Director of Sales

Discover Santa Clara®, Background:

Discover Santa Clara is a destination management organization (DMO) for the city of Santa Clara, CA. and is a private, not for profit, 501 C (6) organization with a 13-member board of directors. We have been in place since 2019 and while we have a strong foundation, we are still in a start-up phase and are eager to add team members that want to be part of building a strong, rewarding, highly regarded and productive team.

Discover Santa Clara®, Culture Statement:

At Discover Santa Clara®, we foster a currency of trust, integrity, and unity as part of our shared team, partner, and customer journey. We are committed to work being a blend of hustle and fun, fueled by a dedication to high-performance and a belief that experimentation is the secret sauce for innovation. Personal accountability, authenticity, and feedback guide our actions. Our sense of community extends beyond the four walls of our office to include our partners, clients, and our communities.

Position Summary:

Discover Santa Clara is on the lookout for a Director of Sales who is dynamic, strategic, collaborative, impactful, and enjoys rolling up their sleeves. If you're eager to join a team where high-performance, hustle, personal accountability, and fun are part of the everyday culture, then this opportunity might just be for you.

We are looking for a high energy, bold, positive, creative, innovative, and collaborative sales leader who is focused on the development of a high performing team and is continually looking for ways to evolve our sales approach. This individual possesses a direct yet approachable communication style and is committed to cultivating an environment of trust, respect, mentorship, and creativity to ensure that we are always at the top of our game and viewed as a first-class team in the marketplace. This person is about hard work and having FUN, so the sales team is excited to come to work and hit the books.

The Director of Sales (DOS) is an integral member of the sales team responsible for overseeing sales efforts and strategy for Silicon Valley/Santa Clara DMO, Inc. and for selling Santa Clara as a destination for meetings and conventions. This individual manages the DMO sales team and works collaboratively with other team managers to ensure the achievement of individual and team goals. This position will play an active role in generating business and have individual goals for production of convention bookings, requiring relationship building with prospective and established clients, and is responsible for generating prospects, monthly sales leads, room nights and convention center revenue to meet key performance targets. The DOS collaborates on Santa Clara Convention Center events and sales strategies/plans, personnel decisions, and employee evaluations. The position monitors performance of the sales team and provides counsel, training, and mentorship. The DOS is responsible for the leadership of a comprehensive direct sales program to deliver targeted convention and meeting business to the Santa Clara Convention Center and the City of Santa Clara.

This position represents the DMO on sales calls and at sales-related conferences and tradeshows and works in coordination with the Santa Clara Convention Center, to ensure effective sales efforts are executed to fulfill strategic objectives established by the DMO’s key performance indicators. This position collaborates regularly with Oak View Group, Levy, and the city, members of the SCTID hotels and the tourism community.

All responsibilities assigned will be based on the direction and goals of the Silicon Valley/Santa Clara DMO, Inc., CEO and Board of Directors. This position supervises all DMO sales staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The following is intended as general examples of the duties of this position and are not all- inclusive for specific positions. Other reasonable duties may be assigned.

Collaborative engagement with the following entities (key partners) to fulfill all sales initiatives:

• DMO CEO
• Oak View Group sales team and General Manager
• Levy’s (Center Food & Beverage provider) sales team
• The City of Santa Clara
• The Santa Clara Tourism Improvement District (SCTID) lodging businesses

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Set the standard for a highly visible and top-producing sales team.
• Responsible for participating in booking group business to drive room nights and overall economic impact to our partners and the city of Santa Clara.
• Develop, lead, and manage a direct sales program, defined by geographic and vertical market segments.
• Develop and manage sales program performance, reporting and forecasting system to monitor and track impact, results, and trends.
• Direct the annual sales plan development, implementation and communication of annual plans including establishing sales quotas, individual sales team performance goals and bonus structure, demonstrating an understanding of the overall market and needs of key partners. Manage sales department budget and expenditures within budgetary requirements.
• Provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to further the development and growth of sales team members.
• Develop, and implement integrated processes and procedures within the department and across the DMO, including best practices.
• Manage and lead DMO and SCTID Director of Sales & Marketing bi-monthly meetings including creation of agenda.
• Manage the DMO CRM (Simpleview), to provide accurate, efficient, and timely records including all aspects of results of sales activity, lead generation, and sales initiatives. System must always ensure data integrity so that information is assessable.
• Follow/evaluate industry trends, competition, and economic/business conditions and recommend adjustments to current sales initiatives/strategies.
• Identify and develop new market opportunities to pro-actively target.
• Organize and attend tradeshows, conventions, client events, site inspections, and relevant meetings/community activities related to the DMO’s activities as required.
• Manage the DMO CRM (Simpleview), to provide accurate, efficient, and timely records including all aspects of results of sales activity, lead generation, and sales initiatives. System must always ensure data integrity so that information is assessable.
• Follow/evaluate industry trends, competition, and economic/business conditions and recommend adjustments to current sales initiatives/strategies.
• Identify and develop new market opportunities to pro-actively target.
• Organize and attend tradeshows, conventions, client events, site inspections, and relevant meetings/community activities related to the DMO’s activities as required.
• Develop effective relationships with key industry partners to effectively coordinate sales activities and present competitive bids.
• Work closely with hotel partner Directors of Sales and teams to maximize client bids and execute a memorable experience.
• Arrange FAM Trips and participate in client appreciation events for meeting planners headquartered in our target markets.
• Supervise day-to-day activities of the sales team.
• Work cooperatively to develop materials for effective solicitation and bid materials.
• Work with industry groups and peers to benchmark and track local industry trends and DMO sales effectiveness relative to key competitors.
• Report sales efforts and results to the CEO, on a regular basis and to the Board of Directors. Achieve individual prospecting and sales goals via assigned sales accounts.
•  Serve on industry committees and boards when appropriate and maintain membership in targeted industry organizations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferable
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience in a hospitality/tourism senior sales capacity.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience supervising, developing, and managing staff.
• Experience in marketing, sales, automated account management (CRM) systems, budgeting, and business planning.

LICENSE

•  Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license is required at the time of appointment and for the duration of employment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• May be opportunity to work remotely and in office.
• Must be able to work evenings, weekends, as required.
•  Will require travel.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

•  Strong knowledge of tourism industry, specifically convention markets including customer segmentation, distribution systems, and general pricing negotiation practices.
• Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software (Simpleview experience is a plus).
• Financial management, budgeting, and resource management.
• Detailed knowledge of hotel and convention center operating procedures and business practices.
• Excellent communication and public presentation skills.
• Ability to collaborate with a diverse group of individuals and groups.
• Naturally, people-oriented and goal oriented.
• Ability to pro-actively problem solve.
• Effective with minimal supervision and guidance.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
• Desire for continued business development and self-improvement.
• Exceptional analytical skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects/responsibilities and people.
• Ability to meet stringent deadlines.
• Ability to think strategically as well as tactically.
• Ability to build effective consensus within a team.
• Ability to lead development and execution of sales plans, sales skills, and sales strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain a positive and professional work attitude and appearance.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with peers and colleagues and team members.
• Ability to establish a rapport with members of the hotel and tourism community.
• Ability to make compelling presentations.