Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

The Director of Sales & Marketing is responsible for leading all revenue-generating sales and marketing activities for the hotel, with primary responsibility for driving occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, market share, and overall profitability. This role serves as the hotel's commercial leader, developing and executing strategic sales, marketing, public relations, and business development initiatives that strengthen the property's market position, brand awareness, and drive revenue growth.

As a key member of the leadership team, the Director of Sales & Marketing works collaboratively with Revenue Management, Operations, the Corporate Marketing Team, and Ownership to ensure revenue strategies align with the hotel's guest experience, service standards, brand positioning, and long-term business objectives. In an independent hotel environment, this position requires both strategic leadership and hands-on execution, including a visible on-property presence to help carry the hotel's sales, marketing, and brand strategy through to the guest and client experience.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Sales Leadership & Business Development

• Develop and execute annual sales and marketing plans that support budgeted occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and revenue goals.
• Identify, solicit, and maintain relationships with corporate accounts, meeting planners, travel advisors, destination management companies, associations, wedding planners, community organizations, and local business partners.
• Conduct proactive sales calls, site inspections, client presentations, networking events, trade shows, and industry functions.
• Generate group, transient, and local business opportunities through prospecting, account management, and relationship development.
• Respond to RFPs, negotiate contracts, and manage the sales process to maximize revenue, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
• Develop strategic account plans for key revenue-producing accounts and market segments.
• Serve as the primary sales contact and advocate for prospective and existing clients.
• Ensure compliance with hotel sales policies, contract standards, and operating procedures.

Marketing & Brand Management

• Working in partnership with Corporate Marketing to develop and execute annual marketing plans, budgets, promotional calendars, and campaign strategies.
• Ensure all marketing initiatives accurately reflect the hotel's positioning, guest experience, brand standards, and independent boutique resort identity.
• Working in partnership with Corporate Marketing regarding digital marketing efforts including website content, social media strategy, email marketing, online reputation management, and promotional campaigns.
• Collaborate with external agencies, photographers, content creators, media partners, and vendors as needed.
• Develop strategic partnerships, local activations, and community engagement opportunities that drive awareness and revenue.
• Support public relations initiatives, media outreach, influencer partnerships, and earned media opportunities.

Revenue Strategy & Market Analysis

• Partner closely with Revenue Management and Operations to optimize occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and total hotel revenue.
• Participate in weekly revenue strategy meetings and provide market intelligence to support pricing, inventory decisions, and business mix strategy.
• Monitor booking pace, pickup, forecasting, demand patterns, account production, and market trends.
• Analyze STR reports, competitive set performance, and market share data to identify opportunities and risks.
• Monitor competitor activity, promotions, and market positioning.
• Recommend packages, promotions, partnerships, and business development strategies based on market conditions and performance trends.

Public Relations & Community Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with local tourism organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, community leaders, media contacts, and destination partners.
• Represent the hotel at industry events, trade shows, networking functions, and community activities.
• Coordinate media visits, familiarization tours, influencer stays, and public relations opportunities in partnership with the Corporate Marketing Team.
• Strengthen the hotel's reputation and visibility within the local market, travel industry, hospitality community.

Guest Experience & Leadership

• Collaborate with Operations to ensure sales and marketing initiatives align with the guest experience, service standards, and the hotel's brand positioning.
• Support key-client facing and guest-facing moments, including site visits, VIP arrivals, special events, activations, and partnership programs, to enhance brand awareness and strengthen client and guest relationships.
• Maintain visibility throughout the property and participate in guest-facing activities when appropriate, including as they support sales, marketing, client relationships, or brand positioning.
• Foster positive relationships with guests, clients, team members, community partners, and local stakeholders.
• Serve as a member of the hotel leadership team and contribute to overall business strategy, operational alignment, and property performance.

Supervisory Responsibility

• As applicable, supervises, coaches, directs, trains, and evaluates staff; Prepares and conducts employee reviews and completes timecard approvals.
• Responsible for carrying out recruitment and hiring efforts in partnership with human resources and management.

• MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

  Education & Experience

  • Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field preferred
  • Minimum 5-7 years of progressive hotel sales and marketing leadership experience
  • Experience with independent, lifestyle, boutique, luxury, or destination hotels strongly preferred
  • Demonstrated success driving occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, market share growth, and overall revenue performance
  • Proven track record of developing and executing successful sales, marketing, and business development strategies
  • Experience leading group sales, transient sales, digital marketing, public relations, and local partnership initiatives
  • Strong understanding of revenue management principles and the ability to collaborate effectively on pricing, distribution, and demand generation strategies
  • Experience presenting business plans, forecasts, and performance results to ownership, executive leadership, and other stakeholders
  • Experience with food & beverage, events, weddings, and experiential programming is a plus
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills with a customer-centric approach
  • Ability to adapt to changing priorities and manage multiple tasks simultaneously
  • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions

  Required Skills & Abilities

  • A passion for the mission, vision, and values of Sherman Associates
  • Office hours may vary due to the specific needs of the portfolio
  • Deep understanding of hotel sales, marketing, branding, and revenue optimization within a competitive hospitality environment
  • Strong financial acumen with the ability to interpret budgets, forecasts, STR reports, market trends, and performance analytics to drive business decisions
  • Demonstrated ability to build strategic partnerships and cultivate relationships with corporate clients, meeting planners, tourism organizations, community leaders, media contacts, and local businesses
  • Passion for hospitality and guest experience, with the ability to connect brand positioning and service delivery to commercial performance
  • Exceptional communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
  • Strong leadership capability with experience motivating, coaching, and developing high-performing teams
  • Creative thinker with the ability to translate market insights into innovative marketing campaigns, guest experiences, and revenue-generating initiatives
  • High emotional intelligence and the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and influence stakeholders at all levels
  • Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Proficiency with hotel technology platforms, including CRM systems, sales and catering software, PMS systems, and digital marketing tools
  • Experience with systems such as Delphi, Opera, Cvent, Knowland, TravelClick, or similar hospitality platforms preferred
  • Ability to serve as both a strategic commercial leader and a hands-on contributor in an entrepreneurial independent hotel environment

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