Account Director (Room Sales)

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing large group/catering related opportunities with significant revenue potential.  Manages group/catering opportunities not handled by an Event Booking Center (EBC). Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.  Achieves personal and team related revenue goals.  Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery.  Responsible for driving customer/guest loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer/guest experience.  Provides service to customers in order to grow the account on behalf of the company.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 2 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; no work experience required.

   

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 Event Booking Center.
• 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., Event Booking Center, 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.