Key Relationship Manager

Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, located along the scenic Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of America’s oldest and most cherished public gardens. Recognized nationally as both a cultural and natural treasure, Magnolia is celebrated for its rich history, stunning gardens, and diverse ecosystems. Open year-round, it welcomes visitors from around the world to enjoy historic house tours, curated garden walks, wildlife observation, nature trails, and a variety of group and private events. Dedicated to preserving its heritage while fostering meaningful connections through history, horticulture, and nature, Magnolia provides unforgettable experiences that educate, inspire, and delight.

The Key Relationship Manager plays a pivotal role in generating revenue through group tours, private events, and specialty programs, while identifying opportunities to promote and upsell additional offerings. This position manages the entire sales cycle—from lead generation and client engagement to proposals, contracts, and confirmed bookings. As a key driver of sales strategy, relationship management, and client satisfaction, this role ensures that every interaction reflects Magnolia’s mission and values.

Key Responsibilities

- Oversee all inbound sales inquiries while actively seeking and securing new business opportunities.

- Create tailored proposals, negotiate agreements, and finalize contracts.

- Build and nurture strong relationships with planners, tour operators, vendors, and community partners.

- Analyze sales results and client feedback to enhance service delivery and guest satisfaction.

- Partner with Guest Operations, Events, and Marketing to coordinate a wide range of guest and group experiences, ensuring seamless client transitions, strong communication, and flawless execution from planning through completion.

- Design and maintain sales dashboards, reports, and performance metrics to measure progress against goals.

- Represent Magnolia at networking events, trade shows, and industry gatherings.

- Stay informed on industry trends, pricing strategies, and competitor offerings to strengthen sales strategy.

- Contribute as a collaborative team member, taking on additional projects and responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business, Communications, or a related discipline.

- Minimum of 5 years’ experience in hospitality, events, or destination sales.

- Demonstrated success in consistently achieving or surpassing sales targets.

- Excellent organizational skills and strong written and verbal communication, with sharp attention to detail.

- Ability to work independently while fostering collaboration across teams and departments.

- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as event schedules require.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced sales professional with a strong understanding of the Charleston-area market, including local tourism, hospitality, events, corporate partnerships, and/or group sales. Familiarity with the Charleston market, its customer base, tourism landscape, and business community is highly valued, as it will enable the successful candidate to identify opportunities, build strategic partnerships, and effectively represent Magnolia Plantation & Gardens.

Preferred Qualification: Previous professional experience working within the Charleston-area tourism, hospitality, events, attractions, or business community is preferred but is not required.