Job Description

 Are you motivated to promote Vancouver as a world class Meeting and Convention destination?
 Are you passionate about the opportunity to represent our incredibly diverse and vibrant city and community?
 Do you have a strong innovative and creative outlook for sales and business development?
 Have you ever wanted to work for a leading Destination Management Organization?

The Opportunity:

Destination Vancouver is seeking a sales leader to cover maternity leave as Acting Manager, Meeting & Convention Sales, US. The position will initially cover the Chicago Midwest Region and in October 2024 will focus on the Western US market. This is an 18-month full-time fixed term of employment, starting in June 2024, based in Vancouver, BC and reporting to the Director of Sales, Meetings & Convention Sales, US.

If you answered “yes” to the above questions, the Acting Manager, Meeting & Convention Sales, US role could be perfect for you. This position is a vital part of Destination Vancouver’s Meetings and Conventions (M&C) team and is ideal for someone who wants to contribute to creating awareness, driving interest, and securing business for Destination Vancouver’s members and partners.

Strategic Accountabilities:

1. Leadership role on behalf of, not only Destination Vancouver, but the entire Vancouver tourism and hospitality community and industry active in the Western US markets.
2. Initiate, plan, lead and execute Vancouver’s in-market sales activities, sales trips and events, sales missions, conference and tradeshow presence, industry organization representation.
3. Initiate, plan, lead and execute Vancouver’s in-destination sales activities, qualified individual client site inspections, targeted group familiarization visits and hosting of high priority, client rich industry organization events.
4. Build strong strategic relationships with colleagues, clients, members, and partners while delivering a high level of customer sales and service.
5. Generate qualified assigned market US M&C leads and convert them to definite business.

This is an 18-month fixed term of employment contract position.

This position is based in Destination Vancouver’s corporate office in Vancouver with proximity to transit and downtown amenities. Flexibility of schedule is required for activities that occur outside of standard business operating hours. Site inspections, FAMs and hosting of industry events may take place on weekends and evenings. Business travel to is a requirement of the position. Work is also affected by travel and time zones. Working hours will vary due to the nature of the tourism industry.

Destination Vancouver supports work/life balance and flexible/hybrid working opportunities.
Destination Vancouver believes in and provides a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment.
Starting base salary range: $75,100 – $88,200 plus extended healthcare benefits, transit reimbursement, 15 days
vacation plus paid personal days.

What are we looking for?

 Minimum 5 years’ experience working in destination marketing, hotel or convention industry sales, ideally with market segment knowledge related to association business, corporate meetings and the incentive market. This includes understanding of third parties and intermediaries.

 Strong innovative and creative outlook for sales and business development.

 Proven track record of attaining measurable goals/results/targets in a sales & marketing capacity.

 Ability to work independently and as part of a team as well as lead teams is fundamental (sales missions, conferences and tradeshows, project groups)

 Demonstrated high level of verbal communication, writing and business presentation skills.

 Experience in both Western and Chicago Midwest US markets is an asset. Strong market segment knowledge, association, corporate and incentive, also a strong asset. Experience in/with leading industry organizations and their events such as IMEX America, MPI, PCMA, SITE, CEMA is also an asset.

 Makes and articulates sound business decisions and recommendations, meets project deadlines, takes direction as well as demonstrates initiative. Fiscally responsible, socially engaging, and diplomatic professional demeanour.

 Passionate about Vancouver as a meeting and convention destination.

 Experience in coaching and providing feedback to direct reports.

 Strong working knowledge of all office desktop software. Strong willingness to learn and adapt to new opportunities and technologies. Post-secondary education in a related discipline and/or relevant experience.

Responsibilities may be added, removed, or changed at any time at the discretion of Destination Vancouver, formally or informally, either verbally or in writing to meet the evolving needs of the organization and destination.

Who are we?

Destination Vancouver is one of the world’s most dynamic Destination Organizations, delivering on a mandate for destination development and promotion that makes Vancouver a must visit global destination. It responsibly strives for a triple bottom line approach to measuring destination success through people, planet, and prosperity. As a private, not for profit business association, continued relevancy equals success by supporting the industry and building a competitive global destination brand.

Destination Vancouver has a fabulous product and a powerful brand. Its brand promise, Vancouver is a place that connects people and inspires them to live with passion, underpins how it communicates with potential customers, engages with stakeholders, and services its 800+ members.

How do we connect?

If this sounds like you because you have the experience, ambition and drive and describe yourself as enthusiastic and fun, collaborative and focused on building relationships and achieving sales results, we invite you to apply for this exciting position. Please send your resume and cover letter to: careers@destinationvancouver.com

For more information, please visit http://destinationvancouver.com

Responsibilities & Qualifications

The role is responsible for maintaining and growing Destination Vancouver’s sales portfolio for the duration of the maternity leave cover as follows:

 Generates qualified Meeting and Convention group business leads primarily out of the Western US market and Chicago Midwest Region and converting to definite business for Vancouver.

 Leadership role on behalf of, not only Destination Vancouver, but the entire Metro Vancouver meeting and convention tourism community active in both US markets. This position is to be well known and recognized as the industry expert M&C leader for this market.

 Understanding and efficient use of Destination Vancouver’s CRM, account database management software, Simpleview for account/lead generation and management and as a communication and information system for all groups requiring follow-up (i.e. trace for a decision on Vancouver as a meeting site). Ability to run and analyze reports and searches.

 Manages lead system policies and procedures in referring business to Destination Vancouver members in a fair and equitable manner.

 Strong working relationship with the sales team at the Vancouver Convention Centre, Destination Vancouver DMC members and Destination Vancouver member hotels, including a base level of understanding of their operations.

 Keeps informed with Destination Vancouver’s members personnel changes, renovations, regular hotel site inspections, visits with sales personnel and property tours, regular contact/meetings with key members and industry partners active in the market.

 Develops and maintains good working relationships with all local members and partners active in the Chicago, Midwest and Western US market as well in-market industry partners and representatives such as Destination Canada Business Events, hotel global, national, and regional sellers, competitive DMO’s.

 Initiates, plans, executes and leads qualified individual client site inspections as well as familiarization group visits in destination.

 Initiates, plans, executes, and leads all sales activities in-market, trade shows, conferences, sales missions, special promotions and client events.

 Prepares and delivers destination presentations to decision makers, influential clients, members, industry partners and suppliers.

 Maintains current in-market relationships and opportunities with a focus on strengthening existing client bonds, converting pending business, and assisting accounts that are meeting in Vancouver with facilitating the appropriate relationships within Destination Vancouver and the Vancouver hospitality community at large.

 Where appropriate, maintains active memberships in the appropriate industry associations such as MPI, PCMA, SITE, CEMA and more, this also includes potential volunteer leadership roles.

 Keeps informed on city of Vancouver development, construction, trends, and events.

 Keeps informed on competitive intelligence regarding business practices, convention centre and major hotel development, competitive DMO activities and budgets.

 Assists the Vice President, Meeting, Conventions & Events in preparation of annual sales and marketing operational plan, including budget prep.

 Provides information and/or guidance to Destination Vancouver local members and partners requesting market intelligence, convention statistics and sale and marketing activity information.

 Supports attendance building activities for “definite” conventions.

 Leads teams including hiring, training, coaching and providing regular feedback to direct reports.

Salary/Wage

Market Competitive

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