Director Of Sales

Visit Alexandria is the City of Alexandria’s not-for-profit destination marketing and management organization, promoting Alexandria, Virginia, as a premier destination for tourism and meetings. Our purpose is simple but powerful: We showcase Alexandria to the world by highlighting its character, culture and creativity, which attracts visitors who strengthen our economy and community.

At the heart of our culture are our values—Teamwork, Strategy, Creativity, Inclusion, and Joy—which guide how we collaborate, serve our community, and welcome the world. These values shape not only how we market Alexandria but also how we show up for our members, visitors, and one another each day.

Recognized by Travel Leisure as a Top 5 Best City in the U.S. 2025 and voted a Condé Nast Traveler Top 3 Best Small City in the U.S. 2025, Alexandria is a welcoming weekend escape on the Potomac River, minutes from Washington, D.C. Founded in 1749 and boasting the nation’s third oldest historic district, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel. Stroll Old Town Alexandria’s King Street mile to find more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques plus intimate historic museums and new happenings at the waterfront. Explore vibrant neighborhoods beyond Old Town, trace George Washington and the Founding Fathers’ footsteps and follow the stories of Black Americans who shaped the history of Alexandria and the United States.

Position Summary

The Director of Sales enhances Alexandria's position in the competitive tourism landscape by developing and executing sales strategies to capture both group meetings and travel trade opportunities. Our sales team consists of the Director plus two sales managers who report to the Director. The team collectively covers key vertical markets, including association, corporate, government, sports and tour & travel. The team cultivates key industry relationships, providing rapid response to inbound leads, prospecting in high potential markets, and convening select high value events with customer groups. In addition to leading the Sales department, the Director of Sales serves on Visit Alexandria’s leadership team, working closely with the CEO and peer department leaders (Marketing, Communications, Membership and Operations) to help set goals, shape strategy, manage budget, and report results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive sales strategy that aligns with the organization's goals, focusing on key market segments that demonstrate strong growth opportunities for Alexandria.
• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and motivate the sales team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
• Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key clients, hotel partners, and industry stakeholders to ensure Alexandria’s positioning as a preferred destination.
• Lead Generation: Drive the generation of new leads and bookings, overseeing the qualification and management of opportunities through Visit Alexandria’s CRM.
• Sales Strategy Execution: Organize and oversee sales trips, face-to-face meetings, presentations, tradeshows, FAMs, and client events to effectively promote Alexandria as a destination of choice.
• Account Oversight: Ensure meticulous account management, documentation of all sales activities in CRM, including tracking communications, performance metrics, and reporting.
• External Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with member hotels, local stakeholders, and peer organizations to share insights and align strategies, ensuring a cohesive destination approach to sales.
• Internal Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with Visit Alexandria’s Marketing and Communications team on sales-specific messaging and promotional opportunities.
• Market Analysis: Stay informed on industry trends and competitive positioning to proactively adapt sales strategies.
• Budget Management: Oversee the sales budget, ensuring effective resource allocation and maximizing return on investment.
• Represent Visit Alexandria on the travel trade committee of the Northern Virginia Tourism Partnership (NVTP).

Core Competencies

·        Accountability – Takes ownership of responsibilities and delivers results with integrity.

·        Adaptability – Thrives in a fast-paced environment and adjusts quickly to shifting priorities.

·        Project Leadership – Organizes and executes multiple initiatives simultaneously with professionalism.

·        Collaboration – Works effectively with diverse teams to achieve shared goals.

·        Communication – Communicates clearly, respectfully, and proactively across all levels of the organization.

·        Self-starter – Takes an entrepreneurial approach to running the department, while doing so within the framework of organizational goals.

Qualifications

• 5 years of sales experience in the hospitality or tourism industry (e.g., hotel, facility, DMO/CVB)
• 3 years of experience successfully leading a sales team
• Track record achieving revenue goals
• Relationship-building skills with a strong customer service orientation
• Excellent project and time management, ability to discern priorities for the team
• Excellent communication skills (oral, written, and technical)
• Proficient in CRM software and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TEAMS)
• Flexibility to adjust schedule and travel periodically, including some evenings and weekends, for industry events, trade shows, select appointments and familiarization trips (FAMs)
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or a related field
• Familiarity with Alexandria a plus

Compensation and Work Environment  

• Salary $120k
• Full insurance package including health, dental, vision and disability  
• 401(k) match up to 12% after one year  
• 12 days paid vacation in Year One, increasing to 17 days in Years Two to Five, and 22 days in Years Six and beyond  
• 14 ½ paid holidays  
• Up to 12 days of paid sick leave per year  
• Paid parental leave  
• Paid parking or equivalent Metro public transit benefit  
• Office is Metro accessible (King St-Old Town)  
• Monthly reimbursement toward mobile phone bill  
• Modern office facilities include private offices with access to adjacent co-working space, bike room, shower, game room and roof deck  
• Hybrid work model, with in-office work expected on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and remote most Mondays and Fridays.  

We welcome all to apply and are committed to hiring, developing, promoting, and retaining diverse talent. Our culture is collaborative, celebratory, innovative, inclusive, and accountable. We work hard, but there is genuine respect for work-life balance, health, family, service, and flexibility.