmentation, and revenue principles.
Strong prospecting, presentation, negotiation, and closing skills.
Ability to review production reports, market data, pace, and performance trends.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent organizational, time-management, and follow-up skills.
Ability to manage multiple accounts, deadlines, events, sales opportunities, and changing priorities.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with hotel, regional, and corporate teams.
Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, based on client, event, and business needs.
Ability to work in office and hotel environments and move throughout guest-facing, meeting, food-and-beverage, and back-of-house areas.
Ability to travel locally for sales calls, client visits, networking events, and community activities.
Ability to sit, stand, and walk for extended periods; use computers, telephones, presentation equipment, and hotel sales technology; and conduct property tours throughout hotel facilities.
Ability to lift or move up to 25 pounds, including sales materials, presentation supplies, packages, and event items as needed.
Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, through virtual meetings, and through electronic correspondence.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining professionalism, accuracy, and attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality, business, marketing, or a related field preferred.
Previous sales leadership or management experience preferred.
Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn brand experience preferred.
Knowledge of the Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, St. Johns County, and surrounding business markets preferred.
Experience developing corporate, group, sports, healthcare, wedding, social, and meeting-related business preferred.
Experience using hotel sales, property-management, customer-relationship-management, and reporting systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute strategic sales plans that support occupancy, average daily rate, and overall hotel revenue.
Identify new business through prospecting, networking, referrals, market research, and community involvement.
Build relationships with corporate accounts, groups, meeting planners, sports teams, wedding clients, healthcare organizations, and local businesses.
Grow existing accounts by understanding clients’ travel patterns, changing needs, and future opportunities.
Conduct sales calls, presentations, property tours, client meetings, networking events, and community functions.
Negotiate rates and agreements that balance client needs with the hotel’s revenue strategy.
Prepare proposals, contracts, reports, account plans, forecasts, and business reviews accurately.
Manage group blocks, account production, sales activities, and follow-up through the hotel’s sales systems.
Partner with Revenue Management and hotel leadership to review pace, market trends, need dates, pricing, and competitive opportunities.
Coordinate with hotel departments to communicate and deliver group commitments, event details, special requests, billing instructions, and client expectations.
Represent the hotel in Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, St. Johns County, and the surrounding business community.
Monitor competitive hotels, new developments, market activity, and local demand generators.
Support meetings, celebrations, sports groups, and social events from initial inquiry through arrival.
Review production, pace, market data, and performance trends and adjust sales strategy.
Maintain timely, accurate sales activity and protect confidential guest, client, rate, and business information.
Travel locally and attend client meetings, networking events, trade shows, and community functions as business needs require.