Vice President of New Business Development

Company Description:

Founded in 1978, KemperSports is an independent golf, facility and hospitality management company based in Northbrook, Illinois. We specialize in property and experience management, providing expertise and turn-key management in all areas of operations from finance and accounting to human resources, to sales and marketing. The KemperSports portfolio features more than 215 facilities across 40 states, including more top 100 golf courses by leading publications than any other management company.

Role and Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Senior Vice President – New Business Development and working closely with his/her direct reports, the VP, New Business Development will:

• Grow the KemperSports leased and managed portfolio in the East Region.
• Be “Pro-active” - Proactively generate new business leads through industry contacts, industry events, cold calling, marketing programs developed with the Business Development and Marketing teams, and other sales initiatives;
• Be “Re-active” - Respond to RFPs, leads, website inquiries, etc. for new deals. Compile and evaluate key data to determine whether deals meet KemperSports criteria, including travel to sites to further explore opportunities;
• Develop and present final sales presentations to prospective clients with specific solutions for their individual sites;
• Negotiate and facilitate management and lease contracts in partnership with General Counsel
• Collaborate with Regional Operations and Sales/Marketing Teams to evaluate opportunities, build presentation, and present to prospective clients
• Nurture prospective leads and build key industry relationships;
• Participate in the development of the annual business plan, marketing plan, and budget for Business Development; plans, both for the Business Development team and the broader organization;
• Provide feedback and insights to improve the Business Development process, better target potential customer segments, and better market the company brand to KemperSports’ ideal audience;
• Continuously seek new information on competing management companies and broader industry trends, sharing as appropriate with the Business Development Associates;
• Provide ongoing feedback to KemperSports executive leadership on new trends in the industry, opportunities for new business, and changes in the marketplace;
• Travel to trade shows and conferences to represent the company and the Business Development team;
• Partner closely with the operations team to ensure smooth onboarding of new properties.

Qualifications:

The Vice President, Business Development will be a well-regarded professional from the golf, hospitality and/or entertainment industry who can point to key wins and/or initiatives that have measurably grown his/her prior organizations. S/he will also have:

• A minimum of 10 years of sales and marketing, business development, or operations experience in golf with proven ability to structure, negotiate, and ultimately successfully close deals;
• Strong understanding of golf course operations
• Masterful relationship building, communication and presentation skills, and mental business acuity;
• Strong influencing and negotiation skills;
• High energy with the ability to inspire respect and trust both internally and across the industry;
• A detail-oriented, proactive, and focused approach with exceptional follow-through;
• An analytical mindset with the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources to evaluate prospective deals;
• Demonstrated ability to be accountable both for him/herself and others; showing self- awareness around areas for development and an eagerness for self-improvement;
• A comfort and confidence collaborating with senior management as well as owners/ownership groups of prospective client properties;
• The highest integrity;
• A passion for golf, hospitality and creating memorable experiences.
• CRM utilization, pipeline management, and forecasting
• Sales effectiveness and foundational skill set in consultative selling
• A Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field is required; an advanced degree is desired

Classifications:

Full-time, exempt, year-round

KemperSports Management is an Equal Opportunity Employer