The posting
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport Convention Center is conveniently situated just south of Miami International Airport off the Dolphin Expressway adjacent to the Blue Lagoon Business District. The hotel features 334 guestrooms, onsite dining, fitness room, outdoor pool, business center, complimentary High-Speed Internet Access, 24,000 square feet of retail space, 20,000 Square feet of Hotel Meeting and Function Space and a Convention Center with 152,000 square feet of meeting, event and exhibit space.
The hiring range is $110,000–$120,000 and will report to the General Manager.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport & Convention Center is seeking a highly motivated, results-driven Director of Convention Services to generate and convert hotel business associated with tradeshows, conventions, exhibitions, corporate events, and meetings at and around the Miami Airport Convention Center (MACC).
This is a proactive outside-sales and business-development position focused on identifying new opportunities, building relationships with exhibitors, show managers, associations, meeting planners, and corporate decision-makers, and converting those relationships into room nights, meeting space, banquet, catering, food and beverage, and overall hotel revenue.
Job Responsibilities/ Functions:
- Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy for tradeshows and conventions utilizing MACC and the surrounding Miami market.
- Identify upcoming tradeshows, conventions, exhibitions, association meetings, and corporate events that can generate hotel room nights and ancillary revenue.
- Research show exhibitors and create targeted prospecting lists before each event.
- Develop and maintain relationships with tradeshow organizers, show management companies, exhibitors, meeting planners, associations, and corporate decision-makers.
- Conduct pre-show outreach to exhibitors and attendees to secure room blocks, individual reservations, meetings, receptions, dinners, and other hotel services.
- Attend tradeshows and industry events as the hotel's sales representative, including booth visits, networking, client appointments, and post-show follow-up.
- Convert tradeshow leads into definite business and maintain a strong, active sales pipeline.
- Develop new local, regional, and national accounts connected to MACC and the Miami convention market.
- Prospect companies exhibiting at MACC and other major Miami convention venues and establish preferred-hotel relationships with repeat exhibitors and organizations.
- Maintain strong relationships with existing accounts while identifying opportunities for additional revenue and future business.
- Create account-specific sales strategies based on production potential and future business opportunities.
- Drive room-night production, occupancy, ADR, meeting-room rental, banquet revenue, and food and beverage revenue.
- Partner with Revenue Management to maximize rate and availability during high-demand tradeshow periods.
- Monitor booking pace and communicate opportunities, risks, and need periods to leadership.
- Maintain a consistent schedule of outside sales calls and appointments with prospective accounts, corporate offices, exhibitors, agencies, and event planners.
- Participate in industry networking events, association meetings, client entertainment, and sales missions.
- Represent the hotel professionally throughout the Miami business community and build a strong referral network within the convention, meeting, and events industry.
- Respond quickly and professionally to sales leads and inquiries, maintain accurate CRM information, document sales activity, and consistently follow up until business is converted or formally closed/lost.
How Success Will Be Measured:
- New account production
- Room nights generated
- ADR and total room revenue
- Group and corporate room blocks
- Banquet and catering revenue
- Meeting room revenue
- Number of new qualified prospects
- Outside sales calls and appointments
- Tradeshow appointments and contacts
- Lead conversion percentage
- New account acquisition
- Repeat business
- Future and pipeline business
- Pace against budget and forecast
Qualifications/ Skills:
- 3+ years of hotel sales, convention, meeting, event, or related hospitality experience preferred.
- Proven success in business development and prospecting.
- Strong understanding of the tradeshow, convention, and meetings market.
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and closing skills.
- Comfortable making cold calls and developing new business.
- Highly organized with strong follow-up skills and the ability to manage multiple opportunities.
- Energetic, outgoing, and comfortable networking with executives, planners, exhibitors, and event professionals.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with Sales, Revenue Management, Catering, and Operations.
- Strong knowledge of the Miami corporate and convention market preferred.
- Experience with Hilton systems and/or hotel CRM platforms preferred.
- Prior roles must be a Convention Senior Sales/Operations Leadership Role.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center offers Medical, Dental, Vision, a 401k plan, Hilton travel benefits, free lunch, and parking.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. M/F/V/D
