Director of Middle East & Diplomatic Sales

Marriott International portfolio of brands includes both JW Marriott and Marriott Hotels.

Marriott Hotels, Marriott International's flagship brand with more than 500 global locations, is advancing the art of hosting so that our guests can travel brilliantly. As a host with Marriott Hotels, you will help keep this promise by delivering premium choices, sophisticated style, and well-crafted details. With your skills and imagination, together we will innovate and reinvent the future of travel.

JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of more than 80 beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. JW believes our associates come first. Because if you're happy, our guests will be happy. It's as simple as that. Our hotels offer a work experience unlike any other, where you'll be part of a community and enjoy a true camaraderie with a diverse group of co-workers. JW creates opportunities for training, development, recognition and most importantly, a place where you can really pursue your passions in a luxury environment. Treating guests exceptionally starts with the way we take care of our associates. That's The JW Treatment???.

JOB SUMMARY

As the local, on propertysales/catering contact for customers, the Director of Middle East andDiplomatic Sales is responsible for proactivelyidentifying and soliciting new customersprimarily from hotel's Middle East countries (predominantly from the Gulfcountries ) from all market segments and to work with the London Embassies andULK Government Offices to generate group business. The role will proactivelysolicit and manage a profile of UK based Corporate and Travel Agencies that specializein Middle East and Diplomatic business. The role will also respond to all leadsfrom account base with proposal, conduct site inspection, negotiate andcontract the opportunity. Actively up sells each business opportunity tomaximize revenue opportunity. Building astrong relationship with our regular guests is an important part of this role.To support the role business travel representing the hotel at chosen Gulf basedtrade shows, preparing and executing sales trips to visit key clients inmultiple locations is an important part this role. Achieves personal and teamrelated revenue goals. Ensures businessis turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery toEvent Management team. Business travel to representing the hotel at overseastradeshows/relationship development trips is part of this role.

SCOPE/BUSINESS CONTEXT
Scope Measures:
?? Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel -London
?? 496 Guest Rooms & Suites
?? 5 Star
?? 57,763 square feet of Banqueting &Meeting space
?? Health club, car park, extensive restaurants& bars & business centre
?? Direct report - Sales Coordinator
?? Number of FTEs (full time equivalents) - one
?? Annual Projected Revenue
?? Control or Influence of Budget (N)
?? Direct Reports: Sales Coordinator (1)

?? The position will betargeted primarily to develop new business and maintain relations with existingclients in the Transient, Wholesale, Government and Other Group segments for the existing year and to a lesser degreewill be targeted to deliver contracted business for future years. Clear market responsibility, as well astargets based against the hotel's budgets will ensure a focused approach. The targets will be based around revenueproduction in the following markets: Transient, Wholesale, Group Government and Group Other

CANDIDATE PROFILE
Experience

Solid sales & account managements skillsare essential, with a strong knowledge of the cultural ways of different Gulfcountries. A good researcher, negotiatorand client focused approach is required. The candidate should be able to show strong knowledge of constructingand executing sales & client action plans. There should be excellent communication (verbal & written) skills,confident presentation ability and a second language would be anadvantage. Direct sales experience isessential (including skills in dealing with travel/event decision makers) as isexperience in the group/banqueting sales market.

Skills and Knowledge
?? Report writing & project managementskills
?? A strong knowledge of upscale, deluxe hotels
?? Possesses excellent telephone sales skills
?? Excellent selling skills and understandingof sales processes; can effectively up sell products and services; can bring asale to closure
?? Knowledge of operations and associatedchallenges for all brands
?? Knowledge of all Marriott Lodging products,cultures and brand strategies
?? Knowledge of contractual agreements andlegal implications
?? Knowledge of the hotel & company pricingpolicies, as well as negotiation guidelines
?? Knowledge of food trends, food and beveragecomposition and menu planning
?? Knowledge of cultural differences anddiplomacy when dealing with nationals from the GCC
?? Knowledge of need time strategy as developedby Revenue Management
?? Strong customer and development andrelationship management skills
?? Knowledge of group, extended stay andtransient business
?? Understands revenue management functions andaccount profitability
?? Effective decision making skills
?? Ability to influence others
?? Strong problem-solving skills
?? Ability to develop and maintainrelationships e.g., associates, customers, vendors
?? Good negotiation skills
?? Strong presentation and platform skills
?? Strong communication skills (verbal,listening, writing)
?? Strong organization skills
?? Strong customer and associate relationskills
?? Ability to manage, develop and mentor yourdirect report
?? Knowledge of overall hotel operations asthey affect department
?? Ability to use standard softwareapplications and hotel systems including Opera, SFA, etc.

Education or Certification
?? High School Diploma or equivalent required;Bachelor's Degree preferred
?? Hospitality Management Degree beneficial
?? Hotel sales & marketing related courses

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

Excellentpeople management skills, including goal setting, review, coaching, trainingand communication. The ability to be astrong figurehead within the hotel and lead by example. Ensure that there is effective communicationto both the customer and fellow Associates. To ensure that all proactive sales support, reactive sales & eventmanagement are given the correct information and leadership to ensure that theycan carry out their roles.

Business Results

BalancedScorecard Results: Supports strategiesand conducts activities to drive market share, guest satisfaction and financialresults.



?? Sales andMarketing: Focuses on building the unit's top linerevenue by proactively soliciting and managing group/catering relatedopportunities. Up sells each businessopportunity to maximize revenue. Achieves individual and team sales goals to enablebusiness success.
?? GuestSatisfaction: Ensuressales information provided to Event Management is accurate, complete and timelyand enables units to meet or exceed guest expectations. Continuously focuses on improving guestsatisfaction to create customer loyalty and increase market share

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Thefollowing are specific responsibilities and contributions critical to thesuccessful performance of the position:

Sales and Revenue Management
Works collaboratively with off-propertysales channels (e.g., Global Sales, Enterprise Sales, Event Booking Center,Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated,complementary and not duplicative.
Plays a proactive part in the Sales StrategyMeeting and is aware of selling requirements, restrictions and actions stemmingfrom this meeting.
Responds to incoming group/cateringopportunities for the hotel that are outside parameters of the Event BookingCenter. Handles all opportunities forincentive .
Proactively identifies, qualifies andsolicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenuegoals.
Ensures that the correct contracts andadministration are completed and filed in an orderly fashion, to give quickaccess to client information.
Utilise Opera S&C to manage sales &account relationships, as well as group/banqueting bookings. Ensure that information is correct, up todate and the database is current.
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 the hotelbased on market conditions and hotel needs.
Uses negotiating skills and creative sellingabilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
Builds and strengthens relationships withexisting and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls,entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
Effectively develops relationships withincommunity to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering salesopportunities.
Effectively manages and developsrelationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
Monitors same day selling procedures tomaximize room revenue and control hotel occupancy.
Effectively use sales resources and administrative/supportstaff.
Conducts site inspections for
Creates contracts for all group/cateringopportunities.
Works with the Revenue Management Team toensure that correct tracking data is collected and recorded.
Guest Satisfaction
Sets a positive example for guest relations.
Provides accurate, complete and effectiveturnover to Event Management and Hotel Operations Team...... click apply for full job details