Director of Leisure Sales

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

Located in the exclusive Nob Hill neighborhood,The Huntington provides guests with modern amenities and conveniences within a historic space. Guests can enjoy fine dining, a three level spa, beautiful rooms and suites as well as meeting and event spaces without ever leaving the property. The Huntington provides guests with the best location and amenities San Francisco has to offer.  

Overview

The Director, Luxury Leisure Sales is responsible for effectively and proactively identifying, soliciting, and closing business for all accounts in their market segment. They are also responsible for prospecting and maximizing performance of assigned accounts to positively impact The Huntington Hotel, San Francisco's deserved and exemplary ancestral home.  The city's only true world-class five-star hotel, where every guest is a friend of the family. The position is responsible for improving market share. The position will proactively engage in account management, leisure sales activities to include but not limited to; trade shows, events, joint sales calls and collaboration with Highgate to generate revenue. Conduct reservations training and agency presentations to drive education and awareness. Execute preferred partnerships with key retail leisure consortia’s including but not limited to FHR, Virtuoso, Signature, Travel Leaders, AAA, Ensemble and others. Key to the success of this position is to build key customer relationships, identify new business opportunities to achieve revenue goals. This position will have a great understanding of market trends, competitive market knowledge and market conditions. Success will be measured by achieving the monthly, quarterly and annual sales budget measured by month end reporting, tracking of account and GDS production.

Responsibilities

• Proactively drive top line revenue for transient sales segments to include volume luxury travel agents for The Huntington Hotel through customer acquisition and development strategies and tactics.
• Manage luxury travel organizations such as American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, Virtuoso, Signature and Ensemble to increase revenue production.
• Identify and research potential accounts/clients and prospect for new business opportunities, generate leads, and set up meetings/presentations with clients, buyers, influencers, and agencies that will keep the hotels pipeline consistently full of opportunities.
• Maintain and participate in an active sales solicitation program.
• Regularly contact existing accounts based on the tracing frequencies.
• Meet or exceed sales solicitation call goals as assigned by the Director of Sales & Marketing
• Invite clients to The Hotel for entertainment, lunches, tours and site inspections as appropriate.
• Conduct a professional, thorough site inspection of the hotel with clients, exhibiting key features and benefits of the property.
• Initiate and follow up on leads that will generate corporate, TMC, or consortia travel for supported hotels.
• Monitor production of all top accounts and evaluate trends within your market.
• Be familiar with all Highgate Hotel sales policies and selling techniques with an emphasis on maximizing occupancy and Average Daily Rate (ADR).
• Be familiar with TNB’s brand affiliation, benefits, and resources. Leverage access, partnerships, and sales support to improve position, influence, and productivity for supported hotels
• Meet and greet onsite contacts and travelers to garner and foster relationships, loyalty, and new opportunities.
• Report on sales activities (sell document reports) in format and frequency as required by the Director of Sales & Marketing
• Use your property’s computerized sales management system to manage the hotel’s business, including (but not limited to) generating reports, entering business, building accounts, and logging activities.
• Assist in the preparation of required reports in a timely manner.
• Assist in implementing special promotions relating to direct sales segments, i.e. events, sales blitzes, etc.
• Participate in industry trade shows and events which may require out of market travel.
• Develop networking opportunities through active participation in community and professional associations, activities and events.
• Develop a complete knowledge of company sales policies and SOPs and ensure knowledge of and adherence to those policies by the sales team.
• Have a full working knowledge of the operations of the hotel, including Food and Beverage, Guest Services and Reservations.
• Travel 20% of time as appropriate to support the overall expectations of the position.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of progressive luxury hotel sales experience; a 4-year college
• Must be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets and word processing.
• Long hours sometimes required.
• Travel 20% of time as appropriate to support the overall expectations of the position
• Light physical activity, including occasional sitting, standing, and walking. The role is predominantly desk-based, requiring routine use of a computer, phone, and other office equipment.
• There may be occasional need to lift or carry lightweight items. Light work - Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.