SummaryAlila Ventana Big Sur is seeking a strategic, polished, and highly commercial Director of Sales, Marketing and Commercial Services to serve as the resort's senior commercial leader. This position integrates Sales, Marketing, Luxury Leisure, Revenue Management, Distribution, and Reservations to establish the commercial vision and drive sustainable top-line growth, profitable business mix, guest conversion, RevPOG, and GOP.
Set on 160 acres along Big Sur's rugged Pacific coast, Alila Ventana Big Sur offers 54 secluded suites and a guest experience shaped by nature, wellness, dining, and privacy. The resort's stay experience is especially unique because it includes dining, non-alcoholic beverages, transformative wellbeing programming, exclusive amenities, complimentary valet parking, complimentary minibar, and curated experiences. Dining at The Sur House is included with every stay for resort guests.
The Director partners closely with the General Manager, Operations, Finance, resort leadership, and Hyatt enterprise commercial teams to align pricing, distribution, sales, marketing, and reservations activity with resort priorities. This role leads annual planning, budgets, forecasts, channel strategy, campaign priorities, luxury leisure partnerships, and reservations performance while ensuring that every commercial initiative reflects the privacy, personalization, wellness, and elevated service philosophy of Alila Ventana Big Sur.
Essential FunctionsCommercial Strategy and Business Leadership• Develop, communicate, and execute an integrated commercial strategy for Alila Ventana Big Sur that aligns Sales, Marketing, Luxury Leisure, Revenue Management, Distribution, and Reservations with Hyatt and resort business objectives.
• Establish clear priorities for need periods, target segments, channel strategy, seasonal opportunities, packages, retreats, spa and ancillary revenue, group business, special events, buyouts, and long-range growth initiatives.
• Lead annual commercial planning, budgeting, forecasting, business reviews, and multi-year strategy development in partnership with Finance, Operations, resort leadership, and Hyatt enterprise teams.
• Translate business trends, guest insights, competitive intelligence, market dynamics, and operating priorities into decisive commercial actions and resource-allocation recommendations.
Revenue Strategy Forecasting and Distribution• Provide executive oversight of pricing, inventory, forecasting, distribution, channel mix, segmentation, package strategy, and total-resort revenue optimization.
• Review pace, demand, length of stay, booking window, cancellation trends, segment performance, channel contribution, ancillary production, guest behavior, and competitor activity to identify opportunities and risks.
• Partner closely with Revenue Management to guide rate strategy, inventory decisions, demand optimization, business mix, channel performance, and forecast accuracy.
• Lead regular revenue and commercial strategy meetings, ensure disciplined follow-through, and align property and centralized teams around approved actions.
• Promote strong data integrity and effective use of PMS, CRS, RMS, CRM, reservations, distribution, and business intelligence systems.
• Balance revenue optimization with guest value, brand positioning, operational capacity, and the distinct nature of the Alila experience.
Sales Luxury Leisure and Reservations Leadership• Direct strategy and performance expectations for luxury leisure, group, transient negotiated, reservations sales, partnership, and other priority demand segments.
• Strengthen relationships with luxury travel advisors, consortia, preferred partner networks, Hyatt sales resources, corporate partners, account managers, and other high-value demand channels.
• Guide territory planning, prospecting, account development, sales trips, trade shows, educational events, familiarization trips, site visits, and client engagement to generate qualified demand and measurable production.
• Oversee reservations performance, including conversion, service quality, lead management, productivity, staffing inputs, sales effectiveness, and guest communication standards.
• Ensure Sales, Reservations, and Operations collaborate effectively to deliver accurate positioning, seamless site visits, thoughtful VIP recognition, and exceptional client and guest outcomes.
Marketing Brand and Demand Generation• Provide strategic direction for brand marketing, content, property marketing, digital marketing, public relations, partnerships, CRM, social media, website merchandising, and audience development.
• Ensure annual marketing plans, campaign calendars, promotional strategies, loyalty initiatives, and content priorities support resort goals, need periods, target audiences, and commercial opportunities.
• Align creative, messaging, offers, landing pages, digital media, email, website content, and on-property communications with Alila brand standards and Hyatt enterprise guidance.
• Evaluate digital and campaign performance using revenue, conversion, iROAS, marketing efficiency, engagement, inquiry, and funnel metrics; direct optimization based on business impact.
• Create stronger coordination between brand storytelling and property-level execution so inspiration consistently converts into qualified demand, direct engagement, and bookings.
Financial Planning Analytics and Performance Management• Own commercial performance expectations and reporting discipline for Total Revenue, RevPOG, GOP, segment production, direct contribution, conversion, forecast accuracy, and other agreed business metrics.
• Lead the commercial components of annual budgets, forecasts, business reviews, and performance presentations, ensuring assumptions are supported by clear data and actionable strategies. • Monitor commercial budgets, agency and vendor investments, media spend, sales activity, and program costs to improve return on investment and financial accountability.
• Establish concise dashboards, reporting cadences, and decision frameworks that make performance, priorities, risks, and ownership visible across the organization.
• Develop and direct corrective action plans when performance is below expectations, and ensure progress is measured and communicated consistently.
Cross Functional and Enterprise Partnership• Partner with the General Manager, Operations, Finance, Spa, Programming, Food and Beverage, Retail, and other resort leaders to connect commercial strategy with operational readiness and the guest experience.
• Serve as a primary liaison with Hyatt enterprise teams supporting Commercial Services, Revenue Strategy, Distribution, Loyalty, Digital, Analytics, Sales, Marketing, and Brand.
• Ensure commercial initiatives are operationally accurate, brand-consistent, financially responsible, and executable across the resort.
• Represent Alila Ventana Big Sur in leadership meetings, owner discussions, Hyatt forums, luxury travel marketplace engagements, and external industry events as business needs require.
Leadership Talent and Organizational Development• Lead, coach, and develop commercial functional leaders while establishing clear goals, decision rights, performance expectations, and accountability.
• Build succession plans, strengthen functional capabilities, and create development opportunities that support long-term organizational resilience.
• Foster a collaborative, communicative, inclusive, and solutions-oriented culture across the commercial team and broader resort organization.
• Establish effective governance, operating rhythms, standard processes, and cross-functional ways of working that improve speed, consistency, and execution quality.
• Model Hyatt's culture of care while maintaining high standards for integrity, leadership, and commercial
This is a salaried position with a compensation ranging from $180,000-$200,000.
BenefitsHyatt offers a comprehensive benefits package, which may include:
- Free and discounted hotel room nights
- Medical, dental, vision, and prescription coverage
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays, where applicable
- Paid family bonding time and adoption assistance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Colleague meals during shift, where applicable
- Discounts with various retailers and wellness partners
- Career growth opportunities within Hyatt
Qualifications: • Six or more years of progressive leadership experience in luxury resorts, hospitality, commercial strategy, Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, Reservations, or related disciplines.
• Previous experience in Revenue Management is highly important and strongly preferred.
• Previous experience in luxury hotel sales, marketing, commercial strategy, or resort leadership is required; experience in a luxury resort, destination resort, boutique luxury property, or high-touch hospitality environment is strongly preferred.
• Broad knowledge of pricing, forecasting, distribution, channel strategy, luxury leisure, group sales, digital marketing, CRM, reservations, and demand generation.
• Strong financial acumen with experience developing budgets, forecasts, business plans, performance reviews, and return-on-investment recommendations.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, influence, and align diverse teams and senior stakeholders in a matrixed environment.
• Advanced familiarity with hotel revenue, reservations, CRM, distribution, analytics, and reporting systems; experience with Hyatt systems and revenue tools is preferred.
• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Business, Marketing, Finance, Analytics, or a related field preferred; equivalent leadership experience may be considered.
• High energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and a motivational leadership style, with a proven track record in high volume or complex hospitality environments.
• Effective communicator with clear, concise written and verbal communication skills in English, exceptional customer-service orientation, and demonstrated ability to improve the bottom line. • Ability to work a flexible schedule and travel regularly to attend Hyatt, owner, industry, leadership, and client meetings as business needs require.
Skills and Competencies• Executive leadership, strategic thinking, and sound commercial judgment.
• Exceptional commercial and financial acumen with a total-resort revenue mindset.
• Strong analytical capability and the ability to translate complex information into clear decisions and action.
• Excellent communication, executive presentation, relationship management, and influencing skills.
• Cross-functional leadership and the ability to create alignment across property, regional, enterprise, and external partner teams.
• Organizational design, change leadership, talent development, and performance management capability.
• Strong brand stewardship with a deep appreciation for luxury hospitality, guest experience, thoughtful storytelling, privacy, and discretion.
• High integrity, resilience, adaptability, accountability, and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a remote and matrixed work environment.