Head of Sales & Marketing

Sales Strategy & Revenue Growth

Responsible for leading & driving top line revenue for traditional sales segments to include group, volume transient (business travel & consortia), and catering through customer acquisition and retention strategies/tactics
• Develops and implements a marketing and communications plan designed to achieve the desired positioning of each property, as well as manage the sales & marketing budget that supports all initiatives.
• Identify and research potential accounts/clients and prospect for new business opportunities, generate group and catering leads, and set up meetings/presentations with clients that will keep each property's pipeline consistently full of opportunities. Regularly contact existing accounts based on the tracing frequencies of an Account Coverage Program.
• Actively sell guest rooms and catering (where applicable) to markets as assigned, ensuring monthly and quarter goals are met
• Ensure sales team lead processes (response time, proposal effectiveness, site inspection process, etc.) are optimized for efficiency and closure
• Use property's sales CRM to manage sales activities and business transactions, including (but not limited to) generating reports, entering business, blocking space, building accounts, and logging client engagements

Market Analysis & Competitive Positioning

• Fluent in reading/assimilating/using Smith Travel Research data, financial P&L, mix of sales, forecasting, group pace/position & a wide array of traditional hotel reporting to make effective data-driven decisions that optimize performance.
• Understand channel sources and ability to deploy data-driven strategies that achieve revenue targets with profitability top of mind.
• Assesses & reacts to market trends, market share & the competitive hotel environment.
• Ability to understand and communicate market (and sub-market) trends, demand generators, supply/demand and economic factors affecting hotel performance.
• Conduct comprehensive competitive set reviews, SWOT analysis & keep tabs on new supply.
• Understand channel and GEO source & ability to develop/implement plans to penetrate the primary markets.

Leadership and Team Development

• Act as the brand's voice of the customer and communicate key issues, concerns, and opportunities at all levels of the organization.
• Develop/implement key segment strategy & managing key accounts (both existing & target).
• Design effective sales deployment schemes & market assignments.
• Develop sales goals designed to achieve budget & market share targets.
• Manage group pace measurement and set sales production goals.
• Manage sales activity & travel schedule.
• Ensure proper process is in place with respect to selling and servicing banquet/catering events
• Participate in weekly Sales Meeting, Operations Meeting, BEO Meeting and any other required meetings relevant to role.
• Engage in networking opportunities through active participation in community and professional associations, activities and events.
• Identify training and resource opportunities that will uplift skills, efficiency and performance of sales team members

Marketing & Brand Positioning

• Partner with in-house Villatel Creative and outside agencies to strategize and implement communications plan across B2C & B2B channels devised on market dynamics/trends and Orlando market events
• Partner with in-house Villatel Creative, revenue management, and support resources to strategize and implement digital media and email marketing campaigns in a timely fashion devised on market dynamics/trends and Orlando market events
• Partner with in-house Villatel Creative and revenue management in stewarding Villatel's online presence, ensuring content is accurate, on-brand, and relevant to B2C & B2B audiences
• Develop and implement appropriate marketing partnership opportunities and continuously focus on marketing initiatives to create customer loyalty and increase market share
• Develop relevant partnerships and activations that help drive awareness and differentiation
• Collaborate with internal and agency partners (web, PR, Social, Digital) where appropriate and orchestrate strategies and tactics that support established KPIs that will positively impact each property.
• Activate and optimize participation in brand programs, channels, and affiliated sales organization resources to best promote each asset and drive top line performance.

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• At least 3 years' experience as a sales leader, with prior hotel sales and marketing experience.
• Experience dealing with/communicating with ownership groups and asset management.
• Proficient in managing/using sales automation & PMS systems.
• Experience working collaboratively with revenue management and marketing.
• Well-rounded knowledge of all market segments and channel sources, as well as ability to develop a strategic plan for each.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to direct, lead, train, motivate & drive a direct sales team; and develop a cooperative & competitive team spirit & winning attitude.
• Must be proficient in Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Teams, and other relevant programs.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines
• Superior Negotiation Skills - Proven ability to close deals
• Leadership Skills - ability to directly and indirectly guide or influence team members towards achieving a common goal through clear communication, motivation, and collaboration
• Sales Skills - Possesses strong ability to influence and/or persuade buying decisions and to close sales or gain commitment from others; creates good rapport and exhibits the ability to grow and maintain key partnerships.
• Communication - Has both verbal and written skills, to effectively execute meetings and events this includes keeping the appropriate departments informed with Group Resumes and/or BEO's and other necessary information; actively listens to extract essential information in order to maximize revenue and execute successful meetings and events.
• Organizational Skills - Ability to determine priority tasks and maintain strong attention to detail.

Why work at Villatel? We love, love, love vacations. For ourselves, sure (don't get too excited). But more importantly, for the tens of thousands of guests that visit us each year looking to have the most incredible experiences of their lives. Our mission? Exceed their expectations every single time-by offering the most FUN, adventure-packed, and spacious accommodations with premium service.

What's cool about us is that we simultaneously build, design, maintain, and service all of our accommodations. So, we don't just hope our resorts and guest experiences are up to snuff. We actively make them as incredible as we can-by owning every step of the process.