Regional Director of Group Sales
Properties: The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center, The Laurel Hotel & Spa, and Elevation Convening Center and Hotel
(Position can be based in Auburn, Alabama, Montgomery, Alabama or Remote within Alabama or Georgia)
Position Summary
The Regional Director of Group Sales is a hands-on sales leader responsible for driving group revenue across a portfolio of hotels while providing leadership and direction to the regional group sales team. The portfolio includes a 236-room Four Diamond conference hotel with 25,000 square feet of meeting space, a 26-room Five Diamond luxury boutique hotel with a full-service spa, a 99-room Lifestyle hotel, a chef-driven food hall and Michelin Recommended restaurant.
The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, results-oriented sales professional, and collaborative leader who understands how to balance individual sales production with team leadership. This individual will establish strong customer relationships, identify new business opportunities, maximize conversion, and ensure the team is effectively managing its respective markets to achieve revenue goals.
Working closely with the Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, Revenue Management, and property leadership, the Regional Director of Group Sales will help shape the overall group sales strategy, strengthen sales processes, and maximize revenue opportunities across the hotel portfolio.
Reporting Structure
Reports To
- Regional Director of Sales & Marketing
Key Internal Partnerships
- General Manager
- Revenue Management
- Conference Services
- Banquet Operations
- Rooms Division
- Finance
Key Responsibilities
Group Sales
- Provide day-to-day leadership, direction, coaching, and accountability for the regional team of Group Sales Managers.
- Establish clear individual and team sales goals, performance expectations, and measurable objectives aligned with each property's business plan.
- Conduct regular individual sales meetings, pipeline reviews, and performance evaluations to monitor progress and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Coach team members on prospecting, relationship development, effective sales presentations, negotiation, and closing techniques.
- Monitor sales productivity, lead response times, conversion ratios, prospecting activity, and booking performance to ensure consistent execution.
- Support the effective distribution of leads and market assignments to balance workloads, maximize productivity, and ensure appropriate account coverage.
- Foster a collaborative, results-driven sales culture built on accountability, professional development, and shared success.
- Participate in recruitment, onboarding, training, and performance management of Group Sales Managers.
Account Management & Business Development
- Maintain direct responsibility for an assigned vertical market, including prospecting, account management, lead generation, negotiations, and booking production.
- Develop and execute an annual sales action plan for the assigned market, identifying key accounts, growth opportunities, and revenue targets.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with existing clients while proactively developing new accounts and business opportunities.
- Conduct client appointments, presentations, site inspections, sales calls, and other business development activities.
- Manage the complete sales cycle from initial prospecting and inquiry through contract execution and transition to the servicing team.
- Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships across multiple properties through strategic cross-selling and total account management.
- Maintain an active prospect pipeline and ensure timely follow-up on all business opportunities.
- Achieve or exceed individual production goals while maintaining responsibility for overall group sales team performance.
Cross-Property Collaboration & Client Experience
- Promote a regional sales approach that positions each hotel according to its unique identity, capabilities, and target markets.
- Work collaboratively with Catering, Conference Services, Reservations, Marketing, Revenue Management, and hotel Operations to ensure seamless execution of group business.
- Facilitate appropriate lead referrals and cross-selling opportunities among the hotels.
- Ensure effective communication and transition of confirmed business to the appropriate servicing teams.
- Maintain a high standard of professionalism, responsiveness, and service excellence throughout the sales process.
- Represent the hotels and Ithaka Hospitality Partners at relevant industry events, trade shows, client functions, and community organizations.
Financial Management, Forecasting & Reporting
- Develop annual group sales revenue budgets and monthly forecasting projections.
- Monitor booking pace, production trends, market segmentation, and need periods.
- Analyze sales performance metrics to identify opportunities and risks.
- Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly sales reports for on-property, regional and executive level leadership.
- Partner with Revenue Management to maximize profitability through strategic group pricing, business mix and pattern optimization.
- Manage sales expenses and travel budgets responsibly.
Luxury & Brand Experience Oversight
- Ensure the luxury positioning and service standards of the boutique hotel, spa, and restaurant are reflected throughout the sales process.
- Align client expectations with operational capabilities to ensure exceptional guest experiences.
- Maintain strong understanding of luxury travel trends and high-end group expectations.
- Collaborate with operational leaders to ensure seamless turnover and execution of booked business.
Key Skill Sets & Competencies
Strategic Sales Expertise
- Strong group sales and negotiation skills
- Experience selling conference hotels and luxury hospitality experiences
- Market segmentation and business development expertise
- Ability to drive market share growth and account penetration
Relationship Management
- Exceptional networking and relationship-building capabilities
- Strong presentation and communication skills
- High-level client management and executive presence
- Ability to manage complex and high-value accounts
Financial & Commercial Acumen
- Forecasting and budgeting expertise
- Understanding of hotel revenue management principles
- Ability to analyze displacement and profitability
- Strong business planning capabilities
Leadership & Team Development
- Proven ability to motivate and develop sales talent
- Strong coaching and accountability skills
- Collaborative leadership style
- Results-oriented management approach
Luxury Hospitality Understanding
- Understanding of luxury guest expectations and service standards
- Ability to position premium experiences and amenities effectively
- Knowledge of corporate, association, and university markets
Technical & Systems Knowledge
- Delphi or comparable Sales & Catering platform proficiency
- CRM systems experience
- Microsoft Office Suite proficiency
- Sales reporting and analytics tools
Key Performance Metrics (KPIs)
Revenue & Sales Metrics
- Group Room Revenue
- Group Room Nights Produced
- Average Daily Rate (ADR)
- Total Group Revenue
- Market Share Penetration
- Year-over-Year Revenue Growth
- New Account Production
- Top Account Retention & Growth
- Group Pace vs. Budget and Forecast
- Revenue Mix Optimization
Productivity Metrics
- Lead Response Time
- Conversion Ratio (RFP to Definite)
- Prospecting Activity Levels
- Sales Call Activity
- Site Inspection Conversion
- Account Production by Segment
- Pipeline Growth & Accuracy
Profitability Metrics
- Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) Contribution
- Average Group Profitability
- Displacement Analysis Performance
- Group ADR Index Performance
- Expense Management vs. Budget
Client Experience Metrics
- Meeting Planner Satisfaction Scores
- Repeat Client Percentage
- Client Retention Rate
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Guest Experience Scores Related to Group Business
Leadership Metrics
- Team Goal Achievement
- Employee Engagement Scores
- Team Retention
- Performance Review Completion
- Training & Development Participation
- Sales Productivity per Team Member
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in hospitality management, Business, Marketing, or related field preferred
- 7+ years of progressive hotel sales leadership experience
- Experience in conference hotels and luxury hospitality environments preferred
- Strong understanding of group revenue optimization and hotel operations
- Existing relationships within university, association, or regional corporate markets preferred
- CMP, CHSP, or similar hospitality certifications preferred
Success Profile
The successful candidate will be:
- A strategic and proactive sales leader
- Highly relationship-oriented and visible in the market
- Skilled at balancing aggressive sales goals with long-term client partnerships
- Financially disciplined and data-driven
- Comfortable operating in both conference and luxury hospitality environments
- A collaborative leader who drives accountability and performance
- Passionate about delivering exceptional guest and client experiences while maximizing revenue opportunities
An Equal Opportunity Employer
We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants are given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.