National Sales Director, Citywide, Chicago

Job Description

The San Diego Tourism Authority is a private, non-profit, mutual benefit corporation composed of approximately 900 member organizations, businesses, local governments, and individuals seeking a better community through the visitor industry. San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) members include tourism-related entities in such categories as lodging, dining, arts & attractions, shopping, and transportation, among others, as well as other companies indirectly involved in the visitor industry.

As a sales and marketing organization, the main objective of SDTA is to promote and market San Diego County as a vacation destination and meetings and convention site. SDTA also represents and supports the interests of the visitor industry as a whole.

We are looking for a National Sales Director to live and work in the Chicago area to market and sell meeting space for the San Diego Convention Center Corporation and assist hotels in contracting room blocks to drive San Diego's Hotel Occupancy Tax and Tourism Marketing District fees.

General Responsibilities:

Achieve a yearly booking room night goal established by the Chief Sales Officer (CSO) and approved by the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. There may be other aspects of the goal relating to F&B spend, convention center rental and another ancillary spend as established by the CSO.

Prepare and execute a sales plan to achieve the desired business outcomes established by the CSO. The plan would include customer retention, new customer acquisition, closing business techniques, sales activities for that year, customer facing events, recommended tradeshows, and other tactics to achieve the sales goal.

Attend and participate in key national and local industry meetings and trade shows including but not limited to PCMA, MPI, ASAE, CEMA, IAEE, etc.

Actively network on behalf of the SDTA and its members, participating in local industry events and organizations, conducting in-person sales calls, attending receptions & events and being able to personally meet with clients or deliver proposals/agreement.

Consistently and effectively track all customer and sales activity in the approved CRM system.

Serve as a strategic collaborator with the SDCCC, fellow SDTA team members, and the hotel community to achieve the destination’s desired business results.

Be knowledgeable and up to date on San Diego happenings. That includes being knowledgeable of all things impacting meetings and conventions.

Be knowledgeable of industry trends facing San Diego and the entire M&C industry.

Requirements:

Must have a BS/BA and 8 years sales experience in hospitality, tourism, convention or service sales preferably selling the corporate market. Or have equivalent combination of education and experience.

Must be able to travel on commercial airlines and have exceptional sales skills.

Must have strong communication skills both verbal and written.

Ability to work weekends, evenings and holidays.

Must be based within close proximity to an airport in a major Midwestern City (Minneapolis, Indianapolis, St. Louis with Chicago preferred)

Must be able to travel on commercial airlines.

Benefits Include:

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

Accidental Death and Dismemberment

Flex Spending and Dependent Care plans

Matching 401k

Hybrid work schedule

Annualized salary range is $112k to $137k DOE plus incentive.

Join our team! Check us out:

Offer of employment will be contingent upon satisfactorily clearing background checks and having a clean driving record.

San Diego Tourism Authority is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, medical condition, veteran status or any other basis covered under applicable law.