Senior Group Sales Manager

Position Summary

A premier luxury hotel/resort organization is seeking an accomplished Senior Group Sales Manager to drive group revenue through strategic account development and proactive sales efforts within the Washington, D.C. and national meetings market .

This is a remote sales position; however, the successful candidate must be based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and possess strong knowledge of the market along with established relationships within the corporate, association, government-related, and professional meetings community.

The National Accounts Group Sales Manager will be responsible for developing and managing a portfolio of high-value national accounts, generating new group business, strengthening existing client relationships, and achieving established room-night and revenue goals.

The ideal candidate is a highly motivated hunter and relationship builder with significant hotel group sales experience and a proven ability to develop business through proactive prospecting, networking, industry involvement, client entertainment, and strategic account management.

Key Responsibilities

National Account & Group Sales

• Proactively solicit and secure group business from assigned national accounts, market segments, and geographic territories.
• Develop and manage a portfolio of high-value corporate, association, government-related, and third-party accounts.
• Achieve or exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual room-night and revenue goals.
• Generate new business through proactive prospecting and strategic account development.
• Manage the complete sales process from initial prospecting and qualification through proposal, negotiation, contracting, and turnover.
• Respond strategically and promptly to RFPs and qualified group opportunities.
• Negotiate guest room rates, meeting space, Food & Beverage commitments, concessions, and contractual terms.
• Evaluate total account and group revenue potential when determining business value.
• Maximize revenue through strategic upselling of guestrooms, meeting space, F&B, activities, and additional hotel/resort services.
• Develop long-term relationships that generate repeat and multi-year business.

Washington, D.C. Market Development

• Maintain an active and highly visible presence within the Washington, D.C. meetings and hospitality community.
• Develop relationships with:
• National associations
• Corporate meeting planners
• Government-related organizations
• Professional and trade associations
• Third-party meeting planners
• Meeting management companies
• Incentive houses
• Destination management companies
• Executive assistants
• Conference and convention planners
• National corporate accounts
• Conduct regular in-person sales calls throughout the D.C. metropolitan market.
• Maintain a strong network of existing industry relationships while continuously developing new contacts.
• Identify organizations with significant annual meeting and group travel potential.
• Develop account strategies based on each organization's meeting patterns, budget cycles, decision makers, destinations, and future opportunities.

Proactive Business Development

• Maintain a strong emphasis on new account acquisition and proactive selling .
• Research and identify high-potential national accounts and emerging market opportunities.
• Conduct consistent telephone, email, social, and face-to-face prospecting.
• Develop creative strategies to penetrate accounts currently producing for competitive hotels and resorts.
• Establish relationships with key decision makers and influencers.
• Re-engage dormant accounts and identify opportunities to increase share from existing clients.
• Create individual account action plans for top prospects and strategic accounts.
• Maintain an active pipeline capable of supporting both short- and long-term revenue goals.

Association & Corporate Group Business

• Develop significant group business within the association and corporate segments .
• Understand association meeting cycles, annual conferences, board meetings, executive retreats, educational programs, and incentive opportunities.
• Develop relationships with association executives and meeting professionals throughout the Washington, D.C. market.
• Identify corporate organizations with national meetings, leadership retreats, incentive programs, conferences, and special events.
• Maintain detailed knowledge of client buying cycles and sourcing processes.
• Position the hotel/resort a