Senior Sales Manager

Job description / Role

Job summary

Leads revenue generation across the corporate, wholesale, and government segments. The role manages a portfolio of key accounts, negotiates annual rate agreements, and identifies new business opportunities in the UAE and international feeder markets. Responsibilities include conducting regular sales calls, hosting site inspections and client entertainment, representing the hotel at trade shows and industry events, and working closely with the revenue management and reservations teams to optimise occupancy, average rate, and market share. The ideal candidate brings a strong network across the segments, excellent negotiation skills, and a proven track record in luxury hospitality.

Candidate profile

Education and experience

• High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional area. OR
• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; no work experience required.
• Arabic language skills preferred.

Core work activities

Understanding market opportunities & driving revenue

• Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.
• Partners with group/catering counterpart to effectively manage the business opportunity.
• Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the.
• Handles all opportunities if property does not participate in an EBC.
• Identifies, qualifies, and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and each property’s revenue goals.
• Focuses efforts on group/catering accounts with significant potential sales revenue.
• Develops effective group/catering sales plans and actions.
• Designs, develops, and sells creative catered events.
• Maximizes revenue by upselling packages and creative food and beverage.
• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• Closes the best opportunities for each property based on market conditions and individual property needs.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.

Providing exceptional customer service

• Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations.
• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
• Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
• Supports brand’s Service and Relationship Strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
• Provides excellent customer service in order to grow share of the account.
• Executes brand’s Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.
• Executes and supports the business Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.
• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to the property and brand.
• Gains understanding of the property’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

Building successful relationships

• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
• Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff.

Additional responsibilities

• Utilizes intranet for resources and information.
• Conducts site inspections.
• Creates contracts as required.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated. Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.

Combining timeless glamour with a vanguard spirit, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts is committed to delivering exquisite experiences at more than 50 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Beginning with the debut of The St. Regis hotel in New York by John Jacob Astor IV at the dawn of the twentieth century, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by a team of gracious hosts that combine classic sophistication and modern sensibility, as well as our signature Butler Service.

We invite you to explore careers at St. Regis. In joining St. Regis, you join a portfolio of brands with Marriott International. Be where you can do your best work, begin your purpose, belong to an amazing global team, and become the best version of you.

About the Company

Marriott International is the worlds largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 6,000 properties in 122 countries and reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2015. Its heritage can be traced to a root beer stand opened in Washington, D.C., in 1927 by J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott.

The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 30 brands. Marriott International has more than 500,000 people working worldwide at managed or franchised properties, as well as at corporate offices. The company has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics.

Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. Marriott International does not discriminate on the basis of disability, veteran status or any other basis protected under federal, state or local laws.