Overview

 Under general direction from the Director of Sales & Marketing or Sr. Sales Manager, a Sales Manager initiates or responds to contact with new and repeat customers to promote and sell the use of the convention center and prospects new customers.

This role will pay a salary of $50,000 to $65,000.

For FT roles: Benefits: Health, Dental and Vision insurance, 401(k) savings plan, 401(k) matching, and paid time off (vacation days, sick days, and 11 holidays).

Responsibilities

JOB DUTIES (Including, but not limited to):

• Represent the facility to potential facility users. Interpret and explain convention center policies and
• Respond to inquiries from prospective and confirmed facility users regarding general information, rates and space availability for the facility.
• Produce accurate, creative and complete responses to event inquires and RFP’s.
• Prospect new convention center clients (event bookings) through means such as cold calling, research, personal visits, written correspondence and participation in promotional, community and industry events.
• Investigate available dates and compatible spaces for new and repeat facility users, suggesting alternate dates when necessary. Identify and avoid date conflicts with incompatible events.
• Conduct facility tours and make formal presentations to event organizers regarding facility booking policies, rental rates, services and operational policies.
• Screen facility use applications and other documents for compliance with established policies and
• Conduct background checks on prospective events.
• Prepare written facility use proposals and cost estimates for potential facility users; reevaluate potential business value of various events and facility users; initiate booking discussions; finalize all booking arrangements.
• Enter and maintain facility user contact information and booking information into computerized event booking and management system, update as
• Prepare event license agreements and addenda; consult with your supervisor or others with Authority to modify contracts regarding specific language issues; prepare related correspondence to facility
• Assist facility users in finalizing booking
• Provide information to and relay information between other facility departments involved in servicing
• Assist facility users and event managers with planning
• Prepare various reports on operations and
• As assigned, conduct a variety of industry related studies and recommend modifications to departmental service delivery methods and operational policies and procedures as
• Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer
• Travel to and represent the facility at various industry Participate in related trade organizations.
• Track prospective event progress in the Center’s event booking & management software
• Work cooperatively with Richmond Region Tourism (RRT), the Center’s exclusive service providers and other stakeholders to book business for the convention center.
• Perform other duties as required.

SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES:

Knowledge Of:

• Principles and practices of sales and marketing including yield management
• Event and facility terminology used in entertainment, trade show, consumer show, banquet, meeting and convention settings
• Relevant federal, state, and local regulations
• Must have computer skills in Microsoft office applications and word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentation, and internet software

Ability To:

• Explain, negotiate and draft facility license agreements.
• Anticipate the needs of prospective facility users and draft proposals for use of the convention center
• Analyze challenges, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of organizational objectives.
• Communicate clearly and concisely in the English language, both orally and in
• Produce written documents in the English language with clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar.
• Comprehend and make inferences from written Produce accurate and complete responses to Requests for Proposals.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Richmond Region Tourism (RRT), area hotels, facility staff, service providers and facility users.
• Make basic arithmetic calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) either manually or by operating a
• Work a flexible schedule including early mornings, days, evenings, overnight, weekends, holidays, extended (long) workdays and extended numbers of

Qualifications

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience:

• Minimum of three (3) years of increasingly responsible sales experience, preferably with a convention center, hotel, conference center, expo center, sports facility, meeting complex or other place of public assembly that hosts events on a regular basis.

Education / Training:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in sales, marketing, public relations, business administration, hospitality management or another related field
• Additional years of experience may be substituted for formal education
• Working knowledge of Ungerboeck software systems
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation or graduation form IAVM’s Venue Management School