Director of Sales

Description

Palm House | Palm Beach, Florida
Reports to: General Manager

The Opportunity

Palm House is seeking an accomplished Director of Sales with demonstrated sales leadership experience in an ultra-luxury hotel or resort to lead our sales strategy, inspire our team, and build lasting relationships that drive profitable growth.

This role calls for a connected, commercially minded leader who opens doors, wins business, and understands that exceptional hospitality begins with the first interaction. You will bring an established network, confident negotiation skills, technological proficiency, and a personal approach to cultivating clients and partners.

Leading sales across groups, business travel, leisure, local business, and catering and events, you will strengthen Palm House’s market presence while protecting its positioning, rate integrity, and reputation for personalized service.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sales & Business Development

• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to achieve revenue, occupancy, profitability, and market-share goals.
• Lead sales efforts across group, corporate, leisure, business travel, catering, meetings and events, and luxury consortia business.
• Proactively identify and secure new accounts and partnerships, open doors in target markets, and convert opportunities into contracted business.
• Build business for Value Season, May through October, particularly July through October, through groups, executive offsites, exclusive hires, weddings, and celebrations, while protecting rates during peak season.
• Maintain a qualified sales pipeline with clear next steps, consistent follow-through, and accountability for conversion.
• Grow existing accounts through thoughtful relationship management, repeat business, referrals, and strategic cross-selling.
• Establish measurable sales priorities with hotel leadership and adjust strategies when performance falls short of agreed goals.

Relationships, Networking & Market Presence

• Build trusted relationships with luxury travel advisors, consortia partners, corporate accounts, meeting planners, premier wedding planners, and community partners.
• Develop connections with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clientele, their representatives, and trusted travel professionals.
• Maintain an active presence in Palm Beach and relevant feeder markets through purposeful networking, sales calls, client visits, and industry engagement.
• Represent Palm House at trade shows, luxury travel events, community functions, and business-development opportunities.
• Conduct personalized site tours, client meetings, presentations, and familiarization visits that showcase the hotel’s distinctive experience.
• Translate an understanding of each client’s preferences and business needs into relevant proposals and lasting partnerships.

Group, Catering & Event Sales Leadership

• Oversee group and catering sales strategy, ensuring opportunities align with the property’s positioning, operational capabilities, and financial objectives.
• Develop business for private celebrations, weddings, corporate gatherings, executive retreats, and exclusive-use experiences.
• Guide the preparation of compelling proposals and accurate contracts, ensuring timely responses and appropriate approvals.
• Lead key negotiations, balancing client expectations with rate integrity, profitability, and sound business judgment.
• Collaborate with Food & Beverage, Culinary, and Operations to develop distinctive experiences and deliver clear, accurate sales-to-operations handoffs.
• Maintain senior-level involvement with key clients and high‑profile events, supporting the team throughout the sales process.

Commercial Performance & Technology

• Partner closely with the Director of Revenue and operational leaders to evaluate opportunities and maximize overall hotel performance.
• Prepare accurate sales reports, forecasts, and budgets; analyze booking pace, pipeline, conversion, account production, and revenue against goals.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and industry developments to identify opportunities and respond effectively.
• Use CRM systems, sales and catering platforms, hotel systems, and reporting tools confidently to manage business and assess results.
• Ensure the team maintains reliable account records, current pipeline information, documented activity, and timely follow-up.
• Use digital prospecting, professional networking platforms, virtual presentations, and appropriate emerging technology to strengthen sales effectiveness.
• Manage departmental expenses and sales activities within the approved budget.

Team Leadership & Servi