Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in group sales or related fields.
Extensive experience in convention, destination, hotel, or venue sales with senior leadership roles.
Proven track record in building group business and improving conversion rates.
Strong negotiation skills for complex bids across various partners.
Analytical skills to assess booking data and create actionable forecasts.
Willingness to travel and work flexible hours as needed.
Responsibilities
Own and manage annual and multiyear sales plans for two venues with specific demand targets.
Analyze booking data to identify gaps and develop recovery plans for open dates.
Lead prospecting and account development for conventions and group business.
Set measurable goals for leads, pipeline value, and economic impact.
Maintain accurate sales forecasts and take corrective actions as needed.
Build relationships with venue management and hotel leaders to coordinate proposals and commitments.
Address and resolve barriers related to hotel blocks and rates, escalating issues when necessary.
Coach and evaluate sales staff, fostering a culture of accountability and customer service.
Oversee sales operations, including CRM discipline and proposal quality.
Report regularly to leadership on booking progress and pipeline health.
Provide strategic oversight for sports development in collaboration with regional partners.
Benefits
Opportunity to lead and shape sales strategies for prominent venues.
Collaborative work environment with hotel and event partners.
Professional development and coaching opportunities for staff.
Engagement with regional sports and leisure markets.
Dynamic role with a focus on measurable outcomes and impact.
Full Job Description
Description
Own annual and multiyear sales plans for First Financial Center and Sharonville Convention Center, with separate demand targets, target segments, need periods, lead strategies, and booking pace milestones for each venue.
Assess historical, current, and future definite and tentative bookings by event date. Identify pace gaps early, build recovery plans for open dates and soft years, and report progress against agreed baselines and targets.
Lead prospecting, account development, bid strategy, site visits, contract progression, and customer relationships for conventions, meetings, trade shows, and other appropriate group business.
Set and deliver measurable goals for qualified leads, pipeline value, conversion, definite events, room nights, and economic impact where reliable data is available. Use consistent definitions and avoid counting tentative business as definite.
Maintain a credible sales forecast by venue, market segment, and future year. Review opportunity stages, decision dates, probability, lost business, and displacement considerations; take corrective action when conversion or pace falls behind.
Build productive working relationships with the management teams of First Financial Center and Sharonville Convention Center, hotel leaders, and event partners to coordinate availability, pricing, room blocks, proposals, and customer commitments.
Address hotel block and rate barriers with partners; document recurring obstacles, develop workable solutions, and escalate issues that put convention bids or booked business at risk.
Lead, coach, and evaluate sales and convention services staff. Assign accounts and territories, establish individual goals, develop talent, and create a culture of customer service, accountability, and ethical selling.
Oversee sales operations, CRM discipline, lead response, proposal quality, sales travel, trade show participation, and the sales budget. Direct resources toward opportunities with the strongest fit and return.
Provide concise, regular reports to the President and CEO and board leadership on booking pace, pipeline health, wins and losses, hotel participation, risks, and actions underway.
Provide strategic oversight of sports development in partnership with the Cincinnati Regional Sports Commission, aligning event opportunities with regional priorities and monitoring progress, partner coordination, and results.
Align leisure sales and niche account sales, including film production and other priority markets, around measurable strategies that generate overnight visitation and hotel room nights across the region
Requirements
Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience; substantial progressive experience in convention, destination, hotel, venue, or related group sales, including senior team leadership.
Demonstrated success building future group business, improving conversion, negotiating complex bids, and working across convention centers, hotels, and destination partners.
Ability to analyze booking pace and pipeline data, develop practical forecasts, and translate results into sales priorities and executive reporting.
Ability to travel and work evenings or weekends as business needs require.
