Industry Job Opportunities

Tampa Bay & Company

Title: National Sales Manager - Multicultural & Religious Markets
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Reports To: Director of Convention Sales
Supervises: Sales Assistant

Position Summary:
Create and implement strategies and tactics to promote and sell the destination to the multicultural and religious convention market, with specific focus on the Tampa Convention Center. Achieve individual as well as group goals for definite room nights, leads and site inspections.

Duties & Responsibilities:

  1. Direct Sales
    1. Research and generate convention and hotel bookings in an assigned market and achieve the assigned sales goals for room nights, telephone calls, site inspections, lead room nights and correspondence.
    2. Develop and deliver written, computer generated or personal bid presentations to board of directors, convention delegates or site selection committees to present the area as a meeting destination.
    3. Prospect for new business utilizing MINT and other databases/directories.
    4. Organize promotional opportunities that foster awareness of Tampa/Hillsborough County.
    5. Coordinate and conduct VIP site inspections for visiting organizations showcasing hotels, facilities, attractions and community aspects of interest to the visiting delegate.
    6. Able to work evenings, weekends and holidays based on client and office demands.
    7. Plan, coordinate and execute customer FAM events in Tampa.
  2. Planning and Development
    1. Participate in creating a budget and marketing plan for the Convention Sales division.
    2. Work closely with Senior Regional Account Executive (Washington, DC area) to market Tampa Bay as a premiere meeting destination and to increase business to the community.
  3. Networking/Communications
    1. Maintain a well informed working knowledge of all hotels, attractions and services, both public and private available in the area; develop and maintain a close working relationship with personnel from each facility and act as liaison between meeting planners and the hospitality community.
    2. Attend conferences, tradeshows, sales missions and networking meetings to promote convention business which can also include pre-planning, target marketing, pre/post mailers and all booth arrangements for tradeshow.
    3. Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of protocol and cultural practices of various religious faiths and ethnic groups.
    4. Membership in various selected organizations to create higher profile and networking opportunities within the specialty market segments such as Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, NAACP, Black Chamber of Commerce, etc.
    5. Develop and maintain work related and social relationship with clients, potential clients and suppliers.
  4. Administrative/Management/Supervisory
    1. Maintain accurate uniform documentation in all sales files.
    2. Co-manage one sales assistant.
  5. Customer Service
    1. Assist meeting planners with referrals to services manager or other service providers.
    2. Respond on a timely basis to all inquiries for future business and encourage future convention business from community contacts.
    3. Maintain an awareness of competitors' products, promotions and industry issues that influence sales by establishing a rapport with other Tampa Bay & Company divisions, partners, and related hospitality professional organizations in the community.
    4. Provide Tampa Bay & Company members with the necessary information in a lead that will enable them to properly evaluate and correctly bid for conventions, meetings or trade show business.
    5. Hand deliver bids to clients.
    6. Provide specified customer service functions as appropriate to the objectives and requirements of the individual position.
    7. Establish and manage customer relationships, within prescribed policy and procedural guidelines; investigate and resolve or refer account problems and discrepancies, as appropriate.
    8. Ability to communicate effectively via in person, in writing, and by telephone, in a prompt, courteous and service-oriented manner to assure Tampa Bay & Company standards for customer contact and protocol are met.
  6. Organizational Commitment
    1. Maintain a cohesive working relationship with all other personnel to successfully accomplish Tampa Bay & Company goals.
    2. Support the mission statement and values of Tampa Bay & Company. Participate in ongoing high quality improvement/client satisfaction efforts. Demonstrate high standards in service through all interactions with Tampa Bay & Company customers and clients.
    3. Handle additional responsibilities and projects as assigned.

Education and Experience
Four year degree from an accredited college or university, business or hospitality institution or a minimum of four years of hospitality industry sales experience.

Job Competencies and Skills

  • Excellent communication and organizational skills.
  • Strong analytical and judgmental skills to determine the quality of business and best suited business opportunities.
  • Participate in training opportunities, for both professional and personal development.
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office products, industry software such as SFA and the Internet.
  • Ability to operate computer, fax, e-mail system and general office equipment including laptop computers when traveling away from the office.
  • Flexibility and creativity in blending patience, understanding and the ability to take time with clients.
  • Ability to establish priorities and meet deadlines efficiently and effectively.
  • Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients and customers.

Physical Demands

  1. Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
  2. Ability to communicate clearly.
  3. Corrected vision to normal range.
  4. Ability to drive /transport self and others outside of Tampa Bay & Company.
  5. Ability to travel via airplane.
  6. Regular attendance and prompt daily reporting required.

Mental Requirements

  1. Make sound judgments quickly.
  2. Work on multiple tasks, making appropriate progress toward deadlines.
  3. Able to work independently, take direction and provide direction to others.
  4. Manage differing personalities within the office and the community.
  5. Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality.

TAMPA BAY & COMPANY
The convention and visitors bureau leads the effort of economic development through tourism. The mission of the CVB is to create vibrant growth for the Tampa Bay area by promoting, developing and expanding a united visitor industry. The independent not-for-profit organization represents more than 700 businesses throughout Tampa Bay and promotes the area as a choice destination for conventions and visitors. For additional information about Tampa Bay & Company, as well as the area, please visit our website at www.visittampabay.com.

Tampa Bay Basics
A red-hot destination, Tampa Bay is a vibrant waterfront area on Florida's beautiful West Coast and offers a unique blend of urban excitement set in a natural surrounding.

  • Location
    Tampa Bay is ideally located on Florida's West Coast, and features miles of glistening waterways and sandy shorelines. Its central location provides easy access to the nearby Gulf beaches and surrounding areas. Orlando, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Sarasota are easy day trips from Tampa.
  • Climate
    Tampa Bay's weather is a combination of bright sunny days tempered by gentle bay breezes. In the spring and fall, the days are pleasantly warm, while the evenings can be a bit cooler. The summer months are characterized by warmer temperatures and quick afternoon showers. The average annual temperature in Tampa is a comfortable 72 degrees.
  • Size & Population
    Tampa is Florida's third most populous city with more than 333,000 residents, and Hillsborough is Florida's fourth most populous county with a population of just over one million. In addition to being the most affluent metropolitan statistical area in Florida; Tampa Bay is also the largest television market in the state.

The Tampa Convention Package
Tampa Bay is a meeting planner's dream destination offering:

  • The 600,000 square foot waterfront Tampa Convention Center, featuring a 200,000 square foot exhibit hall, 36,000 square foot ballroom and 36 meeting rooms
  • A diverse portfolio of 21,000 guest rooms, 2500 of which surround the convention center
  • A booming downtown that features the Channelside entertainment complex, the 21,000-seat St. Pete Times Forum arena, the fastest growing cruise port, an ever expanding riverwalk, parks, museums and $2.5 billion of residential projects currently under development
  • Thrilling attractions, including Busch Gardens, Adventure Island, The Florida Aquarium, the Museum of Science & Industry, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Lowry Park Zoo and more!
  • A dynamic, historic Latin quarter, Ybor City, which doubles as a living museum by day and an exciting entertainment district by night
  • Seamless transportation with the new TECO Line electric streetcar system and the "In Town Trolley-Downtown" line
  • Amazing special event venues, from turn-of-the-century ballrooms to luxury yachts
  • Famous restaurants - The Columbia Restaurant and Bern's Steakhouse, not to mention all the others for every palate and budget
  • An endless array of shopping, from outdoor villages to malls and plazas
  • World-class golf
  • Award-winning sugary sand beaches
  • Bayshore Boulevard - the world's longest continuous sidewalk
  • Professional sports teams: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Tampa Bay Lightning, The Tampa Bay Rays and our arena football team, The Tampa Bay Storm
  • Tampa International Airport - Ranked as one of the best in the world, offering 600 flights a day and located just 7 miles from downtown Tampa

Send cover letter, resume and compensation information to:
JoLynn Lokey
Human Resources Manager
HR@VisitTampaBay.com

58 Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001, T: 202-667-9332, F: 202-667-9331, info@NLMPonline.org