Area Director of Sales

Area Director of Sales

Hotels: Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola & Home2 Suites Destin

POSITION SUMMARY

The Peachtree Group Hospitality Management (PGHM) Strategic Growth Team is a redesigned sales platform built to grow group, negotiated, and catering revenue across our portfolio. It brings sales leadership closer to our hotels: Area sales teams are paired with experienced leaders who sell alongside them, set growth strategy by segment, and are accountable for results at every hotel they support. Every role on the team shares one focus: growing top-line revenue for our hotels and owners.

The Area Director of Sales (Area DOS) is a hotel-level sales leader on the PGHM Strategic Growth Team, responsible for driving top-line revenue for the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola and Home2 Suites Destin. Working on property at both hotels, the Area DOS sells day to day and leads the onsite sales team. This is a selling role first, with leadership responsibilities layered on top.

The Area DOS reports to the Area Regional, Strategic Growth, who sets growth strategy, coaches, and sells alongside the Area team. The Area DOS also has a dotted-line relationship with the General Manager of each hotel in the Area; GMs stay involved in their hotel's sales performance and help hold the Area team accountable.

The Area DOS owns sales segment performance — Corporate Negotiated, Group, Banquet & Catering, and Extended Stay where applicable — for every hotel in the Area, along with each hotel's Commercial Strategy Plan, monthly revenue commentary, and sales forecasts. This is a hybrid role based primarily out of the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola, supporting the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola and Home2 Suites Destin.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Proactive Sales & Business Development

- Develop and execute proactive sales strategies to win new accounts and grow existing key accounts at both hotels, placing business in the hotel that best fits the client

- Conduct outside sales calls, site tours, account presentations, and client entertainment to secure new and repeat business

- Prospect new accounts using brand tools, third-party databases (ZoomInfo, Cvent, etc.), and local market connections

- Respond promptly and accurately to inbound leads at both hotels

- Partner with the Area Regional on high-value pursuits, contract negotiations, and key account strategy

Commercial Strategy & Performance

- Prepare and maintain the Commercial Strategy Plan for each hotel — segment performance, opportunities, risks, and 30/60/90-day actions — as the shared gap-closure document with the GM and Area Regional

- Develop, submit, and present accurate monthly revenue commentaries for all sales segments at each hotel

- Forecast revenues and expenses for all sales segments monthly and annually, in partnership with the Regional Revenue team

- Support annual budgeting, quarterly business reviews, and strategic planning with the Area Regional and each GM

- Ensure both hotels participate in brand programs, RFP seasons, and promotional initiatives

Team Leadership

- Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to the sales team members supporting both hotels, whether shared across hotels or dedicated to one hotel

- Set clear expectations, activity standards, and revenue goals for team members; hold the team accountable through regular check-ins and performance reviews

- Partner with the Area Regional on hiring, onboarding, coaching, and performance management for the Area team

Hotel & Cross-Functional Partnership

- Partner closely with each General Manager to align sales strategy with operational priorities and ownership expectations; keep GMs informed on pace, production, and key bookings

- Collaborate with the Regional Revenue team on business mix, pricing strategy, and displacement decisions

- Coordinate with each hotel's operations and catering/banquet teams to ensure a smooth handoff from contract to event

- Work with the Enterprise Strategic Growth team, National Sales, and Task Force teams on shared accounts and opportunities

Market Intelligence & Sales Operations

- Monitor each hotel's performance versus its competitive set using STR, Demand360, and ProfitSword; adjust strategy to capture fair share

- Analyze pace, demand patterns, and production reports to identify revenue opportunities at both hotels

- Maintain a strong understanding of feeder markets, local demand drivers, and economic conditions for each hotel

- Maintain accurate lead entry, activity tracking, and reporting in Delphi, Salesforce, and brand sales tools

Performance Measures

- Corporate Negotiated, Group, and Banquet & Catering revenue versus budget and prior year, for each hotel

- Pace and pipeline health, including definite and tentative production

- Personal production and sales activity standards

- Area team performance and development

- Accuracy and timeliness of Commercial Strategy Plans, revenue commentaries, and forecasts

Core Competencies

- Proactive, multi-segment selling and closing

- Prospecting and key account development

- Commercial strategy, forecasting, and pace analysis

- Leading and holding sales team members accountable

- Strong partnership with GMs, operations, and revenue teams

- Negotiation and relationship management

- Organization and time management across multiple hotels

- Self-motivation and independent work

Travel Requirements

- Hybrid role based primarily out of the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola, with limited remote flexibility (based on business needs); the majority of time is expected on property

- Regular on-property presence at both the Hilton Garden Inn Pensacola and Home2 Suites Destin to lead and support the onsite sales teams, along with travel to client appointments and in-market sales activity throughout the Pensacola and Destin markets

- Travel between hotels is regular and reimbursed per company mileage policy; deployment schedule and on-property expectations are defined in PGHM's Area DOS SOP

- Pensacola-area residence preferred; valid driver's license and reliable transportation required

Required Education & Experience

- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Business, or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience

- 2+ years of direct hotel sales experience with a proven track record in multi-segment selling (Corporate Negotiated, Group, Banquet & Catering)

- Prior multi-property or area sales experience strongly preferred

- Experience leading or mentoring sales team members preferred

- Experience with at least one major brand family (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, or IHG) and its sales tools

- Proficiency in Delphi, Salesforce, Cvent, brand RFP tools, and Microsoft Office Suite

- Strong analytical skills: comfortable reading STR, Demand360, and Market Intelligence reports and turning data into action

- Ability to conduct site tours, outside sales calls, and attend client events, including some evenings and weekends

The statements in this job description are intended to represent the key duties and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be ALL responsibilities or qualifications of the job. This position is classified as exempt and is not subject to overtime in accordance with Federal and State Regulations. This job description is subject to change at any time.