Sales Director - Group, Meetings and Incentive Programs

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Summary

The Sales Director - Group, Meetings and Incentives Programs is responsible for the achievement of meeting, event, and incentive sales goals and growth of Meetings and Incentives revenues through direct selling to businesses. Additionally, responsible for development, implementation, and management of strategic sourcing and contract strategies that increase efficiency and profitability while meeting client's goals and objectives for group travel, strategic meeting management, incentives, and event programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management may deem necessary from time to time.

A day in the life of the Sales Director - Group, Meetings and Incentives Programs at Fox may include:

• Developing consultative relationships with client decision makers and executives and educating them on the Meetings and Incentives value proposition.
• Establishing and implementing an effective sales process including pursuing, cultivating, and following up on sales leads, making necessary sales calls, as well as developing and executing compelling sales presentations and proposals that lead to the successful closing of contracts.
• Managing the proposal and contracting process, ensuring high-quality results and delivery of final documents according to required specifications and deadlines.
• Negotiating terms and conditions of Meetings and Incentives service agreements ensuring expectations are met or exceeded for annual assigned revenue targets.
• Obtaining quality control review and present personally negotiated contracts to manager for final review and approval.
• Review and approve other similar contracts created by Meetings and Incentives team members as part of the quality control process.
• Collaborating with Sourcing Managers to develop sourcing and contracting strategies and process efficiencies to lower costs, increase profitability, strengthen vendor relationships, and maintain or improve client satisfaction and program results.
• Directing the sourcing, product and proposal development, pre-sale costing, negotiations, contract and service agreement development activities in the procurement process.
• Proficiently sourcing Request for Proposal (RFP) to hotels, cruise lines, Destination Management Companies (DMCs), wholesalers and other vendors; initiate preliminary negotiations.
• Evaluating vendor proposals for accuracy, clarifying responses, and negotiating best possible pricing and concessions.
• Creating proposal pricing based on established guidelines; creating preliminary budgets, securing and documenting cost savings data for clients.
• Holding and blocking space; releasing space not needed on a timely basis.
• Developing accurate client contracts and pricing agreements along with initial deposit invoice.
• Keeping abreast of technical and non-technical services offered by Fox while maintaining awareness and proficiency on client facing technology.
• Utilizing Salesforce to record and manage all sales activity; maintaining and updating pipeline report of potential clients/contacts with appropriate information. Preparing regular reports including client contacts established and results of sales activities.
• Maintaining regular, consistent involvement with program management and group air operations on all aspects of client programs to ensure quality of final product. Coordinating site inspections and preparation of site inspection materials for clients.
• Maintaining purchasing and proposal tracking reports, internal sales and revenue documentation, workload activity reports.
• Being knowledgeable of competitor information, industry changes, leading-edge strategic sourcing processes, best practices, new suppliers, services, and venues. Being proactive with ideas and provide creative solutions for new trends.
• Participating in and contribute to corporate travel sales and account management collaborations, meetings, and planning.
• Updating knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks.
• Maintaining a favorable and collaborative working relationship with co-workers in all departments to foster an environment of trust and mutual respect.
• Driving standards and best practices whenever possible and effectively foster a culture of engagement.
• Enhancing the organization's reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Being innovative and recommending new approaches, policies, and procedures to effect continual improvements in efficiency of operations and services performed.
• Other duties, projects and alternate assignments as determined by business need.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Competencies:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Knowledge, Skills and/or Abilities:

This opportunity might be for you if you have:

• A bachelor's degree in business, sales, marketing, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of five years' experience B2B selling, ideally group travel, event and/or meeting service(s).
• Knowledge of the meetings and incentives travel industry; prior industry experience strongly preferred.
• Strong creative, strategic, analytical, organizational, and personal sales skills.
• The ability to initiate and build positive relationships with all levels both internally and externally.
• Successful track record for interacting with multi-level relationships within accounts.
• Communicate with confidence and create a credible impression to clients, both written and verbal (one-on-one, small groups, and to large audiences).
• The ability to deliver clear, compelling presentations to all levels within an organization and effectively manage group interaction throughout the presentation.
• Strong understanding of meetings and incentives procurement, technology, and group travel operations.
• Thorough understanding of purchasing technologies, negotiation and contracting processes and practices.
• Effective time-management skills and ability to work in a deadline-driven environment; ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and establish work priorities.
• Advanced working knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, along with strong technical skills.
• Self-motivated and demonstrated initiative with a strong commitment to personal goals, objectives and work ethic.
• Working knowledge of Cvent and Salesforce platforms (a plus).
• Destination knowledge and experience as it applies to group travel.
• Ability to work flexible hours to meet the needs of the client.
• Willingness and ability to travel to client locations throughout the United States; frequent overnight travel is required.
• A passport for international travel (or the ability to obtain a passport).Sales Director - Group, Meetings and Incentives Programs Page 4 of 5

Key Competencies:

You'll love this job if you have:

• Strategic selling, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Personal effectiveness/credibility and are results oriented.
• Organizational, planning and research skills.
• Customer-focus and service-oriented.
• Communication proficiency - verbal and written with appropriate use of grammar.
• Information gathering and monitoring skills.
• Change management skills and are highly adaptive.
• Strategically oriented, with the ability to collaborate.
• Sound judgment and decision-making ability.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• The ability to comfortably deal with highly complex situations.
• Flexibility with the ability to work efficiently and effectively with frequent interruptions.

Frequent business travel, overnight stays are required. Travel = up to 35% of time.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Note: The phrases "occasionally," "regularly," and "frequently" correspond to the following definitions: "Occasionally" means up to 1/3 of working time, "regularly" means between 1/3 and 2/3 of working time, and "frequently" means 2/3 and more working time.

While performing the duties and responsibilities of this position, the associate is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, climb, reach above shoulders, and move from place to place. The incumbent is frequently required to talk and listen and use hands to finger manipulate or handle. The associate will occasionally experience long flights, long days, longer periods of standing or walking when serving as a tour manager with a group. Specific vision requirements for this position include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The incumbent may occasionally be required to lift up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an incumbent encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• For On-site and Hybrid Associates: Regular attendance is necessary to successfully perform this job; extended hours may be necessary from time to time. The incumbent works in an office environment where the noise level is low to moderate. This role routinely uses standard office equipment including but not limited to computers, a headset, a mouse, a keyboard, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.
• For Work-At-Home Associates: Regular attendance is necessary to successfully perform this job; extended hours may be necessary from time to time. This role routinely uses standard office equipment including but not limited to computers, a headset, a mouse, and a keyboard.

We acknowledge that attracting and retaining the best talent is key to our strategy and success as a company. As a result, we strive to structure competitive compensation offers to ensure we are able to attract the best candidates. The estimated base pay range for this position starts between $85,000 and $90,000 annually, less applicable withholdings and deductions, and is paid on a bi-weekly basis. The salary range provided represents our good faith estimate as to what our ideal candidates are likely to expect. We structure our offers within the range based on location, experience, education, industry knowledge, technical and communication skills, market conditions, and other factors that may prove relevant during the interview process.

Eligible positions may receive additional incentive or commission, as outlined in applicable program details.

Each benefit is subject to eligibility requirements as specified in plan documents, and Fox World Travel reserves the right to modify the benefits it offers.

If you share in our passion for teamwork, our vision to have culture, engagement, and innovation at the heart of all our initiatives, we want you to come soar with Fox World Travel! If you fit the description AND meet the qualifications, please don't hesitate to apply online at www.foxworldtravel.com/careers.