Sales Director - Group, Meetings and Incentive Programs

FOX WORLD TRAVEL INC•Oshkosh, WI

5d•$85,000 - $90,000

About The Position

The Sales Director – Group, Meetings and Incentives Programs is responsible for achieving meeting, event, and incentive sales goals and growing Meetings and Incentives revenue through direct sales to businesses. The role also develops, implements, and manages strategic sourcing and contracting strategies to improve efficiency and profitability while meeting client objectives for group travel, strategic meeting management, incentives, and event programs. The position develops relationships with client decision-makers and executives, manages the sales process from lead development through contract closing, and oversees proposal preparation, pricing, negotiations, and contract quality control. It works closely with sourcing, program management, and group air operations teams to create effective procurement strategies and deliver client programs. The role also maintains sales, pipeline, purchasing, proposal, and revenue documentation; keeps current on industry developments and Fox services and technology; and contributes to sales collaboration and continuous improvement. The position requires frequent business travel, overnight stays, and travel to client locations throughout the United States, with travel up to 35% of the time. Flexible hours may be needed to meet client needs. The job may be performed onsite, hybrid, or from home, depending on the associate’s arrangement. The work includes regular use of standard office equipment and may involve extended hours. The stated estimated base pay starts between $85,000 and $90,000 annually. Eligible positions may receive additional incentive or commission.

Requirements

Minimum of five years of B2B sales experience; group travel, event, or meeting services experience is ideal.
Knowledge of the meetings and incentives travel industry; prior industry experience is strongly preferred.
Strong creative, strategic, analytical, organizational, and personal sales skills.
Ability to initiate and build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
Successful track record interacting with multiple levels of relationships within accounts.
Ability to communicate confidently and credibly with clients, in writing and verbally, one-on-one, in small groups, and to large audiences.
Ability to deliver clear, compelling presentations to all levels of an organization and manage group interaction during presentations.
Strong understanding of meetings and incentives procurement, technology, and group travel operations.
Thorough understanding of purchasing technologies and negotiation and contracting processes and practices.
Effective time-management skills and ability to work in a deadline-driven environment, manage multiple tasks, and prioritize work.
Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and strong technical skills.
Self-motivation, initiative, and a strong commitment to personal goals, objectives, and work ethic.
Ability to work flexible hours to meet client needs.
Willingness and ability to travel to client locations throughout the United States; frequent overnight travel is required, with travel up to 35% of the time.
Current passport or ability to obtain one for international travel.
Strategic selling, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
Personal effectiveness, credibility, and results orientation.
Organizational, planning, research, information-gathering, and monitoring skills.
Customer focus and service orientation.
Strong verbal and written communication proficiency, including appropriate grammar.
Adaptability and change-management skills.
Strategic orientation and ability to collaborate.
Sound judgment and decision-making ability.
Attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to handle complex situations and work efficiently amid frequent interruptions.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business, sales, marketing, or a related field is preferred.
Working knowledge of Cvent and Salesforce platforms is a plus.
Destination knowledge and experience as it applies to group travel.

Responsibilities

Develop consultative relationships with client decision-makers and executives and explain the Meetings and Incentives value proposition.
Establish and execute a sales process, including pursuing leads, making sales calls, and creating presentations and proposals to close contracts.
Manage proposal and contracting processes and deliver accurate final documents to required specifications and deadlines.
Negotiate service-agreement terms and conditions to meet or exceed assigned annual revenue targets.
Obtain quality-control review and submit personally negotiated contracts to a manager for final review and approval.
Review and approve similar contracts created by Meetings and Incentives team members as part of quality control.
Collaborate with Sourcing Managers on sourcing and contracting strategies and process efficiencies that reduce costs, increase profitability, strengthen vendor relationships, and maintain or improve client satisfaction and program results.
Direct sourcing, product and proposal development, pre-sale costing, negotiations, and contract and service-agreement development in the procurement process.
Source RFPs to hotels, cruise lines, Destination Management Companies, wholesalers, and other vendors, and initiate preliminary negotiations.
Evaluate vendor proposals, clarify responses, and negotiate pricing and concessions.
Create proposal pricing and preliminary budgets according to established guidelines, and secure and document client cost-savings data.
Hold and block space and release unneeded space in a timely manner.
Develop client contracts and pricing agreements and prepare initial deposit invoices.
Maintain knowledge of Fox services and proficiency with client-facing technology.
Use Salesforce to record and manage sales activity and maintain pipeline information; prepare regular reports on client contacts and sales results.
Stay involved with program management and group air operations to support program quality, and coordinate site inspections and related client materials.
Maintain purchasing and proposal tracking reports, sales and revenue documentation, and workload activity reports.
Monitor competitors, industry developments, sourcing practices, suppliers, services, and venues; identify trends and propose creative solutions.
Participate in corporate travel sales and account-management collaborations, meetings, and planning.
Update professional knowledge through educational opportunities, publications, and professional networks.
Maintain collaborative working relationships across departments and contribute to a culture of engagement, trust, and mutual respect.
Promote standards and best practices, accept ownership for work, and recommend improvements to operational efficiency and services.
Perform other duties, projects, and assignments as determined by business needs.