National Sales Director

Kessler Hospitality’s portfolio of artistically inspired boutique hotels boasts unique design, luxurious accommodations, enriching ambiance, and intuitive service. With properties in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina or South Carolina, each hotel’s exquisite art, music, and cultural influences are deliberately approachable. Designed to inspire and to encourage unforgettable experiences, Kessler guests are immersed in redefined Bohemian luxury, from a cutting-edge downtown icon to a premier luxury lodge, Savannah’s entertainment destination, and an elite ski lodge. Kessler Hospitality was the founding member of the Marriott Autograph Collection, introduced with seven Autograph Collection branded hotels. Each property is a bold, original hotel carefully created with style and the individualist traveler in mind.

The National Sales Director will be responsible for generating group, banquet, and catering revenue opportunities through defined strategies and tactics with focus on sales goal achievement, focused on the Kessler Collection portfolio. The role is also responsible for developing & generating new key account/business opportunities within defined vertical markets, territories, and/or accounts and partner with hotel-level sales teams to close and execute on related business. This position will report into Kessler’s Corporate Director of Sales and carries a sales booking quota with ties to hotel performance. The National Sales Director shall demonstrate values of Teamwork, Integrity, Profitability, Enriching and Relentless as well as Service Standards at all times with guests and staff to ensure a positive experience.

While the role’s intention is to be working in a remote environment, the National Sales Director will be required to engage in property visits, attending pertinent site visits (as needed), pre/post cons (as needed), client events, event planning meetings (as needed), etc. pertaining to your assigned key segments/territory. You will also be required to attend specified industry events, tradeshows, or client meetings related to your defined markets and/or accounts.  This Sales Leader will also be responsible for attending and presenting out to ownership, key stakeholder, and internal Highgate x Kessler senior leadership as determined by your Corporate Director of Sales and Highgate Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

• Fully develop Key Market Segments (Group and Related Banquets/Catering as primary) through the identification/solicitation of key accounts that will yield incremental group or banquets/catering revenue opportunities.
• Develop and implement sales action plans & sales activity/travel calendar designed to best penetrate key accounts (both existing & target) to achieve revenue targets or goals across Kessler Collection properties.
• Research, identify, and engage potential accounts/clients and prospect for new business opportunities, generate leads, and set up meetings/presentations with clients that will keep the hotels’ pipeline consistently full of opportunities.
• Further to the above, engage with Marriott Global and Area Sales representatives to ensure Kessler Collection properties are top of mind for appropriate opportunities, frequently engaging with each Marriott seller to establish and execute account level action plans that drive awareness and consideration.
• Identify and qualify potential prospect key accounts, promote Kessler Collection hotels to earn new opportunities, and forge client relationships through participation in industry tradeshows, concentrated sales blitzes/calls and other sales initiatives.
• Promote all Kessler Collection properties and proactively present revenue opportunities that effectively cross sells each property.
• Closely monitor production and lead volume of defined vertical markets/accounts and evaluate all group/catering trends, recommend, and implement strategic changes as needed to positively impact top line revenue.
• Maintain a complete database of key accounts/contacts in each vertical market/territory assigned.
• Partner with hotel teams and commercial leaders to negotiate favorable contract terms/conditions and measure effectiveness of secured business.
• Maintain key account relations, brand Global Sales network relations, trade relations, industry relations and property staff relations.
• Engage, in property sales leaders, with CVBs and tourism districts (as needed) to help establish hotels within their respective submarkets.
• Actively participate in above property sales strategy meetings and business reviews – as determined by your Corporate Director of Sales.
• Develop and implement sales plans encompassing market analysis, account opportunities, short- & long-term goals, strategic initiatives, and measurable outcomes.
• Submit Quarterly Sales Action/SMART Plans & new business development goals/targets.
• Track and grow production of new accounts.
• Participate in sales development training that help support defined markets/accounts.
• Other duties, projects, or assignments as determined by your Corporate Director of Sales.

• Ability to work in a remote environment; including frequent travel to visit key accounts may be required.
• 5 or more years of related experience in sales work at a full-service hotel(s) preferred.
• Must have experience in sales solicitation, contract closing, site inspections/visits with clients, setting up fam trips and contract negotiations.
• Ability to maximize efforts towards productivity, identify opportunity areas and assist in implementing solutions.
• Ability to perform in a manner that always demonstrates professionalism.
• Must be effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary.
• Must be able to understand and evaluate complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
• Have working knowledge of all hotel operating departments.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Established relationships with brand Marriott Global and Area Sales representatives, direct buyers, group intermediary partners, etc. strongly preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook; strong preference with experience in Marriott systems such as but not limited to CI/TY, GXP and Sales ARM, etc.