Director of Middle East & Diplomatic Sales
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Director of Middle East & Diplomatic Sales

About the job

Marriott International portfolio of brands includes both JW Marriott and Marriott Hotels.

Marriott Hotels, Marriott International’s flagship brand with more than 500 global locations, is advancing the art of hosting so that our guests can travel brilliantly. As a host with Marriott Hotels, you will help keep this promise by delivering premium choices, sophisticated style, and well-crafted details. With your skills and imagination, together we will innovate and reinvent the future of travel.

JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of more than 80 beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. JW believes our associates come first. Because if you’re happy, our guests will be happy. It’s as simple as that. Our hotels offer a work experience unlike any other, where you’ll be part of a community and enjoy a true camaraderie with a diverse group of co-workers. JW creates opportunities for training, development, recognition and most importantly, a place where you can really pursue your passions in a luxury environment. Treating guests exceptionally starts with the way we take care of our associates. That’s The JW Treatment™.

JOB SUMMARY


 As the local, on property sales/catering contact for customers, the Director of Middle East and Diplomatic Sales   is responsible for proactively identifying and soliciting new  customers primarily from hotel’s Middle East countries (predominantly from the Gulf countries ) from all market segments and to work with the London Embassies and ULK Government Offices to generate group business. The role will proactively solicit and manage a profile of UK based Corporate and Travel Agencies that specialize in Middle East and Diplomatic business. The role will also respond to all leads from account base with proposal, conduct site inspection, negotiate and contract the opportunity. Actively up sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.  Building a strong relationship with our regular guests is an important part of this role. To support the role business travel representing the hotel at chosen Gulf based trade shows, preparing and executing sales trips to visit key clients in multiple locations is an important part this role. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals.  Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery to Event Management team. Business travel to representing the hotel at overseas tradeshows/relationship development trips is part of this role.


SCOPE/BUSINESS CONTEXT

 Scope Measures:

·          Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel - London

·          496 Guest Rooms & Suites

·          5 Star

·          57,763 square feet of Banqueting & Meeting space

·          Health club, car park, extensive restaurants & bars &  business centre

·          Direct report – Sales Coordinator

·          Number of FTEs (full time equivalents) - one

·          Annual Projected Revenue

·          Control or Influence of Budget (N)

·          Direct Reports: Sales Coordinator (1)

 

·          The position will be targeted primarily to develop new business and maintain relations with existing clients in the Transient, Wholesale, Government and Other Group segments  for the existing year and to a lesser degree will be targeted to deliver contracted business for future years.  Clear market responsibility, as well as targets based against the hotel’s budgets will ensure a focused approach.  The targets will be based around revenue production in the following markets:  Transient, Wholesale, Group Government and Group Other

 

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Experience

Solid sales & account managements skills are essential, with a strong knowledge of the cultural ways of different Gulf countries.  A good researcher, negotiator and client focused approach is required.  The candidate should be able to show strong knowledge of constructing and executing sales & client action plans.  There should be excellent communication (verbal & written) skills, confident presentation ability and a second language would be an advantage.  Direct sales experience is essential (including skills in dealing with travel/event decision makers) as is experience in the group/banqueting sales market.


Skills and Knowledge

·          Report writing & project management skills

·          A strong knowledge of upscale, deluxe hotels

·          Possesses excellent telephone sales skills

·          Excellent selling skills and understanding of sales processes; can effectively up  sell products and services; can bring a sale to closure

·          Knowledge of operations and associated challenges for all brands

·          Knowledge of all Marriott Lodging products, cultures and brand strategies

·          Knowledge of contractual agreements and legal implications

·          Knowledge of the hotel & company pricing policies, as well as negotiation       guidelines

·          Knowledge of food trends, food and beverage composition and menu planning

·          Knowledge of cultural differences and diplomacy when dealing with nationals from the GCC

·          Knowledge of need time strategy as developed by Revenue Management

·          Strong customer and development and relationship management skills

·          Knowledge of group, extended stay and transient business

·          Understands revenue management functions and account profitability

·          Effective decision making skills

·          Ability to influence others

·          Strong problem-solving skills

·          Ability to develop and maintain relationships e.g., associates, customers, vendors

·          Good negotiation skills

·          Strong presentation and platform skills

·          Strong communication skills (verbal, listening, writing)

·          Strong organization skills

·          Strong customer and associate relation skills

·          Ability to manage, develop and mentor your direct report

·          Knowledge of overall hotel operations as they affect department

·          Ability to use standard software applications and hotel systems including         Opera, SFA, etc.


Education or Certification

·          High School Diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor’s Degree preferred

·          Hospitality Management Degree beneficial

·          Hotel sales & marketing related courses

 

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

 

Excellent people management skills, including goal setting, review, coaching, training and communication.  The ability to be a strong figurehead within the hotel and lead by example.  Ensure that there is effective communication to both the customer and fellow Associates.  To ensure that all proactive sales support, reactive sales & event management are given the correct information and leadership to ensure that they can carry out their roles. 

 

Business Results

 

Balanced Scorecard Results:  Supports strategies and conducts activities to drive market share, guest satisfaction and financial results.


·         Sales and Marketing:  Focuses on building the unit’s top line revenue by proactively soliciting and managing group/catering related opportunities.  Up sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue. Achieves individual and team sales goals to enable business success.

·          Guest Satisfaction:  Ensures sales information provided to Event Management is accurate, complete and timely and enables units to meet or exceed guest expectations.  Continuously focuses on improving guest satisfaction to create customer loyalty and increase market share


 

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

 

The following are specific responsibilities and contributions critical to the successful performance of the position:


Sales and Revenue Management

 Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Global Sales, Enterprise Sales, Event Booking Center, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
Plays a proactive part in the Sales Strategy Meeting and is aware of selling requirements, restrictions and actions stemming from this meeting.
Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the hotel that are outside parameters of the Event Booking Center.  Handles all opportunities for incentive .

        Proactively identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals.
 Ensures that the correct contracts and administration are completed and filed in an orderly fashion, to give quick access to client information.
 Utilise Opera S&C to manage sales & account relationships, as well as group/banqueting bookings.  Ensure that information is correct, up to date and the database is current.
 Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
 Closes the best opportunities for the hotel based on market conditions and hotel needs.
 Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
 Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings.  Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
 Effectively develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
  Effectively manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
 Monitors same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control hotel occupancy.
Effectively use sales resources and administrative/support staff.
Conducts site inspections for
 Creates contracts for all group/catering opportunities.
  Works with the Revenue Management Team to ensure that correct tracking data is collected and recorded.
Guest Satisfaction
 Sets a positive example for guest relations.
 Provides accurate, complete and effective turnover to Event Management and Hotel Operations Team.
Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels; effectively responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
 Attends pre- and post-convention meetings to understand group needs, obtain feedback on quality of product (e.g., rooms, meeting facilities and equipment, food and beverage), service levels and overall satisfaction.
Observes service behaviors of associates and provides feedback to individuals and/or managers; continuously strives to improve service performance.
Reviews meeting planner results to understand level of guest satisfaction; continuously strives to improve service performance.

 
Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. Marriott International does not discriminate on the basis of disability, veteran status or any other basis protected under federal, state or local laws.

About you

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  • Language required: English.

The company

Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel is one of London’s most iconic hotels. Centrally located in the heart of London overlooking Hyde Park in exclusive Mayfair, it holds one of the capital’s most desirable addresses in ‘Park Lane’. With a rich history and built to the designs of L. Rome Guthrie and Sir Edwin Lutyens from 1927 and 1929, Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel has long held its position as a leader in Central London luxury hotels.

The hotel boasts 496 luxurious guest rooms including 73 suites, and offers a wide array of culinary experiences, from elegant, award-winning afternoon tea or a glass of Champagne in The Park Room to an evening cognac at the The Library Bar. For a fantastic dinner, JW Steakhouse embodies the hotel’s historical American connections, allowing guests to indulge in London’s finest steaks in a classic American steak house setting. For a more traditional British setting, enjoy a delicious international meal at Corrigan’s Mayfair. For a drink, enjoy one of the many Bourbons on offer at the Bourbon Bar or experience the famous Red Bar and its unique cocktails.

Near to everything, convenient for everyone, the hotel has an unrivaled range of entertaining space. With 20 meeting rooms in 86 Park Lane including the famous Great Room and the Ballroom, totaling 5,660 square meters, it is one of the most flexible and elegant venues in London for a business or social event, whether entertaining on the grandest scale or working one to one.

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Director of Middle East & Diplomatic Sales

London, United Kingdom

Full-time, Indefinite

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