Job Description

Are you a strategic senior sales leader who is motivated by identifying business opportunities in the Meetings & Conventions sector for Metro Vancouver?

Are you passionate about the opportunity to represent our incredibly diverse and vibrant city and business community?

Do you have a strong innovative and creative outlook for sales and business development?

If so, Destination Vancouver’s Director of Sales, Meetings & Conventions could be the right match for you. This senior leadership role is an integral part of Destination Vancouver’s Meetings, Conventions & Events team. The Director of Sales, Meetings & Conventions (M&C) is responsible for driving sales performance and results in alignment with Destination Vancouver’s strategic plan. Reporting to the Vice President, Meetings, Conventions & Events (MC&E), this position will lead, coach, and develop teams to achieve business objectives. The Director will collaborate to implement sales tactics, marketing strategies, and service initiatives, ensuring a high industry profile and active involvement in BestCities initiatives.

The Director of Sales, M&C, will deliver business results through strategic planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating the operations of the M&C sales, marketing, and servicing teams. This role will work closely with the other Director of Sales in MC&E and engage with Destination Vancouver members, partners, and stakeholders to achieve business objectives, including through BestCities initiatives.

Strategic Accountabilities
 Collaborate to develop and implement the Meetings, Conventions & Events (MC&E) strategic plan.
 Lead, train, and mentor MC&E Managers and Sales Associates.
 Develop and implement destination sustainability, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and digital projects that align with the organization’s core values.
 Collaborate with local and global industry partners to maintain a strong brand image of innovation and collaboration.
 Lead citywide bids within their market sector portfolio.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning
 Collaborates with other Sales Directors to lead the development, planning, and preparation for the annual strategic plan and related tactics (Business Sprint) content, and budget.
 Works with the MC&E team to continuously identify, develop, and monitor Destination Vancouver’s MC&E sales goals and objectives, delivering strategies and tactics. This includes determining and communicating clear investment decision-making criteria and economic impact measurements.
 Evaluates on-the-books data and business development opportunities in close collaboration with the MC&E team and related stakeholders.
 Partners with the Vice President to drive the success and growth of key markets.
 Evaluates business results and prepares reports and briefs for the Vice President, including analysis of initiative outcomes.
 Leads the development of an annual operating and business plan, ensuring its successful implementation.

Stakeholder Engagement
 Creates and actively engages a network of high-profile industry clients locally, nationally and in the target markets to the benefit of Vancouver through knowledge exchange, lead sharing, account intelligence as well as best practices.
 Represents Destination Vancouver nationally and internationally at appropriate industry association, events, and international public and private sector forums specific to M&C business development, and strategic partnerships.
 Develops and enhances relationships with community stakeholders including Destination Vancouver’s members, Board of Directors, and government.
 Prepares and delivers Vancouver destination bid presentations to influencers and decision makers
 Prepares and delivers Destination Vancouver presentations for clients, members and industry partners.
 Provides information and guidance to members and tourism partners requesting event sales and marketing activity information, market intelligence and data/statistics.
 Develops and maintains good working relationships with members and tourism industry partners active in-market and related industry partners.
 Develops plans to enhance relationships with community stakeholders including Destination Marketing Fee (DMF) projects.
 Maintains active membership in high priority industry associations/organizations, including volunteer leaderships roles where appropriate and beneficial to achieving goals.
 Keeps informed with respect to member personnel changes, product development and renovations, changes in management, regular facility site inspections visits with sales personnel and property tours, regular contact/meetings with key members and industry partners active in the city and events.
 Represents Destination Vancouver to the community and marketplace as required.
 Develops and maintains partnerships with other industry and community organizations

Sales and Service Delivery
 Leads and delivers on the MC&E targets as established on Destination Vancouver’s strategic plan.
 Organizes Destination Vancouver member and partner participation in events, sales missions, trade shows and conferences as well as business development and special promotion activities.
 Keeps informed on worldwide competition regarding sales and marketing related to the event industry; competitive DMO activities and budgets, new and expanded facilities.
 Supports attendance building activities for definite business.
 Makes recommendations to the Vice President on major programs and campaigns.
 Leads and represents Destination Vancouver through BestCities initiatives.
 Collaborates to evaluate all aspects of department operations and make recommendations for change where department objectives would be better achieved and exceeded.
 Full understanding and highly efficient use of Destination Vancouver’s CRM account database management software program – Simpleview used for account generation and management, lead development and trace follow up, as well as a communication and information system tool for all group bookings
 Directs department operations to ensure adherence to corporate policies and department procedures

Team Leadership and Development
 Leads and mentors a team of sales, marketing and servicing professionals including recruiting, training, coaching and reviewing/enriching team performance and related career growth.
 Coaches and motivates departmental team to achieve annual targets.
 Leads and guides the team and advises managers on human resource issues where appropriate.
 Collaborates with other departments within Destination Vancouver to achieve overall goals

Budget Management
 Develops and manages an operational budget to ensure accountability for results in conjunction with resources invested including DMF (Destination management Fund) and (Convention Development Fund) CDF initiatives

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.

Destination Vancouver believes in and provides a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment.

Annual base salary starting range: $111,600 – $131,000

What you offer
The ideal candidate has experience in a similar sales leadership role. With a proven track record of attaining measurable results in sales and marketing, the top candidate possesses a high level of professionalism, maturity, diplomacy and judgment regarding decision-making and fostering positive interpersonal relationships.

 Passionate about Vancouver as a place to live, work, play, experience and explore.
 Minimum five years of experience in a similar leadership/Director-level role.
 Meeting and convention sales related knowledge of Metro Vancouver and British Columbia.
 Thorough knowledge of the M&C industry.
 Successful track-record of sales results, marketing and client servicing in the meetings and conventions.
 Extensive international network of contacts, clients and influencers in the meetings and conventions
industry.
 Knowledge and experience with BestCities initiatives is an asset.
 Proven strategic leadership and management ability to motivate teams to excel and drive business; superior
motivational, team development and leadership skills
 Strong innovative and creative outlook for sales, marketing, and business development from a local, national,
and global perspective. Dirven by achieving sales targets.
 Proven leadership, interpersonal and delegating skills, as well as high personal motivation, positive attitude,
and the ability to motivate others.
 Excellent organization, coordinating, planning and time management skills, detail-oriented with strong multi-
tasking abilities including project management skills.
 Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, strong presentations skills (in-person and digital/virtual).
 High level of professionalism, maturity, diplomacy, and judgment regarding decision-making and fostering
positive interpersonal relationships.
 Able to work well independently and collaboratively; committed to individual, team, corporate and industry
service excellence.
 Possess a curious and positive attitude, highly motivated and proven ability to take initiative.
 Strong technology skills including social media for business. Good working knowledge of database
management, AI, Microsoft Office applications, CRM technology as well as a strong willingness to learn and
adapt to new technologies including AI.
 Post-secondary education in business, tourism, or related disciplines and/or related experience is beneficial.
.
How do we connect?
If this sounds like you because you have the experience as a senior leader, are ambitious and driven and describe yourself as enthusiastic, collaborative and focused on building business, 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

Salary/Wage

Market Competitive

Other Perks/Benefits

What we offer This position is based in Destination Vancouver’s corporate office in Vancouver, British Columbia, with excellent 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 is a requirement for this position. We are proud to offer a competitive total rewards program including 3-weeks’ (15 days) vacation to start plus additional paid days off, annual incentive/recognition plan, extended health care, Health Spending Account, Personal Spending Account, group matching RRSP program, transit reimbursement, Team Member Referral program, generous paid time off, training and development opportunities, work/life balance and tourism industry perks. Destination Vancouver believes in and supports work/life balance and flexible/hybrid working opportunities.

Apply Now