The Senior Sales Executive is the on-property liaison for group events over 300 peak rooms. The incumbent is responsible for contracting and closing group business in addition to conducting site inspections. Additionally, verify that business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. The position is responsible for achieving group revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. The incumbent implements the brand’s service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and drives customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience. The Senior Sales Executive has overall responsibility for achieving and/or exceeding the hotel sales revenue goals.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years’ experience in the 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; 2 years’ experience in the sales and marketing or related professional area.

Preferred:

• Large group sales experience.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Sales and Marketing Leadership

• Achieve group revenue goals by responding to incoming group/catering opportunities for the hotel that are over 300 peak rooms.

• Understand the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and know how to sell against them.

• Close the best opportunities for the hotel based on market conditions and hotel needs.

• Use negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.

• Partner with Area Sales to identify new group/catering business and achieve personal and hotel revenue goals.

• Build and strengthen relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.

• Develop relationships within the community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.

• Develop group sales revenue and operation budgets, and provide forecasting reports.

• Work with the management team to create and implement a group sales/marketing plan addressing revenue, customers and market.

• Work collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Sales Office, Area Sales, EST) to verify that the property needs are being achieved and the sales efforts are complementary, not duplicative.

• Assist with selling, implementation and follow-through of group sales promotions.

• Attend pre- and post-convention meetings to understand group needs, obtain feedback on quality of product (e.g., rooms, meeting facilities and equipment, food and beverage), service levels and overall satisfaction.

• Partner with Event Management and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations.

• Provide accurate, complete and effective turnover to Event Management.

• Execute and support Marriott’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.

• Conduct site inspections, as required.

• Monitor same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control hotel occupancy.

• Execute and support the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).

• Participate in and practice daily service basics of the brand (i.e., MHR Spirit to Serve Daily Basics, RHR Savvy Service Basics, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn Basics of the Day, Residence Inn Daily Huddle, or TownePlace Suites Morning Meeting).

• Execute exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.

• Serve 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 Marriott.

• Gain understanding of the hotel’s primary target customer and service expectations; serve the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

• Perform other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.

Hotel Performance

• Verify that the property implements a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering high level of service.

• Monitor the effective resolution of guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process by creating mechanisms to channel issues to property leadership and/or other appropriate stakeholders.

• Maintain successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and Marriott International.