TOURISM PROGRAM MANAGER - Leading Industry Pay

Under the direction of the Assistant Conference Center and Tourism Director, this position is responsible for managing and leading the City’s tourism and marketing efforts. Incumbent develops and executes a strategic tourism and marketing plan and coordinates tourism initiatives for the City. Work is performed exercising considerable initiative and independence in undertaking and completing assignments and involves extensive contact with government officials, public and private agencies, the development and business community, citizen groups, and other city departments.

• Leads and manages the City of Douglasville’s Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) division for the implementation and successful completion of its projects and programs as adopted by and approved by the Assistant Conference Center and Tourism Director and the Douglasville City Council.
• Serves as the City liaison with the CVB Advisory Board.
• Organizes, attends and staffs quarterly CVB Advisory Board meetings; ensures all meetings agendas and minutes are properly recorded and distributed in a timely fashion to the Board members.
• Prepares and maintains an annual budget and program of work for the submission to the Assistant Conference Center and Tourism Director.
• Understands sound municipal budgeting practices regarding CVB expenses as determined by guidelines set by the City of Douglasville.
• Develops and coordinates the implementation of long and short-range work plans for the Douglasville CVB.
• Oversees the hiring, training and successful management of the Douglasville CVB staff which includes projection of revenues and expenses for applicable gift shop operations.
• Develops and implements advertising and marketing plans for the Douglasville CVB.
• Represents the City of Douglasville, and maintains relationships, in the tourism industry, including developing and maintaining relationships within the travel region, Georgia Department of Economic Development, tour operators, the local tourism industry, including hotel/motel, restaurant, and attraction owners and operators, the Douglas County Chamber of Commerce and the Cultural Arts Council.
• Leads in building local capacity for accommodation of tourists and visitors, including new product development, training of local personnel in hospitality issues, development of bids for activities and events that will draw tourists to the area, etc.
• Coordinates administrative functions including compliance with Personnel Policies and Procedures, budgeting, purchasing.
• Determines viable target markets for group sales through thorough research and implements sales plans for each target market segment.
• Directs, manages, and determines appropriates sales programs for tour operators, weddings, reunions, and other selected groups.
• Equips staff with updated industry information and pertinent articles, State of Georgia and other member organization information.
• Establishes the weekly, monthly, annual sales goals for the department.
• Identifies key local and regional membership organizations for the Douglasville CVB to join.
• Researches and selects tradeshows, meetings, and sales events to be attended in support of the identified target markets.
• Plans frequency & location of sales blitzes for the Douglasville CVB staff.
• Establishes a system to manage field and venue inventory.
• Collects, documents and reacts to industry trends, market conditions and competition.
• Documents statistical data on economic impact and conversion studies, and track business through hotel reports.
• Maintains a good product knowledge through a printable, active current database of area hotels, attractions, recreation venues, and special event.
• Identifies and encourages local citizens with state, regional and national affiliations to invite their group to meet in Douglasville.
• Creates a cost efficient, viable image for Douglasville as a tourism destination and develop marketing programs to the City of Douglasville’s image in the regional marketplace;
• Develops and monitors market driven ads, flyers, brochures and promotional material;
• In coordination with the CVB staff, plans trips for the news media and familiarization (FAM) tours for tour operators;
• Utilizes special activities, events and projects to promote Douglasville;
• Works with the Downtown Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, Cultural Arts Center and local Boards and Commissions to develop local and regional tourism activities;
• Develops annual program to promote National Tourism Week;
• Works with State and Regional Tourism Associations to continuing fostering the image of community state-wide; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requires Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business, hospitality, tourism or closely related field; five (5) years of related and progressively responsible experience in field or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this job. Must possess and maintain a valid Georgia Driver’s license.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge Convention and Visitor Bureau operations and current practices in the tourism industry, specifically in similar-sized jurisdictions;
• Knowledge and experience with directing a Convention and Visitors Bureau;
• Good written and verbal communication skills;
• Responsible for the department’s ability to attract additional local visitors, resulting in additional revenues for local business and government;
• Ability to remain current on the latest technological advances in tourism;
• Ability to interface directly with the public and facilitate and negotiate; and recognize and capitalize on opportunity; and
• Ability in supervising assistants and working with other members of the City staff and the community.

The work requires the incumbent to sit long periods of time at a desk; stand to file; walk through building to perform needed tasks;.; dragging and lifting boxes of paper, files and supplies up to 25 lbs.; pulling and pushing file drawers open and closed; stooping, crouching, bending, squatting and kneeling to retrieve files and boxes; occasional crawling to retrieve items under desk, etc., feeling for needed objects on desk and in file drawers; reaching and twisting in chair to reach phone and files; filing and sorting of files; driving to appointments and seminars in City or personal vehicle; writing, typing, using computer and answering telephone in daily duties of job; simple grasping of objects and files and using fingers for fine manipulation of using computer keyboard; static, rotational, flexing and extension of head and neck needed to answer phone and turn to find files; near acuity vision, color vision and up, down, right and left field of vision needed; requires speaking, hearing, and dealing with employees and the public.

Primarily works in air-conditioned environment in an office setting. Occasionally outdoors walking to other City Departments and driving a car to meetings and seminars which may involve working in all types of weather. Exposed to constant noise and dust/mites. Medium stress level.