Senior Sales Manager - Group

SALAMANDER CHARLESTON EMPLOYER LLC•Charleston, SC

About The Position

The Senior Sales Manager is responsible for proactively soliciting and handling group-related bookings to drive top line revenue, ensuring financial success of the Hotel. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Ensures compliance with Operating Standards to maintain brand integrity.

Requirements

Must have 5+ years of progressive Group Sales experience at Four and/or Five Star level
High school diploma or equivalent
College degree preferred
Aggressive negotiation skills
Consultative and creative selling abilities to close on business with a high conversion ratio
Advanced understanding of contract management and legalities
Ability to travel up to 20%
Systems knowledge (Delphi – essential; Opera; Cvent; IDeaS) and Software knowledge (Microsoft Office, etc.)
Thorough knowledge of guest room and meeting space inventory management
Strong customer development and relationship management skills
Knowledge of overall hotel operations as they affect department
Strong communication skills (verbal, listening, writing)
Proactive problem-solver
Strong customer and associate relation skills
Effective decision-making skills

Responsibilities

Grows top line revenue by adhering to sales strategy guidelines set forth by the Director of Group Sales and Director of Sales & Marketing
Meets and exceeds individual revenue goals
Manages and grows key accounts and market segments, with a heavy emphasis on account saturation
Writes and negotiates sales contracts, emphasizing the protection and financial success of the asset
Uncovers additional revenue opportunities for the hotel based on the event profile
Effectively manages customer budgets to maximize revenue and meet customer needs, and identify up-sell opportunities
Responds to incoming group inquiries within their market segment
Understands the overall market in which they sell - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand, etc.
Attend trade show, community events, and industry meetings as required
Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, etc.
Comprehends budgets as needed to assist in the financial management of department
Conduct customer site inspections
Accurately forecasts group sleeping rooms and event revenue for his/her groups prior to the turnover
Ensures business is turned over properly and in timely fashion for proper service delivery.
Maintains accurate sales pipeline in CRM
Manages room blocks and meeting space for their contracted bookings prior to turnover
Ensures a high level of customer satisfaction through effective coordination and communication, both verbally and in writing with customer (internal and external) regarding event details
Ensures consistent, high level service throughout sales cycle
Ensures products and services sold meet or exceed expectations, creating loyalty and leading to increased market share
Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels, and effectively responds to and acts guest problems and complaints
Reviews guest satisfaction results with leaders, and participates in the development and implementation of corrective action plans.
Applies broad business knowledge and balances both a short- and long-term perspective to generate strategies while leading the organization to achieve them
eliminates insular thinking by fostering a positive climate for work relationships and teams committed to achieving organizational goals and initiatives
proactively ensures that others have the accountability, authority and resources necessary to both manage work execution and drive for results
proactively identifies and develops talent within the organization
actively pursues learning and self-development to enhance personal, professional and business growth; shares learning; demonstrates depth of knowledge in technical or specialized area