Director, Commercial Franchise Sales

We’re Sonesta International Hotels.
The 8th largest hotel company in the U.S.—and growing fast.

An epic blend of full-service and focused hotels in major cities, Sonesta’s uniquely diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties makes us everywhere you want to be. Driven by the human side of hospitality, we deliver service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and experiences that truly connect.

Together We Thrive—bringing quality, value, and amazing hospitality to every guest, every stay, across 1000+ properties in eight countries and counting.

Job Description Summary

The Franchise Sales Director (FSD) serves as the primary commercial liaison for an assigned portfolio of franchise hotels. This role is responsible for partnering with hotel ownership, management teams, and/or on-property GM and DOS to identify revenue opportunities, strengthen commercial execution, and increase engagement with brand programs, systems, and resources.
The FSD works consultatively to drive topline performance by aligning sales strategies with each property’s business goals.
This role is a hybrid role (3 days in office Tues/Wed/Thurs) in either our Newton, MA or Orlando, FL office.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership & Performance

• Serve as the primary commercial point of contact for key ownership groups and assigned franchise hotels, providing consultative guidance across sales and revenue channels.
• Analyze property-level and market performance (STR, Agency 360, RFP activity, lead conversion, GSO production, and channel mix) to identify opportunities and develop tailored action plans for hotels.
• Act as the driver between Global Sales and other parts of the commercial engine in support of franchise hotels and brands.
• Co-Facilitate quarterly or bi-annual performance reviews with large ownership groups, aligning revenue goals and success metrics.
• Partner with Revenue Management, Distribution, Effectiveness, Marketing, Loyalty, and Brand teams to address performance gaps and implement revenue optimization strategies.

Franchise Engagement & Enablement

• Increase hotel engagement with brand tools, programs, and initiatives (e.g., Customer Connection Week, TravelPass Planner Perks, Government Ready, Business Case initiatives, lead response).
• Coach hotels on best practices for local market selling, lead response, and proactive business development.
• Support hotels in leveraging available marketing and distribution platforms to improve visibility and conversion.
• Assist hotels in closing business where applicable for both local and GSO sales accounts.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as a connector between franchise hotels and corporate functional teams, escalating needs and sharing insights from the field.
• Contribute to the development of brand-level tools, templates, and playbooks that simplify commercial execution for owners and hotel teams.
• Participate in cross-functional initiatives to pilot and scale commercial programs that drive incremental revenue.

Reporting & Accountability

• Track and report on follow through portfolio performance metrics, engagement levels, and action plan outcomes.
• Maintain accurate records of property interactions, opportunities, and initiatives through the CRM and internal tracking systems.
• Support corporate reporting by providing data-driven insights and success stories from the field.
• Document key takeaways and actionable items from property visits that will be communicated to franchise operations and other key stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, Hospitality, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in hotel sales, revenue management, or commercial strategy, ideally within a multi-unit or franchise environment.
• Strong analytical, consultative selling, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence without authority and build trusted relationships with diverse ownership groups.
• Ability to travel up to 30% to support assigned hotels and attend corporate or brand events.
• Ability to multi-task and manage a high volume of demand in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to pivot and focus on prioritization of tasks and initiatives.

Success Measures

• Year-over-year growth in revenue and market share across assigned portfolios.
• Increased participation in brand programs and initiatives.
• Improved owner engagement and satisfaction.
• Effective cross-functional collaboration and measurable impact on commercial performance.

Additional Job Information/Anticipated

Pay Range

pay range: $95,000 to $115,000. Base pay offer may vary depending on various factors, including but not limited to job related knowledge, skills and job specific overall experience.

Benefits

Sonesta recognizes that benefits play a vital role in helping ensure the health and financial security of employees and their families. We offer a variety of benefits to our employees including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account with Company Match
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Paid Vacation and Sick Days
• Sonesta Hotel Discounts
• Educational Assistance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Company Paid Life Insurance
• Company Paid Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance
• Various Employee Perks and Discounts
• Hospital Indemnity
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Accident Insurance

Sonesta is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

Upon submitting your application, please ensure you complete a full application in addition to attaching a resume. Incomplete applications received will not be considered.