How to Hire a Vice President of Sales

HSMAI’s Sales Advisory Board (SAB) is developing resources to help hospitality organizations that are gearing up to bring back staff and hire for new positions, including vice presidents of sales. The SAB has drafted this job description template to use as a starting point for the sales vice president role.

JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE: Vice President of Sales – Group

SUMMARY

The vice president of sales will lead the development and acceleration of the company’s non-transient commercial strategy, designed to maximize group, meeting, and conference revenue. This role is anchored in sales strategy and execution, which will serve as the foundation for driving a successful sales plan for increased group, meeting, and conference revenue. The VP of sales will drive, execute, and strengthen this new sales strategy, and help the business to evolve its sales strategy as needed. This role will also be responsible for the strategic positioning of the properties for B2B and group activities. The VP of sales will also directly manage national sales managers and have a dotted-line reporting relationship with each hotel’s director of sales and marketing.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Grow New Group Business:
    • The VP of sales’ objective is to drive national sales managers to hunt new group business, focusing on associations and event planners in the assigned region, and to leverage the full portfolio of hotels to be able to grow group revenue.
    • They will be responsible for driving this strategy and driving incremental group revenue including room nights, conference space, and food and beverage.
  • Sales Roadmap:
    • The VP of sales will be responsible for advancing the group sales roadmap, modifying direction if necessary, and aligning resources and cross-functional interdependencies to execute on the strategy.
    • The VP of sales is a strategic-doer and must be able both to think provocatively and strategically to advance group and meetings business, and to assist in closing large national accounts as necessary and to work with lodge teams to evolve event delivery processes and procedures.
  • Drive Sales Performance:
    • The VP of sales will develop, execute, and track performance of group sales programs and processes for existing and new properties. As markets and hotels vary, it will be important for the VP of sales to understand how to create metrics and rhythms that make sense across the enterprise and on a local level — linking performance management and measurement to individual accountabilities.
    • This role facilitates sound decisions that balance the business’ need for local customization with the benefits of company-wide practices that leverage the company’s scale and reinforce consistency across regions.
  • Sales Department Communication Rhythms:
    • Working closely with the broader commercial and revenue management organization, the VP of sales will create communication rhythms with sales teams, GMs, and other stakeholders to ensure that the communication of strategies is consistent yet flexible to adapt to changing conditions and that plans for implementation and execution are clear and include solid measurements of accountability.
  • Drive Trough Occupancy Strategy:
    • Ultimately, the objective of the VP of sales is to maximize occupancy and revenue during trough revenue periods through driving group business during non-peak times.
    • The company is uniquely positioned within the market for groups and meetings, with an inverted demand on inventory leading to weekday trough periods. As need periods vary by location, a quick ramp-up is essential to understand revenue cycles and offerings by location.
  • Innovative Offer Development:
    • Linking to consumer research, brand positioning, and transient guest demand, the VP of sales will elevate group and meeting product offerings. While strengthening the core products of room, conference, and catering revenue, they will leverage the brand and in-lodge experience to develop a broader array of products, services, and experiences such as corporate team-building workshops and family-/school-oriented events and parties.
    • By deeply understanding the needs and expectations of the segments of our target group guest, the VP of sales will unlock new value and stimulate incremental demand to drive organic same-store profit while shaping future development and existing lodge renovations.
    • Although the role will focus on driving revenue growth in core areas of rooms, conference services, and catering, the VP of sales will also be tasked with harnessing the unique attributes of the brand and each property’s amenities to grow average spend per guest. They will partner with a cross-functional team of marketing, revenue management, and operations leadership to evolve pricing and packaging.
  • Functional Leadership:
    • As a member of the senior management team, the VP of sales will create relationships with sales teams, RVPs, GMs, and other leadership.
    • The VP of sales will advise properties of ways to continuously improve sales effectiveness and efficiency through product, people, process, tools, and technology, and will advise sales teams on all sales standards and operating procedures.
    • The VP of sales will create a performance-driven culture enabling professional growth of existing colleagues while attracting high-performing industry talent.
  • Establish and Implement Processes:
    • Processes for clear communication between sales, event fulfillment, and guest services will need to be further developed and maintained to ensure the company consistently over-delivers on sales promises.

PERFORMANCE AND SUCCESS MEASURES

  • New group sales and revenue
  • New group catering revenue
  • Increased trough revenue
  • Increased Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)
  • Guest satisfactions for attendees and event planners
  • Building of sales talent pipeline
  • Positive working relationships with team and other senior leaders

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

  • [List title and bio for the person this position reports to]

KEY INTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS

  • Chief Commercial Officer
  • SVP, Revenue Management and Chief Analytics Officer
  • Corporate Director of Revenue Management
  • National Sales Managers
  • Sales Directors, Sales Managers, and Sales Coordinators
  • General Managers
  • Corporate Revenue Management Team

EXPERIENCE BASE

  • Similar Verticals:
    • The VP of sales will have prior experience in a multiunit business in highly competitive, fast-moving verticals such as hotel, resort, restaurant, travel, multiunit retail, entertainment, financial services, or media.
  • Large and Small Companies:
    • The VP of sales will have experience delivering results in leading sales organizations, in both large and small company environments. The key is that they know how to stretch precious resources — money, headcount, and time.
    • This is often more about attitude than experience, and candidates need to demonstrate they are resourceful and comfortable in an ambiguous and fast-paced environment.
  • Customer Experience and Consumer Insights:
    • The VP of sales will have experience understanding a company’s target consumer and positioning offerings to drive heightened guest satisfaction, greater brand loyalty, and increased profitability.
  • Sales Market Strategy:
    • The VP of sales will have experience with all activities related to conceptualizing and implementing national sales strategies and achieving the sales mission and objectives while protecting and building the brand.

SKILL SET

  • World-class hospitality sales and sales operations skills — technically and operationally proficient
  • Creative and influencing horsepower — smart, out-of-the-box thinking, and a magician with building relationships
  • Collaboration — works with peers across many functionalities
  • Innovative and creative thinking, balanced with pragmatism
  • Listening skills, minimal ego — listens first and then responds
  • Complex, solutions-focused problem-solving skills with hands-on ability
  • Organizational skills and attention to detail
  • Ability to stretch people and money and compress time

PROFILE OF IDEAL CANDIDATE

  • Highly resourceful
  • Agile and can adapt quickly to a changing environment
  • Financially and strategically minded and able to close the right business
  • High degree of emotional intelligence
  • Strategic doer
  • Visible, respected, and inspirational leader
  • Flexible and adaptable
  • Results-oriented with keen selling mentality
  • Enthusiastic, with pride and passion for winning
  • Impressive work ethic
  • High level of integrity and trustworthiness

Categories: Sales, Talent and Leadership Development
Insight Type: Tools