VP, Groups & Partnerships

SeaWorld is a world-renowned leader in the themed-park and entertainment industry. Our success is built on a passion for caring for animals and a dedication to delivering positive, memorable experiences to people from around the world. Were also committed to helping ambitious people achieve their professional best. We're always seeking exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable individuals to join our team.

What you get to do:

Lead the planning, development, sales and execution of partnerships and group business. Organize and implement partnership activation plans. Organize sales programs for group segments including conventions, large hotel meetings, youth, and education, corporate, association, social and fraternal, religious, catering, and special events. Provide leadership for corporate and park partnership and group sales program execution. Manage financial evaluation of programs and make recommendations for Partnerships and Groups to contribute to positive revenue and EBITDA growth. Responsible for adhering to policy and contractual obligations and exceeding partner and group client expectations, with intent to grow the investments in SEA channels on an annual basis.

Partnerships

• Serves as main point of contact at SEA for a sub-set of SEA’s Official Marketing Partner relationships – many of which with Fortune 500 corporations
• Has responsibility for management of a portfolio of relationships valued at $3-8M
• Owns relationship with SEA’s partnership agencies
• Develops, secures, and maintains strong and positive relationships with portfolio of Strategic Partners with objectives of driving revenue, attendance, offsetting costs, and maximizing partner satisfaction
• Leads implementation of partnership and sponsorship agreements
• Point of contact for partners and day-to-day representatives from partner organizations and group sales channels and groups
• Responsible for having a strong understanding of partners’ businesses and industries
• Has responsibility for maximizing partner revenue to SEA via cash sponsorships, marketing and media, park marketing activation, hospitality, licensing, and charity contributions from partners
• Leads internal SEA cross-functional stakeholder groups to plan, communicate and leverage SEA assets for all existing and new partnership contractual elements (such as park marketing teams, PR, licensing, merchandise/retail, IT, digital marketing, legal, etc.)
• Has responsibility for monitoring contractual elements to ensure they are fully executed by SEA and Partner
• Ensure partner and/or vendor budgets are managed and reconciled
• Works closely with partners to develop PR, promotion, advertising, and relationship-building plans to ensure partner fully leverages its relationship with SEA
• Works with assigned Partners to implement SEA-themed branded promotions which are prominent and deliver strong brand-building value to SEA
• Works with brand team to develop marketing materials for partnerships including website content, proposals, pitch decks, content marketing, social media, influencers and more.
• Develops lead generation programs to grow partnerships
• Responds to various partner requests quickly and thoroughly and provides excellent service
• Responds to partners’ issues in a mature, professional, and thorough fashion
• Creates and presents compelling value analyses to partners and their agencies and representatives
• Participates in renewal or replacement of partners in the portfolio
• Develop and track key performance indicators to drive achievement of partnership goals.
• Develops monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets and plans to support the Company’s strategy and help it achieve its partnership goals
• Evaluate results for effectiveness and implement corrective action as appropriate

Groups

• Develops, secures, and maintains strong and positive relationships with Group Clients with objectives of driving revenue and attendance and maximizing client satisfaction
• Point of contact for group sales channels and groups
• Responsible for having a strong understanding of group sales channels and group event needs
• Has responsibility for growing group revenue to SEA via admissions, in-park revenue, camp, zoo, and other ancillary revenue
• Works with brand team to develop marketing materials for groups including website content, proposals, pitch decks, content marketing, social media, influencers and more.
• Develops lead generation programs.
• Responds to various group requests quickly and thoroughly and provides excellent service
• Responds to clients’ issues in a mature, professional, and thorough fashion
• Tracks group bookings and pace reporting to drive and exceed annual goals
• Provides strategic direction to corporate and park group sales team
• Develop and track key performance indicators to drive achievement of goals for groups.
• Develops monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets and plans to support the Company’s strategy and help it achieve its group revenue goals
• Directs the implementation and execution of rigorous sales policies and practices to secure large group bookings
• Continually recommend and implement improvements to the group sales strategy to compete most effectively in the marketplace
• Establish group sales objectives, accurate forecasting and develop annual budgets for each market; projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new programs and group events
• Evaluate results for effectiveness and implement corrective action as appropriate

What it takes to succeed:  

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in marketing, hospitality/tourism, or a related field or additional 10 years of proven track record
• MBA or Master's degree strongly preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of sales, marketing or partnerships experience, prior account client relations experience is a plus
• Strong leadership, organizational and follow through skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong business acumen and financial analyses skills
• Strong MS Office computer skills to include Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Excellent team player
• Ability to work independently
• Strong attention to detail and follow through
• Strong customer service orientation
• Experience managing and coaching sales teams
• Meeting sales goals, negotiation, selling to customer needs, motivation for sales, sales planning, building relationships, coaching, managing processes, market knowledge, developing budgets, staffing
• Ability to plan and manage at both the strategic and operational levels and be the advocate for sales to drive revenue and partnership with other departments

The perks of the position:

• Paid Time Off
• Complimentary Park Tickets and Passes
• Park Discounts on Food and Merchandise
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401K Retirement plan
• Voluntary Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Disability Benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Dependent and Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Legal Assistance Plan

EEO Employer:

SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITHOUT REGARD TO AGE, RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, PREGNANCY, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, DISABILITY OR COVERED VETERAN STATUS.