Area Director of Sales - Richmond/Virginia Beach - La Quinta Virginia Beach

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

La Quinta Virginia Beach

The Area Director of Sales is primarily responsible for leading & driving top line revenue strategy for traditional sales related segments to include group, volume transient & corporate for the La Quinta Inn and Suites Virginia Beach and Residence Inn Richmond West End.  This individual is additionally responsible for staying ahead of market trends, market share movement and ongoing competitive hotel analysis, while directing the property sales teams (rooms & catering) to insure budgeted revenues are met or exceeded. The Director of Sales & Marketing is also responsible for developing and implementing a marketing communications plan designed to achieve the desired positioning for the hotel, as well as managing the sales and marketing budget that supports revenue attainment.

• Responsible for leading & driving top line revenue for traditional sales segments to include group, volume transient & catering.
• Assesses & reacts to market trends, market share & the competitive hotel environment.
• Develops and implements a marketing communications plan designed to achieve the desired positioning of the hotel, as well as manage the sales & marketing budget that supports all initiatives.
• Act as the hotel’s voice of the customer and communicate key issues/concerns at all levels of the organization.
• Fluent in reading/assimilating/using Smith Travel Research data, financial P&L, mix of sales, forecasting, group pace/position & a wide array of traditional hotel reporting.
• Ability to understand and communicate market trends, demand generators, supply/demand and economic factors affecting hotel performance.
• Conduct comprehensive competitive set reviews, SWOT analysis & keep tabs on new supply.
• Understand GEO source & ability to develop a plan to penetrate the primary markets.
• Develop/implement key segment strategy & managing key accounts (both existing & target).
• Design effective sales deployment schemes & market assignments.
• Develop sales goals designed to achieve budget & market share targets.
• Manage group pace measurement and set sales production goals.
• Manage sales activity & travel schedule.

• At least 3 years’ experience as a sales leader, with prior hotel sales experience preferred.
• Experience dealing with/communicating with ownership groups and asset management.
• Proficient in managing/using sales automation (STS) & PMS systems.
• Experience working collaboratively with revenue management.
• Well rounded knowledge of all market segments and channel sources, as well as ability to develop a strategic plan for each.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment.
• Ability to direct, lead, train, motivate & drive a direct sales team; and develop a cooperative & competitive team spirit & winning attitude.
• Must be proficient in MS Office including Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines