Director of Sales

Lake Junaluska Summary:

The mission of Lake Junaluska is to be a place of Christian hospitality where lives are transformed through renewal of soul, mind, and body.  

Located in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, Lake Junaluska plays a vital role by providing a location for training and renewal.  Each year Lake Junaluska hosts over 200,000 guests who are engaged in spiritual, training, recreation or renewal events and activities.  Our guests include religious, non-profit and secular events.  We are also a residential and vacation community. 

Position Summary:

The Director of Sales has responsibility for all group sales and event coordination management for Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.  This includes the sales in the areas of lodging, food service/catering, conferences, and media services. The Director of Sales serves on the Director Team made up of direct reports to the General Manager. This group meets on a weekly basis to review and coordinate the work of the entire conference and hotel operations of Lake Junaluska.

Essential Position Functions:

• Develop and implement an annual comprehensive sales plan that aligns with the mission and vision of Lake Junaluska and helps to achieve its overall goals

• Monitor and interpret market segment data throughout the year making adaptations to the comprehensive sales plan as needed

• Continuously explore and seek new market segments that align with the mission and vision of the organization

• Set annual goals for each market segment in consultation with the sales team

• Utilize appropriate monitoring systems for the sales team related to goals and expectations

• Refine and utilize appropriate incentive plans for attaining goals

• Oversee and coordinate the work of the event management staff (Conference Coordinators) to optimize guest satisfaction and revenue as well as cohesiveness of the other operational departments

• Partner with revenue management staff to ensure proper pricing, appropriate transient and group mix, and implementation of sales strategy

• Continually provide recommendations regarding improvements to facilities and services to optimize revenue

• Create, maintain, and expand senior level relationships with key customer decision makers and influencers within the various market segments

• Serve as a Sales Manager building a portfolio of accounts

• Interact with and foster strong relationships with large account group leaders and be able to interact with all group leaders as merited and/or needed

• Build and maintain strong working relationships within the organization to enable cross-functional communication and opportunity development

• Drive customer loyalty through exceptional customer service throughout the sales process

• Verify the effective resolution of guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process and bring issues to the attention of organizational leadership team as necessary and appropriate

• Verify that sales team members create clear expectations for customers and for internal operations throughout the sales process

• Direct the day-to-day operations of the sales team and verify that the team achieves and/or exceeds targeted revenue objectives

• Create individual performance objectives for team members based on the group's goals and track progress regularly against these objectives

• Manage the team's performance (e.g., revenue, operational excellence, customer satisfaction) and operating budget

• Partner with Human Resources to attract, develop, and retain the best people to support the strategic priorities of the team and the organization

• Create and sustain a work environment that focuses on fair and equitable treatment

• Identify each sales team member's strengths and weaknesses, determine which needs additional development, and facilitate appropriate experiences to do so

• Other duties as assigned by the General Manager and/or  CEO/Executive Director

Qualifications, Experiences, and Knowledge

• Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in sales, business development, or account management

• At least 3–5 years in a leadership or management role, preferably overseeing sales teams and group sales operations

• Prefer Bachelor’s degree in a major relevant to the responsibilities of the position

• Experience in building and maintaining relationships and cooperation with colleagues in hospitality services departments

• Experience working with revenue management to develop and execute selling and pricing strategies

Performance/Success Factors

• Be punctual to work functions 

• Work effectively as a member of a team

• Complete work in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner

• Perform routine duties with minimal supervision

• Comfort with oversight of work while in progress and upon completion

• Effectively represent the office of group sales through example

• Strive for excellence in all task and/or duties

• Commitment to operating within organizational policy and procedures

Working Conditions

• Light to moderate physical activity performing non-strenuous work of an administrative nature with quiet to moderate noise

• Well-lighted, heated, and air-conditioned indoor office with moderate noise

• Ability to coordinate work, occasionally move about, able to stand, walk, sit, manual dexterity to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, talk to and hear staff and customer requests,  and also lift or otherwise move objects weighing up to 30 pounds. 

• At times, be outdoors in all weather conditions

• Work days are generally Monday-Friday, however, nights and weekends may be required when necessary

Lake Junaluska is an Equal Opportunity Employer