Hotel Director of Sales

Hilton Garden Inn 309 College St. Asheville, NC 28801

The Director of Sales purpose is to convert target accounts into key accounts by utilizing the professional sales skills necessary to reveal the benefits of the hotel over the competition. The Director of Sales is responsible for generating top line revenue and the management of all marketing efforts.

Responsibilities

Guest Service

- Projecting a professional image of the hotel (dress, appearance, hygiene, etc.)

- Has a friendly, personable style with guests. Anticipates customer needs before they ask.

- Responding promptly and following through on guest concerns in an effective and friendly manner

- Recognizing and rewarding effective guest service in sales staff

- Maintaining good relations with guest “feeders”, such as travel agencies, airlines, etc.

- Maintaining professionalism with regard to written correspondence and telephone etiquette for self and sales department

- Knowledgeable of and performs wells on all company shopping and telemonitoring programs

Technical Knowledge

- Conducting direct selling activities in accordance with assigned sales activity and room night production goals

- Analyzes and understands the competition’s strengths and weaknesses for each market segment and successfully directs marketing activities against each

- Knowledgeable of and practices effective telemarketing

- Skilled in making sales calls. Can properly qualify a prospect, determine demand potential, present features/benefits that match prospect needs, and gain “next step” commitment or “closing.”

- Knowledgeable of all hotel brand marketing programs

- Knowledgeable of local area including special attractions, competing hotel facilities, restaurants, etc.

- Knows the competition well. Is familiar with all “business” in the market, where that “business” stays, and why.

- Knowledgeable of hotel facilities including guest room and function room size and occupancy limits. Effectively communicating hotel products to guests.

- Knowledgeable of hotel meeting room capabilities, catering options, and audio/visual (for specific hotels). Knowledgeable of local meeting facilities and refers guests when appropriate.

- Knowledgeable of reservation procedures, including group blocks, central reservations system, property management system, etc. Can check a guest in or out of the hotel.

- Knowledgeable in billing and credit policies and procedures

- Understands and effectively analyzes/oversees hotel/group booking pace to maximize yield

- Conducting department audits and ensuring compliance with the company’s departmental SOP’s

- Cultivating lead sources for own hotels, as well as for other Quality Oil hotels

Sales Operation

- Ensuring group rooms control log is current and effectively utilized. Ensuring the meeting room/function book is current and meeting space is effectively utilized.

- Directly soliciting business and effectively handling solicitations. Skillfully managing relationships with hotel’s top accounts. Identifying and maintaining constant communication with the hotel’s key accounts.

- Actively selling room nights through outside sales calls, telemarketing, site tours, etc.

- Actively selling to in-house guests (greeting tours, talking with guests at continental breakfast to surface additional leads, etc.)

- Ensuring sales contracts meet hotel standards

- Maintaining accurate sales files, production reports, and trace system

- Ensuring sales files are effectively worded and maintained to company standards. Ensuring sales calls are documented in both physical and electronic files.

- Knowledgeable and follow through on all policies including trademark usage, meeting space policy, room rates, sales presentation procedures, etc.

- Ensuring sales staff maintains current information regarding hotel services, marketing programs, etc.

- Attending trade shows and Central Reservations Office visits as needed

- Meeting sales goals. Developing and implementing monthly sales action plans; ensuring that the sales department team members achieve their sales activity goals and room night production goals and leading the sales effort by his or her own example.

- Monitoring sales staff productivity

- Ensuring that the hotel maintains appropriate inventory levels of collateral materials and promotional supplies

- Attending and actively contributing in all scheduled BEO meetings and post conference meetings as needed

- Ability to effectively manage and supervise a team to perform all duties associated with contracts for meetings, events, conferences, and dinners; including, but not limited to, set-up, serving, and cleaning.

Revenue Management

- Attending and actively contributing to hotel’s weekly revenue management meetings

- Understands and helps determine hotel pricing and rate improvement strategies

- Knowledgeable in evaluating incremental profit potential of rate-sensitive business through revenue displacement analysis

- Completing necessary training in order to obtain GRO Certification

- Knowledgeable of and familiar with Travel Click reporting and proficient in evaluating Travel Click data

Marketing/Business Planning

- Establishing sales department objectives with GM. Monitoring progress against hotel and department objectives throughout the year by reviewing all relevant daily reports.

- Monitoring travel agent commission reports, feeder market analysis, and all other relevant sources of business reports

- Completing all weekly and monthly reports accurately and timely

- Effectively conducting market research, market segment tracking, and competition analysis. Monitoring market penetration and assessing hotel position in marketplace. Understands and can draw accurate conclusions from Smith Travel Research reports.

- Developing and implementing effective advertising and promotional programs utilizing effective monthly action plans

- Establishing 30-60-90 day action plans with GM and sales staff accurately and in a timely manner

Community Relations

- Maintaining active involvement in community and industry organizations

- Maintaining communication with competitive hotels, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, and Chamber of Commerce

- Participating in community activities, employee activities, and guest events

- Ensuring opportunities are made available to the GM to participate in joint sales calls

Human Resources Management

- Managing sales department and assuming direct responsibility for human resources, including progressive discipline activities, personnel documentation and files, recruiting, training, selection, counseling, and motivation

- Continually supporting and promoting Quality Oil Company’s Core Ideology, history, culture, and growth

- Ensuring all key employees are on personal career development plans to consistently develop talent and opportunity for growth

- Discussing and assisting with departmental objectives. Ensuring sales staff knows hotel goals.

- Conducting weekly sales meetings with documented meeting minutes

- Treating employees fairly, consistently, and with respect. Setting a positive example for all subordinates. Recognizing and rewarding excellent performance. Maintaining a positive work environment. Encouraging and facilitating teamwork, trust, and respect to build strong work relationships.

- Delegating projects and duties appropriately

- Managing upward effectively

Training

- Scheduling and ensuring all employees participate in relevant orientation programs, service skills training, telemarketing courses, etc.

- Conducting training programs in an effective and engaging manner

- Taking responsibility for own training and career development

Inter-Departmental Relations

- Coordinating and maintaining effective relations with other departments in the hotel to promote excellent guest service

- Is aware of all departments’ roles and responsibilities. Coordinating with other departments on joint tasks as they relate to sales, particularly front office.

- Attending and actively contributing in weekly staff meetings, ensuring all other departments are aware of hotel sales efforts, promotions, and booking/group activity.

- Maintaining communication between hotel team and kitchen team during an event to ensure delivery of culinary commitments are met as outlined on event orders

Requirements

- Prior sales and marketing experience is required

- Prior hospitality sales experience is strongly preferred

- Prior supervisory experience is preferred

- Prior event/meeting/conference experience is preferred

- Prior experience with hotel computer systems, analytical tools, and spreadsheet programs is preferred

- Ability to plan, organize, and lead the activities of others

- Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills

- Excellent time and project management skills

- Customer-service oriented

- Strong multitasking and organizational skills

- Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills

- Strong initiative and work ethic

- Strong attention to detail

- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

- Excellent communication skills – verbal and written

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

- 401(k)

- 401(k) matching

- Dental insurance

- Health insurance

- Life insurance

- Paid time off

- Vision insurance

Work Location: In person