Senior Sales Manager - Hiltons Of Chicago

Senior Sales Manager – Hilton Chicago Cluster

The Hilton Chicago Cluster is seeking a Senior Sales Manager to join our dynamic team! In this role, you will be responsible for managing group business ranging from 151 to 3,999 peak rooms, including meeting space and food & beverage opportunities across three of Hilton's most iconic downtown Chicago hotels — Hilton Chicago, Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, and The Drake.

Work Location Flexibility:

• Chicago-based: Onsite at the Palmer House
• Remote-based: Open to candidates residing outside of Illinois

Compensation:

• Starting at $85,000 annually, final compensation will be based on experience, market segment expertise, and location

What We're Looking For

Minimum Requirements:

• 2 years of hotel group sales experience within a full-service hotel

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 years of hotel sales management experience
• Familiarity with Delphi.fdc/Salesforce and Hilton systems
• Big-box hotel (500 rooms and 40,000 sq. ft. of convention space)

What Will I Be Doing?

A Senior Sales Manager is responsible for securing groups and conventions by building and establishing relationships with customers. Hilton is looking for dynamic individuals who are well rounded and business minded. The sales office in a hotel is a fast paced, everchanging environment and is a true launching pad for those who aspire to grow their careers in hospitality.

• Research, solicit and generate new leads for group opportunities through database research and proactive sales efforts, maximizing new room revenue streams, to meet and exceed lead generation goals.
• Represent the hotel in the development of market segment(s) and new customer relationships while maintaining existing relations with assigned accounts. Consistently strive to maximize revenue and profitability for all hotel revenue streams.
• Develop a business strategy by analyzing historical, current and future hotel and market trends, implementing marketing initiatives to capture the maximum amount of lead revenue to meet and exceed sales goals.

Position Statement

This role requires strong sales, communication, and networking skills. The ability to demonstrate a deep understanding of customer needs and then apply a disciplined approach to qualify, negotiate and secure new revenue for the hotel.

• Customer and Account Management - Apply strong sales skills to create customer value. Differentiate Hilton from the competition and bring clear value to customers and the organizations they represent.
• Prospecting - Demonstrate a mastery of the prospecting process. Identify potential customers. Prepare and implement your call strategy.
• Negotiations - Understand the customer and the business leaders expectations. Adapt to a changing market.

Actively engage with Hilton Worldwide Sales, Convention Bureau and Intermediaries to retain existing customers and secure new business for the Hotel. Develop and execute plans to engage in outside sales calls, industry tradeshows and customer events. Develop, execute and communicate a monthly, quarterly and annual business plan for a designated market. Maintain up to date pipeline of business opportunities that will meet the short and long term business objectives for the designated market. Represent hotel in all interactions dealing with their customers relative to sales, including creating business proposals and executing contracts. Conduct site inspections through masterful story telling with prospective and existing customers based on their individual needs. Coordinate customer specifications (including room, food and beverage and meeting space requirements) via identified lead management system. Enter and maintain pertinent account and booking information in Delphi FDC in accordance with defined standards.

Research, solicit and generate new leads for business opportunities through database research and proactive sales efforts, maximizing new room revenue and meet and exceed lead generation goals. Create and execute plan to shift share from your competitors. Engage in outside sales activities to uncover needs, build relationships and to win new business. Negotiate contracts and commission agreements with end user customers and intermediaries. Provide solutions that both achieve and protect the financial goals of the hotel while strengthening relationships with customers. Engage Hilton Worldwide Sales and Hilton Legal to support the contracting process when needed.

The Benefits

Hilton is proud to support the mental and physical wellbeing of all Team Members so they can thrive personally and professionally in a diverse and inclusive environment, thanks to innovative programs and benefits such as:

• Medical Insurance Coverage – for you and your family
• Mental health resources including Employee Assistance Program
• Best-in-Class Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Go Hilton travel program: 100 nights of discounted travel
• Parental leave to support new parents
• Debt-Free Education: Team Members will have access to a wide variety of educational credentials through our partnership with Guild Education, including: college degrees and professional certifications*
• 401K plan and company match to help save for your retirement
• Hilton Shares: Our employee stock purchase program (ESPP) - you can purchase Hilton shares at a 15 percent discount
• Career growth and development
• Team Member Resource Groups
• Recognition and rewards programs

* Available benefits may vary depending upon property-specific terms and conditions of employment and the terms of the collective bargaining agreement if applicable.

Hilton offers a best-in market SIP (Short-Term Incentive Plan) to our Sales, Catering & Events teams to reward our employees for their contributions to the company's financial success. The Plan includes a quarterly component worth 20% of bonus eligible earnings. The quarterly incentive may have multiple individually weighted objectives, meaning multiple opportunities to earn a payout.