Director of Sales and Marketing

Title of Position:          Director of Sales & Marketing

Reports to:                   General Manager

Liaises to:                    All Department Managers/Corporate Office      

Purpose:  The Director of Sales & Marketing is responsible for planning and managing the overall sales and marketing of the hotel to achieve optimal occupancy, maximizing revenue, and meeting/exceeding hotel profit objectives.

Position Overview:  The Director of Sales & Marketing is responsible for total revenue including group and transient rooms, group food and beverage, meeting room rental, local catering, and other revenues, as well as assisting and actively participating in yield management strategies.  Supervises the Reservations department.   Strategies include market mix, pricing, status, direct sales, and marketing.  Serves as an advisor to the General Manager on business intelligence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Direct and manage all group, transient, and catering/banquet sales activities to maximize revenue for the hotel

• Prepare, implement and compile data for the strategic sales plan, monthly reporting, annual goals, sales and marketing budget, forecasts and other reports as directed/required

• Survey, review and analyze competition, market trends, customer needs and comments in order to be proactive and adapt with business intelligence

• Develops new plans and programs and determine the effectiveness of current plans and programs

• Manage/direct all advertising, public relations and promotional activities in conjunction with corporate marketing and public relations departments

• Actively participates in sales presentations, property tours and customer meetings

• Ensures optimal compliance with corporate focus audit

• Manages performance issues that arise within the Sales and Reservations teams

• Ensures appropriate hiring, training, motivating, coaching, counseling and developing of department’s team members

• Effectively communicates with other departments

• Conducts a daily briefing with department on current key activities

• Evaluate changes in guest needs, the guest mix and competitive set, to recommend appropriate product/service and operational changes as necessary

• Ensures guest and employee satisfaction, while maintaining market competitiveness and exceptional financial performance

• Anticipate and address guest issues and establish proactive processes to promote guest satisfaction

• Participate in community and professional organizations to maintain high visibility and promote a positive image

• Be an inspiration to all hotel staff to achieve luxury levels of performance

• Interacts in a positive way with all team members to ensure a luxury guest experience

• Must be an example of the Sofitel Values, brand standards, and a champion of grooming and appearance guidelines

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years Sales management experience, preferably in the luxury setting

• A strong understanding of overall hotel business

• Ability to study, analyze and interpret complex activities and/or information in order to improve new practices or develop new approaches

• Must have the ability to understand global markets that affect the business of the hotel

• Must have strong decision making skills

• Strong oral and written communication skills

• Ability to communicate at all levels

• Ability to train and develop team members

• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and take initiative

• Excellent organizational skills

• Analytical skills

• Computer skills (word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software)

• Language skills according to the hotel needs