Senior Manager, Business Development

The Senior Manager, Business Development within the KI Concerts division of Headfirst Companies is responsible for actively developing relationships with new-to-KI and select existing ensemble Directors and creating customized experiences to meet and exceed their performance travel expectations. Additionally, this role is responsible for developing and implementing sales strategies, identifying new business opportunities, and nurturing client relationships to foster long-term partnerships using their strong background in music.  

This individual should be well versed in KI’s product offerings, destinations, and possess a keen understanding of the value of KI’s high touch, best-in-class customer experience with the goal of creating long-term clients. The Sr. Manager, Business Development will leverage their musical background and recruitment experience to attract new groups through multiple acquisition channels (social media, KI marketing support, events, calls, referrals, etc.). As a member of the Programs team, the Sr. Manager, Business Development works cross-functionally with the Global Sales & Senior Advisor and their sales team, marketing, operations, and overseas Destination Management to support the holistic growth of KI.  

This role requires a passionate and dynamic individual with a strong sales and musical background, excellent communication skills, and a deep understanding of international travel destinations and cultures. The Sr. Manager, Business Development will leverage their expertise to inspire customers to embark on unforgettable experiences, providing personalized recommendations and exceptional service throughout the sales process.  

The Sr. Manager, Business Development reports to KI Concert’s Director of Programs and is based in Headfirst’s DC office or remotely and is expected to spend time traveling to industry conferences and on KI Concert Tours abroad.  

Sales 

1.  Lead Generation: 
   • Proactively identify and pursue sales opportunities to achieve and exceed established targets. 
   • Cultivate relationships with select existing and prospective clients through effective communication and follow-up strategies. 
   • Utilize a consultative sales approach and musical background to understand clients' travel preferences, interests, and budgetary considerations, tailoring tour packages to meet their needs. 
   • Be accountable for consistent updates within KI’s CRM system, HubSpot, to keep client records and pipeline always up to date.  
   • Nurture leads acquired through multiple channels, which include but are not limited to the following: 
     • Attending and representing KI Concerts at industry conferences, 
     • Following up by phone or email with incoming web and marketing leads, as assigned, 
     • Seeking current and past customer referrals, as assigned, and  
     • Actively making calls and performing web research to build KI’s customer base. 
2. Building a Proposal:  
   • Coordinate with Destination Management Company to obtain land costs. 
   • Coordinate with KI’s Air Department to obtain flight costs. 
   • Work with Pricer to calculate total tour cost with a set standard margin percentage. 
   • Create or work with other team members to develop proposals and send them to client in a professional, well laid out format.   
   • Request Confirmation of Arrangements (COAs) and ensure each client signs this document before a trip moves forward to the next Deal Stage in HubSpot.  
   • Support clientsthe trip (District, Principal, Admin, etc.) 
   • Complete a thorough sales to operations process handoff when appropriate to transition the group from Sales to Operations.  
3. Trip Promotion  
   • Set up a promotion timeline with each client. 
   • Conduct a live promotional meeting with each client, as requested.  
   • Work with each client through the registration deadlines & extensions until the trip reaches a minimum threshold to travel as defined by KI Leadership.  

Expertise and Customer Service 

1. Product Knowledge: 
   • Serve as a subject matter expert in music for the KI team.  
   • Develop a comprehensive understanding of KI’s product offerings, including destinations, itineraries, inclusions, and pricing. 
   • Stay updated on industry trends, travel regulations, and destination highlights to provide accurate and timely information to clients. 
   • Educate clients on the unique features and benefits of KI tour packages, highlighting the value proposition and differentiating factors, including high level musical expertise.
2. Customer Service: 
   • Provide exceptional customer service throughout the sales process, from initial inquiry to post-trip follow-up. 
   • Address client inquiries, concerns, and requests promptly and professionally, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable booking experience. 
   • Anticipate client needs and offer personalized recommendations and enhancements to enhance their travel and musical experiences. 

Teamwork Mindset  

1.  Collaboration: 
   • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, Global Sales & Senior Advisor and their sales team, operations, marketing, and product development, to ensure alignment on sales strategies and objectives. 
   • Act as a brand ambassador, representing the company values and commitment to excellence in every interaction. 
   • Drive a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the sales team, implementing best practices and innovative approaches to enhance sales effectiveness.
2. Take on other responsibilities as assigned. 

The Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, with a concentration in music, tourism, business, management, or related field viewed favorably. 
• Proven experience in sales, with a minimum of 5 years in a similar role. 
• Experience as a musician, background in music education through teaching or professional certification, and/or a proficient understanding of musical theory. 
• Experience outside of North America either through work or personal travel viewed favorably.  
• General knowledge and understanding of international performance travel industry and the global destinations to which KI Concerts clients travel.  
• Demonstrated success in meeting or exceeding sales targets and driving revenue growth. 
• Strong interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate clearly and effectively with internal staff and management with limited managerial oversight. 
• Excellent attention to detail. 
• Results-oriented mindset with a focus on delivering measurable outcomes. 
• Proficiency in CRM software and sales analytics tools. 
• Strategic thinker with the ability to analyze market trends and develop effective sales strategies. 
• Ability to problem-solve and previous take-aways and lessons learned to similar problems when they reoccur. 
• Ability to think ahead to how issues and decisions will impact customer experience and budgetary objectives, and to exercise good judgment to balance competing experiential and operational interests. 

The Character

• An impassioned enterpriser who shares the Headfirst Companies’ core mission and values, and believes in our ability to work together to make a difference in the lives of children and young adults
• A juggler and prioritizer, who is accustomed to managing multiple complex projects at the same time and is able to maintain focus on key priorities in a noisy, fast-paced environment
• A team player who approaches professional hurdles with a strong sense of individual responsibility and a sincere emphasis on team over self.
• A humble and enthusiastic leader who possesses the passion and polish to serve as an ambassador of Headfirst Companies
• A motivated self-starter who is autonomous and dependable
• A doer who has an entrepreneurial spirit and a focus on finishing the job every day  
• An independent thinker who assumes responsibility beyond what is asked, and takes initiative for positive change
• A flexible, coachable, and down-to-earth teammate who has the desire and capacity to grow through self-reflection, and by both providing and receiving thoughtful, constructive performance feedback
• A consummate professional who has the ability to prioritize and multitask, managing several projects concurrently, sometimes under pressure, and often with tight deadlines, while maintaining a positive attitude and professional demeanor
• A patient problem-solver with a stellar sense of humor