Business Development Manager – Connected Partners

Revenue Centre Vision

The Pro-invest Revenue Centre is the culmination of the Pro-invest Hotels (PIH) portfolio growth and future hotel development.

The scale across the portfolio identifies an opportunity to centralize a hub for commercial excellence, aligning revenue, reservations, sales, and marketing. With the entire commercial team working in a coordinated fashion focusing on revenue conversion and revenue growth and by ensuring support excellence to each hotel, PIH will achieve sustainable revenue and market share boost across the portfolio.

JOB OVERVIEW

The Business Development Manager – Connected Partners plays a vital role in proactively engaging with market opportunities to dynamically promote and elevate our expanding portfolio of hotels. Central to this responsibility is the strategic management of existing channels, proactive exploration of new transformative avenues, and the leveraging of portfolio partnership opportunities to optimize visibility, bookings, and revenue for our hotels. This role demands strategic foresight, proactive engagement with partners, channels, and TMCs, and a deep understanding of the hospitality landscape. The Business Development Manager will play a pivotal role in driving growth and maximizing opportunities for our hotel portfolio.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute strategies to maximize channel delivery, leveraging existing channels to ensure optimal exposure and bookings for our hotel portfolio.
• Innovate and implement approaches to enhance the performance of current channels, driving revenue growth.
• Proactively research and pursue innovative opportunities within the market landscape that can significantly impact and elevate our hotels' market positioning.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to evaluate, prioritize, and implement new opportunities that drive growth.
• Collaborate with Marketing to strategically leverage the GDS space to increase visibility and bookings for our hotels, continuously optimizing our presence on these platforms.
• Identify and implement strategies to stay competitive and prominent on GDS platforms.
• Cultivate and maintain robust relationships with Travel Management Companies, ensuring effective collaboration and maximizing mutual benefits.
• Collaborate closely with TMCs to develop and implement strategies that align with growth objectives, driving business and bookings to our hotel portfolio.
• Conduct regular market analysis and performance reviews, providing actionable insights to refine strategies and capitalize on emerging trends.
• Generate comprehensive reports on channel performance, opportunity pipelines, GDS utilization, and TMC collaborations, providing strategic recommendations based on findings.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Deliver in all segments that provide an opportunity to be connected.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities in the luxury hospitality sector. Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients and partners.
• Negotiate and finalize partnerships with clients, ensuring terms are in line with company policies and profitability goals.
• Develop and implement sales plans in collaboration with Sales Director to maximize revenue and market share for each property within the luxury hotel portfolio.
• Collaborate with the G&M | Wholesale Sales teams to ensure alignment with overall sales strategies and objectives, whilst uncovering new opportunities in these segments.
• Identify and implement opportunities to generate revenue via the development of sales strategies with adequate ROI, guest advocacy, improve market share, enhance positioning, and find new opportunities.
• Lead account management to a deeper understanding of the client needs. Direct and function well in a matrix organization where both direct and indirect reporting relationships are engaged and respected.
• Develop outstanding brand knowledge of PIH | VHG portfolio of world-class brands.
• Work closely with all Program Managers | Channels to ensure that PIH hotels are highlighted in the agent’s educational material.
• Manage PIHs internal relationships to educate and achieve buy-in.
• Oversee and manage coordination of RFP for hotels, business case strategy, strategic negotiations.

Financial Returns

• Develop and implement short and long-term sales strategies for the business, to ensure revenue and room night goals are achieved, sales strategies are set, tactical plans are created and implemented, and results are monitored and achieved. Plans should differentiate the product and address long-term trends, risks and opportunities for each market segment.
• Review business performance and understand the dynamics of the local market, demand generators, economic and consumer trends.
• Monitor competitor practices and accounts.
• Identify and implement opportunities to generate revenue via the development of sales strategies with adequate ROI, guest advocacy, improve market share, enhance positioning, and find new opportunities.
• Actively pursue opportunities to enlarge the sales base, create an ongoing pipeline, and successfully shift business from the competition through active engagement with the customer via connected opportunities.
• Identify trends in movement of market mix, pricing, and competition to target prospects and the right business mix and develop mitigation plans.

People

• Continuously review business needs, both short and long term and strategically identify opportunities for alignment of resource and talent, together with identifying future talent needs.
• Actively participate in all training sessions and ensure that any pre- and post-course work is completed by the due date.
• Proactively manage key relationships with GM/HMs, IHG & Accor National Sales, and other areas to ensure alignment across stakeholders.
• Educate, train and motivate sales and Hotel teams to achieve hotel revenue goals. Ensure employees have the information, market data, tools & equipment to successfully carry out job duties.
• Adhere to standards for presentation, grooming and punctuality.
• Attend and participate in department briefings, meetings, and training sessions as scheduled.
• Ensure the workspace is tidy and consider WH&S compliance.
• Develop and maintain cohesive working relationships within immediate team, and wider hotel teams.
• Actively participate in personal training and development, ensuring any pre/post-course activity is undertaken.

Customer Needs

• Carry out sales initiatives for the Hotels with site inspections, client entertainment, familiarizations, and other events that form part of the sales and marketing plan.
• Develop and maintain strong relations and contact with key decision makers, key influencers, and other producers closely aligned to the business.
• Communicate client requirements and other relevant account / segment information to all relevant departments to ensure their expectations are exceeded.
• Ensure that all stakeholders are made aware of systems, procedures, and information relating to the delivery of all revenue from sales market segments.
• Act as a trusted business advisor; ensure that commitments are met and value is delivered.
• Maintain strong presence in the local community by participating in approved business / industry organisations, associations and developing a broad external network.
• Update relevant systems following all conversations and meetings with client.

Responsible Business

• Maintain exemplary department standards of behavior and appearance and attitude as expected by Pro-invest Group’s code of conduct. 
• Strictly adhere to PIH policy concerning the Trade Practices Act, gifts & bribery & data privacy regulations.
• Actively report workplace hazards, injuries & accidents arising from workplace activities, providing recommendations for corrective actions to prevent or minimise the chance of recurrence.
• Implement relevant financial control procedures and systems; maintain records for internal and external audits; ensure compliance with government regulations and contractual agreements.
• Maintain all procedures and adheres to them within the Pro-invest Hotels guidelines with emphasis on hotel credit policy.
• Develop awareness and reputation of the hotel and brand in the local community and promote team member involvement in community outreach efforts.
• Demonstrate awareness and understanding of WH&S policies and procedures.
• Assist the Emergency Response Team to prepare for emergency procedures upon advice from relevant authority that cover such emergencies as fire, power outrage, bomb threat, cyclone warnings, etc.
• Champion the identification and reporting of hazards, evaluation or risks, and design and implementation of hazard and control measures.
• Facilitate the reporting and investigation of injuries and illnesses arising from workplace activities, recommend and implemented corrective actions as required, to prevent or minimise the chance of
• recurrence.
• Ensure compliance to all Pro-invest security and safety standards. Including cyber/technology security such as password security. 
• Strictly adhere to company policy concerning the Trade Practices Act, gifts & bribery & data privacy regulations.
• Clock in / clock out as per correct procedures, on a daily basis. 
• Perform other duties as reasonably assigned.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Key Metrics –     

•     Achievement of sales targets 
•     Revenue Generation Index (RGI)
•     Hotel revenue budgets 
•     Key performance objectives
•     Achievement of sales-controlled segments
•     Performance development review

Qualifications and Requirements

Experience Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent international degree in Business or Hospitality Management & or undertaken formal Sales Management training.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a sales leadership ideally within Australasia with a proven track record of success
• Comprehension of Hotel systems and revenue management principles
• Completed tertiary education (higher education diploma)

Skills – Required

• Proactive approach to developing and maintaining strong relations with clients and stakeholders including customers’ and senior management.
• In-depth knowledge of sales principles and techniques
• Acknowledged as an expert in all aspects of new business hunting and strategies for key account management.
• Keeps abreast of changes and assesses trends in market conditions and consumer buying behavior to create strategies that drive business opportunities.
• Strategic and tactical thinker - ability to develop strategic sales plans, establish goals and objectives, set performance targets and deliver projects on time.
• Verbal and written communication skills
• Strong influencer and persuader
• Flexible work approach
• Ability to work independently and manage the work of others 
• Ability to provide developing and mentoring to others
• Ability to deliver performance feedback to improve overall performance of direct reports.

Reports to –

• Sales Director 

Number of employees managed: 

• 0

The statements in this job description are intended to describe the essential nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be ALL responsibilities or qualifications of the job.

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