Area Sales Manager

Grow profitable revenue across a portfolio in Eastern Mississippi with Holiday Inn Lucedale. This onsite, multi-property Area Sales Manager role combines hands-on selling with strategic account development to help assigned hotels increase market share, conversion, and retention. If you enjoy building relationships, working closely with hotel leadership, and executing a clear sales plan property by property, this position puts your skills at the center of commercial performance.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned production goals, sales activity targets, and account plans for each hotel, with clear visibility into results by property.
• Allocate time and sales effort based on demand patterns, need dates, target segments, and highest-value revenue opportunities.
• Develop and execute distinct sales strategies for each assigned hotel, including cross-sell, referrals, and packaged business across the portfolio.
• Maintain a consistent presence at assigned hotels and build productive working relationships with each General Manager and operating team.
• Represent each hotel’s positioning, brand standards, product, services, and competitive advantages accurately and persuasively.
• Proactively identify, solicit, and close new business through outbound calls, in-person sales calls, networking, referrals, site inspections, presentations, and industry events.
• Continuously prospect within group, business transient, and other market segments to build a qualified pipeline in local, regional, and national markets.
• Research demand generators, market trends, competitor activity, and account potential to uncover new opportunities for each property.
• Prepare proposals, presentations, and contracts aligned to approved pricing, terms, brand standards, and hotel profitability goals.
• Negotiate strategically, overcome objections, and secure business that meets each hotel’s revenue, rate, and operational objectives.
• Serve as the primary sales contact for assigned accounts and build long-term, value-based relationships that improve retention, share, and total account production.
• Conduct regular account reviews, client appointments, site tours, and appropriate entertainment to advance opportunities and strengthen relationships.
• Respond promptly and professionally to leads, inquiries, proposals, and follow-up requirements to meet company and brand response-time standards.
• Recommend the best-fit hotel, dates, rates, and services based on client needs rather than defaulting to one property.
• Resolve sales-related concerns quickly and partner with hotel teams to protect client relationships and future business.
• Partner with hotel leadership and Revenue Management to establish account strategy, address need periods, and optimize pricing and displacement decisions.
• Attend weekly strategy, pipeline, and pace meetings for assigned hotels with current account intelligence and defined next actions.
• Analyze historical production, pace, conversion, lost business, and competitive intelligence to refine priorities and action plans.
• Meet or exceed room revenue, room night, average rate, and other applicable goals for each assigned hotel.
• Provide accurate forecasts, production updates, account plans, and performance reports within established deadlines.
• Maintain complete and accurate account, contact, activity, lead, proposal, and booking records in the designated CRM and sales systems.
• Manage follow-up tasks and pipeline stages consistently so opportunities do not stall or go unaddressed.
• Create and distribute required documents and reports (BEOs, Resumes, GRC, Forecasts, Room Lists, etc.) to hotel leadership and operations in a timely manner.
• Collaborate with Marketing on targeted campaigns, offers, content, and sales collateral supporting each hotel’s commercial priorities.
• Build relationships with chambers, convention and visitors bureaus, industry associations, community organizations, and other relevant demand partners.
• Represent Valor and the assigned hotels professionally at trade shows, networking events, client events, and community activities.
• Share market intelligence, customer feedback, and competitive insights with hotel and corporate commercial teams.
• Perform other sales-related duties reasonably assigned based on business needs.

Requirements

• Two- or four-year degree in hospitality, business, marketing, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and relevant experience considered.
• Minimum two years of hotel sales or closely related hospitality sales experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to prospect, build relationships, present, negotiate, and close profitable business.
• Working knowledge of hotel sales processes, account management, and revenue strategy.
• Proficiency with CRM and hotel sales systems, Microsoft 365, and virtual communication tools.
• Ability to learn and work across different brand platforms.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and listening skills.
• Confident communication with clients, hotel teams, ownership, and senior leadership.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, deadlines, and account portfolios across assigned hotels while maintaining follow-through and data accuracy.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required.
• Regular travel between assigned hotels, client locations, and local industry events.

Technologies

• CRM and hotel sales systems
• Microsoft 365
• Virtual communication tools

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Team Member Hotel Discount Program
• Uniforms Provided
• Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, and other supplemental options
• Paid PTO beginning after ninety (90) days of employment
• Immediate eligibility for 401k and employer match
• Team Member Awards and Recognition programs throughout the year
• Food and Beverage Discounts
• Tuition Reimbursement

Performance Expectations

• Achievement of assigned revenue, room night, rate, and market-segment goals for each assigned hotel.
• Consistent execution of prospecting, appointment, site inspection, and account-development activity targets.
• Healthy qualified pipeline, timely lead response, and strong proposal-to-booking conversion.
• Accurate CRM records, forecasts, reports, and documented next steps.
• Growth in new accounts, retained accounts, and cross-property referrals or bookings.

Physical Demands

• Ability to move throughout assigned hotels and conduct property tours, site inspections, sales calls, trade shows, and community or industry functions.
• Ability to remain seated or standing for extended periods and to operate standard office equipment and computer systems.
• Ability to lift and carry sales materials, displays, or client amenities up to 10 pounds.
• Frequent driving and local travel; occasional overnight travel may be required.
• Work is primarily indoors, with periodic outdoor exposure during travel, property tours, and events.