Director of Sales & Marketing

The Director of Sales & Marketing is the strategic leader responsible for driving revenue growth, market share, and brand positioning for the Riverside Hotel, Fort Lauderdale's premier luxury independent hotel. Reporting directly to the General Manager, this position oversees all sales, marketing, public relations, catering sales, and business development efforts for the hotel.

The Director of Sales & Marketing develops and executes comprehensive revenue-generating strategies across all market segments, including group, corporate, leisure, social, catering, and transient business. This role provides leadership to the Sales & Marketing team while fostering strong relationships within the local community, travel industry, corporate marketplace, and tourism organizations.

The successful candidate will be a dynamic leader who combines strategic vision with hands-on execution to maximize occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, catering revenue, and overall profitability while maintaining the Riverside Hotel's reputation for exceptional service and guest satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sales Leadership

· Develop and execute annual and long-range sales strategies aligned with the hotel's revenue and market share objectives.

· Lead all proactive and reactive sales efforts across group, corporate, leisure, SMERF, government, and transient market segments.

· Identify new revenue opportunities and market trends to support sustained business growth.

· Maintain a strong understanding of competitive activity, market conditions, and industry trends.

· Collaborate closely with Revenue Management to optimize pricing, inventory management, and market positioning.

· Develop strategic account plans and targeted sales initiatives to increase market penetration.

· Participate in key client presentations, site inspections, sales missions, and industry events.

· Personally secure high-value accounts and major group opportunities.

Marketing & Brand Management

· Develop and oversee the hotel's integrated marketing strategy, including digital, social media, public relations, advertising, and promotional initiatives.

· Manage annual marketing budgets and ensure programs generate measurable return on investment.

· Lead the development of creative campaigns that drive awareness, occupancy, catering revenues, and customer engagement.

· Oversee website performance, digital marketing, SEO, SEM, email marketing, social media strategy, and online reputation management.

· Partner with tourism organizations, convention bureaus, local businesses, and community stakeholders to enhance hotel visibility.

· Identify and leverage media and public relations opportunities to strengthen the Riverside Hotel brand.

· Coordinate crisis communication efforts when needed in partnership with executive leadership.

Revenue Generation & Business Development

· Develop sales plans that maximize occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), RevPAR, banquet revenues, and overall profitability.

· Analyze market intelligence, STR reports, demand trends, and competitor performance to inform strategic decisions.

· Establish and monitor sales goals, forecasts, action plans, and performance benchmarks.

· Ensure proper deployment and management of all sales channels, lead generation platforms, and distribution partnerships.

· Work collaboratively with Revenue Management and Operations to ensure revenue goals are achieved.

· Continuously evaluate business mix and market segment performance to maximize profitability.

Client & Community Relations

· Serve as the hotel's primary sales representative and ambassador within the Fort Lauderdale business and hospitality community.

· Build and maintain long-term relationships with key clients, meeting planners, travel professionals, local organizations, and community leaders.

· Oversee participation in trade shows, industry conferences, networking events, and sales missions.

· Promote the Riverside Hotel through active involvement with tourism, chamber, hospitality, and community organizations.

· Ensure exceptional service delivery throughout the sales cycle and event experience.

· Act as the advocate for clients while balancing the hotel's operational and financial objectives.

Leadership & Team Development

· Lead, mentor, motivate, and develop a high-performing Sales & Marketing team.

· Establish clear goals, accountability measures, and performance expectations.

· Conduct regular coaching, performance evaluations, and professional development planning.

· Recruit, retain, and develop top sales and marketing talent.

· Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and guest-focused service.

· Ensure effective communication and alignment between Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, Catering, and Operations teams.

· Support succession planning and workforce development initiatives.

Operational Excellence

· Ensure compliance with hotel policies, procedures, and legal requirements.

· Maintain accurate sales reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and performance tracking.

· Monitor contract standards, sales processes, and proposal development.

· Facilitate seamless transitions from sales to operations to ensure exceptional guest experiences.

· Participate as a key member of the hotel's Executive Committee.

· Perform additional duties as assigned to support hotel objectives.

Qualifications

Required

· Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.

· Minimum 5 years of progressive hotel sales leadership experience.

· Proven success leading hotel sales and marketing teams with responsibility for achieving revenue goals.

· Strong experience in group sales, corporate sales, catering/event sales, and transient business development.

· Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, forecasting, budgeting, and revenue management collaboration.

· Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and negotiation skills.

· Strong analytical and financial acumen.

Preferred

· Experience in an independent luxury, lifestyle, or resort hotel environment.

· Experience within the South Florida hospitality market.

· Knowledge of hospitality CRM, sales prospecting, and digital marketing platforms.

· Active involvement in hospitality, tourism, and community organizations.

· Certified Hospitality Sales Professional (CHSP), CMP, or similar professional certification.

Competencies

· Strategic Thinking

· Revenue Generation

· Leadership & Talent Development

· Relationship Building

· Business Acumen

· Negotiation & Closing Skills

· Marketing & Brand Strategy

· Financial Management

· Guest Focus

· Innovation & Creativity

· Communication & Influence

· Results Orientation

Performance Metrics

Success in this role will be measured by:

· Total Hotel Revenue

· Occupancy, ADR, and RevPAR Growth

· Group and Catering Revenue Production

· Market Share Performance

· New Account Acquisition

· Customer Satisfaction Scores

· Marketing ROI

· Team Engagement and Retention

· Forecast Accuracy

· Achievement of Annual Budget and Profitability Goals

The Director of Sales & Marketing serves as a key member of the Riverside Hotel Management Team and plays a critical role in positioning the hotel's continued success as one of Fort Lauderdale's most iconic and distinguished hospitality destinations.