Senior Sales Manager - Hiltons of Chicago

The Hilton Chicago Cluster is seeking a Senior Sales Manager to join our dynamic team!

In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing group business of 151–3,999 peak rooms, including meeting space and food & beverage opportunities. This is a key position that will allow you to build strong client relationships while driving revenue for three iconic Hilton hotels in the heart of downtown Chicago, (Hilton Chicago, Palmer House a Hilton Hotel, and The Drake).

Flexibility with work location: based onsite at the Palmer House Sales Office in Chicago, IL OR remote (West Coast–based) with travel to Chicago.

Compensation: The annual salary for this role starts at $85,000+, with final compensation based on specialized experience, market segment expertise, and location.

What We’re Looking For

Minimum Requirements:

• 2+ years of hotel group sales experience within a large, big-box hotel (500+ rooms and 40,000+ sq. ft. of convention space)

• Positive attitude and excellent communication skills

• Strong understanding of hotel sales processes with a hunger to grow and collaborate

• Comfortable engaging directly with decision makers; strong critical thinking skills

• Passion for sales, achieving targets, and exceeding objectives

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of hotel sales management experience

• Familiarity with Delphi.fdc/Salesforce

• Prior experience with Hilton processes and programs

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 strives 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.

Customer and Account Management:

• 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.

Prospecting:

• 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.

Negotiations:

• 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.

LI-JW1

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.

Sales Incentive

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 our 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