Senior Director National Accounts

POSITION PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

The Senior Director, National Account Sales is responsible for developing and executing sales strategies and processes to generate and support revenue growth for a portfolio of assigned accounts. Responsible for deploying and overseeing a team of account sales professionals to drive revenue performance and achieve budgeted revenues. Responsible for daily oversight of the account sales team, with an emphasis on establishing and analyzing performance management goals and results, implementing corrective actions to strategy or execution as needed, and communicating to members of the sales force and senior leadership. Responsible for ensuring the account sales team is actively always engaged with their assigned accounts through ongoing sales interaction, qualification of opportunities, and successfully identifying and capturing increased share for ESA.

The Senior Director, National Account Sales is accountable for maintaining and growing a group of high value ESA accounts.

The Senior Director, National Account Sales is responsible for interacting with other parts of the sales organization and the broader organization to access and employ needed resources to maximize sales effectiveness. This includes operations, revenue management, central reservations, accounting, field sales, and all centralized sales and sales support functions.

The Senior Director, National Account Sales, is responsible for ongoing training and coaching to improve the skills of the account sales team and increase revenue.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Actively engage with the sales team on an ongoing basis to drive highly impactful sales behaviors. Achieve this through frequent joint sales activities, coaching for performance and skill development.
• Gain a deep understanding of the assigned accounts' lodging needs, buying behaviors and share of wallet, and assist the sales team in identifying and winning high potential accounts and share shift opportunities.
• Assist the sales team in developing comprehensive account plans, including deployment of team selling activities across the organization.
• Analyze sales performance metrics to accurately and timely evaluate sales team performance and create strategies and plans to achieve goals and correct underperformance.
• Apply and model excellent sales skills in complex selling situations to assist in winning business and building client relationships.
• Coach sales skill development among sales team through modeling, training, and one on one coaching.
• Work proactively with divisional and regional leadership to ensure effective coordination of sales activities and service delivery to high value accounts.

OTHER DUTIES

Strategy and Planning

• Develop and execute account sales strategies and tactics that incorporate company strategic initiatives to achieve account sales and company performance goals.
• Provide critical input into goal setting for the sales team by understanding and evaluating account revenue performance and using this knowledge to set realistic, challenging goals for each team member.
• Oversee account planning process for all assigned accounts to ensure sales team has comprehensive grasp of their assigned accounts. Drive adoption of end to end understanding of account needs, including buying behaviors and motivations, technical requirements, distribution channels, and share shift opportunities.
• Work with divisional and regional leadership to identify high value account targets and plan and execute coordinated team selling approaches to maximize revenue from those accounts.
• Evaluate and prioritize sales team activities on an ongoing basis to ensure they are aligned with ESA objectives and short and long term goals.
• Provide input into ESA sales organization strategic planning on a range of topics that impact sales contribution and account development.

Training and Coaching

• Ensure new hire associates are thoroughly trained in all aspects of their job performance including REACH sales training.
• Coach all members of the team to a high level of sales skill competency through training, coaching and joint sales interaction.
• Provide instruction and coaching on all ESA internal systems to ensure the sales team is effectively utilizing them. This includes excellent comprehension of CRM best practices and SOP's, as well as other departmental systems that impact sales.
• Coach all members of the team on effective pipeline management practices to ensure focus on the most lucrative and imminent opportunities.
• Provide an excellent model of professional and impactful sales behaviors on a daily basis through action, words, written communication.

Sales Activities

• Participate in joint sales calls with team members on an ongoing basis. Act as salesperson, coach/mentor, or ESA management representative depending on the requirements of each call.
• Proactively develop positive relationships with key ESA clients.
• Effectively maintain and sell to a group of accounts, including prospecting for new business opportunities, developing and winning identified opportunities, and building long term loyalty.
• Assist the sales team in identifying high potential opportunities and taking effective actions to win this business.
• Assist the sales team in market and account planning and development. Evaluate and drive competency in account planning among the sales team.
• Work with sales team and divisional and regional leadership and supporting departments to ensure positive service delivery through pre-arrival service planning and effective follow up and resolution of service failures.
• Assist in the execution of other sales activities as needed.

Leadership and Supervision

• Establish and communicate appropriate quantitative and qualitative goals for sales activity, milestones, results, and reporting.
• Monitor team and individual achievement to goal on an ongoing basis.
• Promptly address issues of underperformance as appropriate.
• Monitor departmental overhead expenses and approve employee expense reports to ensure fiscal responsibility and return on investment.
• Communicate effectively with internal stakeholders to provide needed information and support and ensure collaborative efforts across the organization to drive sales effectiveness and client satisfaction.
• Earn the confidence and respect of others through a positive and energizing style.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES & COMPETENCIES

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Fluent in the English language.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills including effective listening.
• Excellent presentation skills in one-on-one and small group situations involving clients and associates.

SELLING SKILLS AND INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE:

• Strong knowledge of business-to-business sales including prospecting, business development, and account management.
• Demonstrated ability to sell using a variety of approaches and delivery platforms.
• Thorough knowledge of hotel and travel industry.

LEADERSHIP ABILITIES:

• Self-motivated with strong time management skills and demonstrated ability to set goals and achieve priorities.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously; must function well under pressure, delegate effectively, and remain positive and constructive under stress.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead, motivate, direct, and coach others.
• Demonstrated ability to address and correct performance issues timely.

ANALYTICAL SKILLS:

• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated skills in data and performance metrics.
• Ability to gather client information and analyze industry data to create client specific action plans and communications.

ENVIRONMENTAL JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Located in a comfortable indoor area. Any unpleasant conditions would be infrequent and not objectionable.
• Frequent travel is required with this position - approximately 50%.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree, at least 6 years of outside sales experience, with a minimum of 4 years of experience in complex sales and 2 years of experience in supervision of sales people; or a combination of these requirements
• Hotel sales experience (particularly in the extended stay niche) is required.
• Must be pro-active and knowledgeable of creative sales activities and client interactions.
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include infrequent evening and/or weekend meetings.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and have reliable transportation.
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree preferred but not required.