Tourism Data Specialist

Our Tourism Team is seeking an engaged, curious and detail-oriented person to join our research team. This position provides the opportunity to support the Visit NC team and tourism partners statewide with relevant, timely and strategic data.  Working with the Director of Research, a variety of data vendors and industry professionals, this role will be instrumental in establishing baseline metrics and reporting on ongoing trends in the travel and tourism space. The ideal candidate is a self-starter that is eager to learn more about this $36 billion sector that directly supports nearly 250,000 jobs for North Carolinians 

This position is hybrid:  Mondays and Fridays remote, Tuesdays - Thursdays in our downtown Raleigh office.

About the Role

Position will work with the Director of Tourism Research to ensure the integrity and accuracy of Visit NC's research program and data systems. Under the supervision of the research director, the Tourism Data Specialist will assist in analysis of tourism industry trends, industry intelligence, and primary/ secondary research. This position will work with the research director to provide support of the cooperative research program offered to partners annually. The position will also be responsible for managing the internal Customer Relationship Management (CRM) proprietary database system. This system is used to enable relevant and personalized digital communications including partner data, revenue and participation reporting of Visit North Carolina co-op program, facilitates the interactions, revenue and in-kind tracking with partners and allows for timely and efficient reporting on partner interactions.

What You'll Do 

Tourism Research duties (70%)

• Research topics and trends using a range of available data sources such visitor profile, visitor spending, marketing effectiveness, etc. 
• Manage VNC's Visitor Profile study to include special, custom analyses; run analyses using proper weighting mechanisms and perform quality control; work with vendor directly on questions and issues that arise.  
• Collect and analyze monthly, quarterly and annual tourism-related indicators to post on Visit NC's industry website 
• Assist in quality control of various databases feeding into internal dashboard 
• Work with Director of Research on to develop new cooperative opportunities for partners; be liaison between partners and vendors; manage invoicing and reporting for cooperative opportunities 
• Prepare economic impact input data for specified vendor; to include data from variety of both internal and external sources  
• Make topical presentations as needed to Visit NC and EDPNC staff and stakeholders 
• Work with Director using data visualization software to populate and manage internal dashboard; create dashboards for variety of purposes and requests for information 
• Other duties as the supervisor deems necessary

CRM duties (30%)

• Manage the internal CRM for partner-facing activities using database management best practices; proactively search for updates and ensure accuracy; troubleshoot issues that arise; train staff and partners as needed. 
• Enroll tourism-related businesses as partners into the CRM system and support team in connecting partner activity including financial activity, in-kind efforts, follow-up emails and phone calls as needed 
• Ensure efficiency of internal CRM projects/tickets as well as act as team's CRM Vendor Liaison 
• Create accurate and timely reports as needed by each department and the VP of  Tourism. Create and maintain searches for department needs. This includes but is not limited to all activity reports, county reporting, etc. 
• Attend CRM and industry conferences and training sessions to stay abreast of new technology and trends 
• Work with research director to review vendor CRM contracts and proposals to eliminate duplicate billing and/or conflicts of interest. Manage ticketing system and track support hours with CRM Vendor; Manage user licenses, user permission sets and custom profiles 
• Work with marketing and agency teams to efficiently support lead management and importing/exporting of leads; to include webform management for various teams within VNC as it relates to internal needs
• Work with agency and marketing support vendor, as needed, on items that overlap with consumer facing CRM 
• Other duties as the supervisor deems necessary

Requirements

What We're Looking For

Education and Experience Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in database management, technology marketing or tourism management, or graduation with an accredited associate's degree, with additional industry experience and two (2) years' experience in a related position within the industry; or an equivalent combination of education, training and/or experience. 

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Knowledge  of and comfort with working in multiple database environments as well as other online/electronic programs and software, reporting, calculators, analytics, etc.
• Able to successfully collaborate with internal departments, external partners, and sub-contracted vendors while providing excellent customer service to all.
• Ability to  contribute to the online/technical innovation of the organization.
• Ability to work independently as well as within cross-functional teams in a collaborative, professional environment.
• Requires excellent communication skills - both verbal and written, organizational  skills - both analytical and problem solving, and the ability to prioritize projects.  Ability to manage multiple tasks and achieve deadlines under pressure.
• Strong computer skills (MS Office Suite - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, CRM and EI calculators).
• Familiarity with statistical software (SPSS) and data visualization (Tableau) is preferred but not required.

Competencies

Because Visit NC requires accurate database records, the candidate must possess a combination of technical expertise and strong analytical skills to ensure database system integrity while employing strong interpersonal skills to engage with individual system users and industry partners in a timely manner. Individual must be organized, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task with minimal supervision.

• Mathematical Skills - Calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages; apply concepts of basic algebra. 
• Reasoning Ability -Solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to identify new ways to approach old problems.
• Project Management – Develop project plans; coordinate projects; communicate changes and progress; complete projects on time and budget.
• Problem  Solving –Identify and resolve problems in a timely manner; gather and analyze information skillfully; develop alternative solutions; work well in group problem-solving situations.