Director of Meetings & Conventions, FL Association and International

SUMMARY 

This position is responsible for marketing, promoting, and selling Palm Beach County as a premier destination for conventions and meetings within the group market. The ideal candidate will be a highly experienced Director with a group sales background in hotel and convention sales and proven leadership capabilities. The candidate must demonstrate success in driving group business by leveraging Palm Beach County’s hotels and the Palm Beach County Convention Center, with the goal of achieving assigned annual definite room night bookings in alignment with Discover The Palm Beaches’ strategic sales and marketing plans. Strong leadership qualities—as both a coach and mentor—are essential, along with a disciplined, systems-driven approach to sales, strategic planning, and accountability. The ability to manage and fulfill expectations from both internal and external stakeholders while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism is critical. This is an in-office position based in The Palm Beaches.  Candidates must reside in Florida and work on-site at our office. Territory focus is Florida Association and International groups with 25 or more rooms on peak. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Sales & Marketing Efforts

• Responsible for generating group leads and definite rooms nights for Palm Beach Hotel collection and the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
• Ensures maximum exposure for the convention district effectiveness and coordinates within the market to obtain the strongest presence possible for the destination and its partners. 
• Plans, develops, coordinates, and attend travel trade shows, destination reviews, customer site inspection trips and sponsored events assigned within territory with a focus on ROI.
• Proactively and systematically prospects lead generation through trade shows, sales missions, and third-party sales organizations for the Convention Center District.
• Responds to and solicits business from all inquiries (phone or written requests) developed or assigned.
• Creates and submits pre-and-post sales trip reports.
• Executes sales and marketing plan strategies and directives geared to hotel and convention center group sales and the development and achievement of annual goals.
• Establishes positive relationships with destination partners creating value add and revenue producing opportunities.
• Develops and recommends annual action plan with suggestions on sales programs, activities, and sales approach to accomplish goals within region and markets assigned.  Includes solicitation call schedule, volunteer involvement within beneficial customer industry organizations, travel schedule and personal suggestions geared to generate prospects and leads.
• Becomes an active member of organizations, in accordance with the Marketing Plan, within assigned territory and market segments. Seeks such opportunities as the organization may provide for volunteer work to develop relationships with key decision-makers, thereby developing leads and promoting the visibility of the County as an important and viable destination for groups, meetings and conventions. 
• Manages and participates during destination reviews for key clients when appropriate.
• Develops and manages trade show, client events and other activities creatively and effectively to ensure ROI.
• Covers a sales territory directly with an individual booking goal.

Above duties – 70% of time

Administrative

• Effectively obtains and manages client confidential information and lead details for the inclusion within CRM and community partners.
• Ability to gather competitive DMO sales strategies and deploy against them.
• Manages a shared Sales Account Executive

Above duties 15% of time

• Manages assigned budgets effectively and processes expenses in accordance with finance workflows and systems.

Above duties 10% of time

• Assists DTPB Executive Team with other projects as directed.

Above duties 5 % of time

QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE

• Four-year degree from an academic institution or equivalent related work experience, with a minimum of 5 years experience in the tourism industry.
• DMO and convention center selling experience a plus.
• Strong working knowledge of the state, national association markets, corporate, third-party organizations, and key vertical market segments that produce in first and second tier destinations.
• Experience with Simple view, Cvent, and Empowerment a plus.
• Must be a self-starter; be self-motivated, and able to multitask.
• Must be creative and detail oriented.
• Strong consensus builder and relationship builder.
• Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with all publics.
• Must exercise solid judgment and diplomacy in a wide variety of public contact situations.  
• Ideal candidate must physically be located in market.
• Must be flexible with traveling and be able to adjust to changing conditions and circumstances around work events.
• Must demonstrate a positive attitude and cooperate with staff.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Learns and Applies Job Skills: Shows the ability to study, learn and apply new skills on the job. Quickly learns basic principles, hotel product knowledge, as well as detailed sets of technical steps, procedures and uses of technology on the job. Is skilled at retaining what is learned and applies training that is given.
• Delivers Technological Expertise:  Deepens knowledge through appropriate learning opportunities and shares additional information with appropriate internal staff. Uses job expertise to create opportunities, prevent errors, and minimize problems for the team.
• Decision Making: Bases decisions on facts. Collects, analyzes information, and forms conclusions in an urgent way. Chooses courses of action that are consistent with known facts, constraints, and risks. Anticipates consequences and prepares alternatives, forms conclusions that lead to specific action.
• Customer Focused: Demonstrates an ability and willingness to provide efficient, quality service to the customer, whether an outside customer of the organization or an internal “colleague” or work group. Listens and shows sensitivity to customer requests or reports of problems, follows through on commitments to find answers, takes responsibility for working with and responding to customer requests and complaints and seeks feedback on the customer’s satisfaction with results.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate based on actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Our management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities and general treatment during employment. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Working conditions are normal for an office environment.  The position may require periodic weekend and/or evening work and some business travel.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

OTHER INFORMATION

This position description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position