Hilton Garden Inn Jacksonville/Ponte Vedra is hiring for a
Director of Sales.
You should join our team if you believe...- That successful hotel sales begin with genuine relationships and a strong understanding of each client's needs.
- That every room night, meeting, and group stay is an opportunity to create an unmatched guest experience.
- That strong sales leadership combines strategy, creativity, persistence, and thoughtful follow-through.
- That knowing your market-and remaining curious about how it is changing-is essential to growing hotel performance.
- That lasting business is built through trust, consistency, responsiveness, and delivering on every commitment.
- That collaboration between Sales, Revenue Management, Front Office, Housekeeping, Food & Beverage, and hotel leadership turns a signed agreement into a successful stay.
- That a great sales leader does more than achieve revenue goals-they inspire the entire hotel to understand its role in earning loyalty and repeat business.
You're a great fit for this role if you love...- Developing and executing strategic sales plans that support occupancy, average daily rate, and overall hotel revenue.
- Identifying new business through prospecting, networking, referrals, market research, and community involvement.
- Building lasting relationships with corporate accounts, groups, meeting planners, sports teams, wedding clients, healthcare organizations, and local businesses.
- Growing existing accounts by understanding their travel patterns, evolving needs, and future opportunities.
- Conducting sales calls, presentations, property tours, client meetings, networking events, and community functions.
- Negotiating rates and agreements that balance client needs with the hotel's revenue strategy.
- Preparing proposals, contracts, reports, account plans, forecasts, and business reviews with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Managing group blocks, account production, sales activities, and follow-up through the hotel's sales systems.
- Partnering with Revenue Management and hotel leadership to review pace, market trends, need dates, pricing, and competitive opportunities.
- Collaborating with hotel departments to ensure group commitments, event details, special requests, billing instructions, and client expectations are communicated and delivered.
- Representing the hotel throughout Ponte Vedra, Jacksonville, St. Johns County, and the surrounding business community.
- Monitoring competitive hotels, new developments, market activity, and local demand generators.
- Supporting meetings, celebrations, sports groups, and social events from initial inquiry through arrival.
- Turning relationships into measurable results while making clients feel genuinely valued.
We're excited to have you join us because...- You understand how to translate market opportunities into measurable room revenue, group production, and account growth.
- You are a confident relationship builder who follows through and earns client trust.
- You can balance proactive sales activity, account management, event details, reporting, forecasting, and hotel responsibilities.
- You can analyze production, pace, market data, and performance trends to adjust your strategy.
- You communicate clearly and professionally with clients, Curators, hotel leadership, ownership, and brand partners.
- You are an organized and persuasive presenter who can confidently communicate the hotel's value.
- You bring creativity and persistence to prospecting without losing the personal connection that makes hospitality special.
- You are comfortable negotiating and making thoughtful business decisions within established guidelines.
- You understand the importance of protecting confidential guest, client, rate, and business information.
- You hold yourself accountable for achieving goals and maintaining timely, accurate sales activity.
- You believe sales leadership means creating opportunities for the hotel, the team, and the clients we serve.
Education and Experience- Bachelor's degree in hospitality, business, marketing, or a related field preferred.
- Previous hotel sales experience required.
- 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.
- Strong understanding of hotel sales strategies, account management, forecasting, market segmentation, and revenue principles.
- Experience using hotel sales, property-management, customer-relationship-management, and reporting systems preferred.
- 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 travel locally and attend client meetings, networking events, trade shows, and community functions.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, based on client, event, and business needs.
Work Environment and Physical Requirements- Ability to work in an office and hotel environment while moving 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.
- Ability to use computers, telephones, presentation equipment, and hotel sales technology.
- Ability to conduct property tours and accompany clients throughout guest rooms, meeting spaces, public areas, and other hotel facilities.
- Ability to lift, carry, or move sales materials, presentation supplies, packages, and event items as needed.
- Ability to lift or move up to 25 pounds.
- 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.
