Director of Sales

Applications Accepted through January 20, 2025

Job Title: Director of Sales

Reports To: President & CEO

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to apply@visitalexva.com with "Director of Sales" in the subject line. Please include how you learned about this job posting.

About Visit Alexandria:

Visit Alexandria is the City of Alexandria's not-for-profit destination marketing organization (DMO), promoting Alexandria, Virginia, as a premier destination for tourism and meetings. Our organizational culture values teamwork, strategy, creativity and innovation centered in a passion for our community. Named a 2024 Top U.S. City by Travel + Leisure and a 2024 Top 3 Best Small City by the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel and a walkable lifestyle-a welcoming escape adjacent to our nation's capital. With a nationally designated historic district founded in 1749, Alexandria is home to more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques alongside intimate historic museums and new happenings at the waterfront. At the heart of it all is bustling King Street, a walkable mile recognized as one of the "Great Streets" of America. Visitors can explore vibrant neighborhoods beyond Old Town, trace George Washington and the Founding Fathers' footsteps and follow the stories of Black Americans who shaped the history of Alexandria and the United States.

Position Summary:

The Director of Sales enhances Alexandria's position in the competitive tourism landscape by developing and executing sales strategies to capture both group meetings and travel trade opportunities. Our sales team consists of the Director plus two sales managers who report into the Director. The team collectively covers key vertical markets, including association, corporate, government, sports and tour & travel. The team cultivates key industry relationships, providing rapid response to inbound leads, prospecting in high potential markets, and convening select high value events with customer groups. In addition to leading the Sales department, the Director of Sales serves on Visit Alexandria's leadership team, working closely with the CEO and peer department leaders (Marketing, Communications, Membership and Operations) to help set goals, shape strategy, manage budget, and report results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive sales strategy that aligns with the organization's mission, focusing on key market segments that demonstrate strong growth opportunities for Alexandria.
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and motivate the sales team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key clients, hotel partners, and industry stakeholders to ensure Alexandria's positioning as a preferred destination.
• Lead Generation: Drive the generation of new leads and bookings, overseeing the qualification and management of opportunities through Visit Alexandria's CRM.
• Sales Strategy Execution: Organize and oversee sales trips, face-to-face meetings, presentations, tradeshows, FAMs, and client events to effectively promote Alexandria as a destination of choice.
• Account Oversight: Ensure meticulous account management, including documentation of activities, tracking performance metrics, and preparing reports on sales outcomes.
• External Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with member hotels, local stakeholders, and peer organizations to share insights and align strategies, ensuring a cohesive destination approach to sales.
• Internal Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with Visit Alexandria's Marketing and Communications team on sales-specific messaging and promotional opportunities.
• Market Analysis: Stay informed on industry trends and competitive positioning to proactively adapt sales strategies.
• Budget Management: Oversee the sales budget, ensuring effective resource allocation and maximizing return on investment.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• 5+ years of sales experience in the hospitality or tourism industry (e.g., hotel, facility, DMO/CVB)
• 3+ years of experience successfully leading a sales team
• Track record achieving revenue goals
• Relationship-building skills with a strong customer service orientation
• Excellent project and time management, ability to discern priorities for the team
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and technical)
• Proficient in CRM software and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required
• Flexibility to adjust schedule and travel periodically, including some evenings and weekends, for industry events, trade shows, select appointments and familiarization trips (FAMs)
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or a related field
• Familiarity with Alexandria a plus

Compensation and Work Environment:

• Salary commensurate with experience
• Full insurance package including health, dental, vision, disability
• 401(k) match up to 12% after one year
• 12 days vacation in Year One, increasing to 17 days in Year Two
• 14 paid holidays
• Paid parking
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Modern office facility including private office with access to adjacent co-working space, bike room, shower, game room, roof deck
• Hybrid work model, with in-office work expected on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and remote Mondays and Fridays

Our culture is collaborative, celebratory, innovative and accountable. We work hard, but there is genuine respect for work-life balance, health, family, service, and flexibility.

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