CLUSTER SALES MANAGER

An exciting opportunity to join the Grafton Hotel team in a group sales position as it prepares for the second hotel opening in 2023

Job description: Cluster Sales Manager   | The Grafton Hotel & The Chancery Hotel - opening 2023

Key Objectives:                         

This is a client facing proactive and reactive sales and events position that is responsible for targeting new rooms and event accounts and maintaining relationships with existing accounts to retain and develop the business in the local and international markets in all segments. While initially the role will focus on The Grafton Hotel, the group is expanding and is opening its second Dublin city centre hotel in 2023. The role will cover initially the sales for the Grafton hotel while working on the pre-opening sales initiatives and planning for The Chancery a luxury lifestyle property opening summer 2023.

• To drive new accounts in local area for accommodation, events, and F&B areas.
• To ensure that LCR and when applicable RFP account targeting for existing and future years is on track and managed in a timely manner to ensure that we are aligned with company goals in this segment.
• To ensure that relevant agents in the leisure market are managed and contracted for current and future years and rates set in agreement with company targets working closely with Commercial Team.
• To work with hotel team to review and analyse monthly reporting so that non- performing accounts & new accounts are identified in a timely manner to be actioned, retained, and developed in room segments and events.

 

Key duties & responsibilities will include:

• Respond in a timely manner to incoming group/catering opportunities that are within pre-defined parameters and carry out site inspections and familiarisation trips as required by the business.
• Focus on travel trade, groups, corporate, tour operator’s relationships and social and special interest groups and events agents for driving rooms and F&B event business.
• Work collaboratively with other sales channels (e.g., on-property resources) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
• Understand the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply, and demand etc. and how to sell against them.
• Ensure business booked is within hotel parameters. Close the best opportunities for the property based on market conditions and the property’s needs.
• Execute and support the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence). Transfer accurate, complete, and timely information to the events/ F&B operations department in accordance with hotel and brand standards.
• Actively up-sell each business opportunity to maximise revenue and develop and manage event sales revenue and operation budgets and provide forecasting reports to the Head of Sales and Marketing and Commercial Director.
• Drive customer loyalty through excellent customer service throughout the sales process.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. Communicate all necessary information to the team to ensure there is an awareness of hotel accounts and business requirements.
• Understand and actively utilise company marketing initiative/incentives to close business.
• Establish clear expectations for customers and properties throughout the sales process.
• Effectively resolve guest issues that may arise from the sales process. Bring issues to the attention of property and sales leadership team as appropriate.
• Execute and support customer service standards and hotel’s brand standards.
• Execute exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Perform other duties as required by the owners and GM to meet business needs.

Requirements for the position

• The ideal candidate will have at least three years’ experience in a B2B sales role, hotel/hospitality or tourism related experience an advantage, with a proven track record of meeting all sales targets.
• Will demonstrate a creative approach and the ability to think outside the box.
• Excellent communication, organisational and presentation skills.
• A professional approach and be a highly motivated individual.
• A passion for hospitality sales and marketing.
• Be a self-starter with the ability to work independently.
• Excellent relationship building skills and have a network of industry contacts.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Negotiation
• Presentation
• Customer care
• General hotel, tourism, and event management understanding
• Communication skills
• Good attention to detail.

Measure of success

• Achieving targets
• Hitting hotel budgets
• Client retention
• New customer accounts – rooms and F&B