To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to DSM@visitalexva.com with "Destination Sales Manager" in the subject line by EOD on Friday, February 28, 2025. Please include how you learned about this job posting.

Job Title: Destination Sales Manager

Reports To: Director of Sales

Organizational and Destination Overview:

Visit Alexandria is the not-for-profit destination marketing organization (DMO), promoting Alexandria, Virginia, as a premier destination for tourism and meetings. Our organizational culture values teamwork, strategy, creativity, innovation centered in a passion for our community. Named a 2024 Top U.S. City by Travel + Leisure and a 2024 Top 3 Best Small City by the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel and a walkable lifestyle-a welcoming escape adjacent to our nation's capital. With a nationally designated historic district founded in 1749, Alexandria is home to more than 200 independent restaurants and boutiques alongside intimate historic museums and new happenings at the waterfront. At the heart of it all is bustling King Street, a walkable mile recognized as one of the "Great Streets" of America. New restaurants tucked into 18th- and 19th-century architecture still intact from the city's days as George Washington's hometown ignite historic and off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods as the waterfront district evolves with new energy.

Position Summary:

The Destination Sales Manager enhances Alexandria's position in the competitive tourism landscape by capturing both group meetings and travel trade opportunities for Alexandria. Our Destination Sales team accomplish this goal by cultivating leads and connecting Visit Alexandria members (hotels, restaurants, activities, and transportation) with meeting and group planners and the travel trade. The Sales team consists of a director, two sales managers, and a supporting sales coordinator. The team collectively covers key vertical markets, including association, corporate, S.M.E.R.F. (social, military, education, religious, fraternal), government, sports, and tour & travel. The team cultivates key industry relationships, providing rapid response to inbound leads, prospecting in high-potential markets, and convening select high-value events with customer groups. The ideal candidate will be a motivated team player, organized and personable, who relishes the opportunity to sell the unique Alexandria experience that blends charm and walkability, outstanding hotels, professional meeting resources and diverse dining.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute an effective direct sales plan to optimize existing business and cultivate new business to include account management, prospecting, site inspections, tradeshows, sales calls, industry networking (committee participation), familiarization trips, signature events, and social selling. Plans will be developed with support from the Director of Sales and other team members.
• Set, track, and achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual goals, including lead generation and definite bookings, prospecting, solicitation, and sales calls.
• Learn and consistently utilize the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to ensure all relevant information is entered and readily available to everyone on the team and as a tool for prospecting and tracking.
• Ensure rapid response and lead response follow-up to incoming leads through the lead portal (Cvent) and website.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with Visit Alexandria members, including hoteliers, restaurants, venues, and activity providers. Stay abreast of staff and facility changes.
• Develop strong product knowledge and provide destination expertise to customers and partners to strengthen professional relationships with Visit Alexandria members and tourism partners to increase business, leverage budgets, and gain exposure.
• Monitor industry best practices, emerging trends, and key benchmarks to identify opportunities and strategic insights within assigned market(s).
• Provide insightful solutions and collaborate with internal team members to elevate the team and organization; support each other in professional growth.
• Budget and monitor monthly expenses that support business and professional development.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• 3+ years of sales experience, ideally at a destination marketing organization, hotel, conference center.
• Proven track record of achieving sales goals.
• Organized and a good time manager. Able to set and adhere to priorities.
• Superb oral and written communication skills.
• Proficient user of customer relationship management (CRM) software.
• Intellectually curious and always learning.
• Willing to be active in professional organizations (e.g., Meeting Planners International, Professional Convention Management Association, Society of Government Meeting Professionals, Etc).
• Strong commitment to working as a team with an ability to foster strong working relationships, gain agreement on timelines, and manage both external and internal stakeholder requirements.
• Flexible for client meetings, events, and travel that can occur outside of normal business hours.
• Own a car and willing to drive to meetings outside of Alexandria when necessary (fully reimbursed).
• Occasional business travel, including some evenings and weekends.
• Knowledge of Alexandria and passion for the tourism industry is a plus.
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  Compensation and Work Environment:
• Salary commensurate with experience
• Full insurance package including health, dental, vision, disability
• 401(k) match up to 12% after one year
• 12 days vacation in Year One, increasing to 17 days in Year Two
• 14 paid holidays
• Paid parking
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Modern office facility including private office with access to adjacent co-working space, bike room, shower, game room, roof deck
• Hybrid work model, with in-office work expected on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and remote Mondays and Fridays

Our culture is collaborative, celebratory, innovative and accountable. We work hard, but there is genuine respect for work-life balance, health, family, service, and flexibility.