National Sales Manager

Discover Santa Clara® Background

Discover Santa Clara®, is a destination management organization (DMO) for the city of Santa Clara, CA. and is a private, not for profit, 501 C (6) organization with an 11-member board of directors.

We have been in place since 2019 and while we have a strong foundation, we are still in a start-up phase and are eager to add team members that want to be part of building a strong, rewarding, highly regarded and productive team.

Discover Santa Clara® Culture Statement

At Discover Santa Clara®, we foster a currency of trust, integrity, and unity as part of our shared team, partner, and customer journey. We are committed to work being a blend of hustle and fun, fueled by a dedication to high-performance and a belief that experimentation is the secret sauce for innovation. Personal accountability, authenticity, and feedback guide our actions.

Our sense of community extends beyond the four walls of our office to include our partners, clients, and our communities.

Position Summary

We are looking for a high energy, bold, positive, creative, innovative, and collaborative sales professional who is focused on contributing to a high performing team and is continually looking for ways to evolve our sales approach.

This individual possesses a direct yet approachable communication style and is committed to cultivating an environment of trust, respect, mentorship, and creativity to ensure that we are always at the top of our game and viewed as a first-class team in the marketplace. This person is about hard work and having FUN, so the sales team is excited to come to work and hit the books.

The National Sales Manager is responsible for presenting Santa Clara as Silicon Valley’s destination of choice for meetings, business, and conventions. The NSM will focus on the sale of citywide events, using the Santa Clara Convention Center Booking Strategy, and will establish client lists of target business and events to achieve economic impact goals and build destination brand awareness.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in hospitality and sales (venue or destination marketing sales is a plus) and a passion for sales and customer development.

The position requires the ability to interact effectively with internal/external clients at various levels of organizations; will need to be highly self-motivated with a strong work ethic, be results-oriented, and a self-starter who can work independently while being both persistent and professional.

The individual will also require solid interpersonal skills to build relationships, excellent communication/presentation skills, excellent time management and attention to detail.

This position will report to the Director of Sales & Destination Services. All duties assigned will be based on the direction and goals of the Silicon Valley/Santa Clara DMO, Inc., and its Board of Directors.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The following statements are intended as general examples of the duties of this position and are not all- inclusive for specific positions. Other reasonable duties may be assigned.

Collaborate and engage with the following entities to fulfill all sales initiatives:

• The DMO Board of Directors
• OVG’s (Convention Center Operator) sales team and General Manager
• Levy’s (Center Food & Beverage provider) sales team
• The City of Santa Clara
• The Tourism Improvement District (TID) lodging business.
• Develop and manage national, regional, local, and other respective large and high-profile accounts within the portfolio representing the DMO’s select target markets. These accounts will be assessed by applying pre-determined selection criteria in alignment with the Santa Clara Convention Center Booking Strategy.
• Solicit accounts consisting of personal outside sales calls, site inspections, customer targeted events/initiatives, telephone/e-mail solicitation, written and oral communication, and file maintenance.
• Prospect the national accounts, regional and local market for new and emerging business for new accounts that could convert as definite future business for Santa Clara and the SCCC.
• Manage personal group sales activities to achieve budgeted organizational and individual prospects, leads, room nights and revenue goals.
• Participate in sales and sales strategy meetings with the Director of Sales and key DMO partners and associates.
• Interface with event managers, the Santa Clara Convention Center’s General Manager, team, and partners to facilitate smooth and seamless transitions for clients booking events at the Center.
• Develop strong community relationships with area hotels, venues, and business wishing to attract meetings/group market.
• Create relationships, engage, and encourage planners to choose the SCCC and/or TID Hotel Partners for their group events through managed databases and CRM, cold calls, traces, tradeshow/marketing follow-up.
• Support projects designed to attract key groups through attendance at tradeshows, sales missions, familiarizations tours, host meeting planner events, collaboration of web/social/e- mail marketing content.
• Attend trade shows, industry events, sales calls and meetings determined to impact direct sales to the Santa Clara Convention Center and the City of Santa Clara.
• Maintain knowledge of key markets, competition, and account prospects to be added to the account portfolio.
• Assist in the establishment of goals which are determined/renewed on a prescribed basis.
• Work in conjunction with the various DMO programs to create strategies to secure future business.
• Maintain exemplary product knowledge of the Santa Clara market area, attractions, recreation, services, and amenities.
• Maintain awareness of industry trends and competing destinations and/or venues.
• Manage client relationships to ensure superior account consulting, servicing, and business retention.
• Learn, understand, and integrate into the Santa Clara market. Get involved in local industry associations to promote Santa Clara. Know the destination’s strengths and weaknesses including assessment of competitive set.
• Execute all other duties as assigned by leadership.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of sales experience in a related field, preferably a destination marketing organization, convention and visitors’ bureau, hotel, or convention center.
• A proven track record and experience in convention sales and marketing.

LICENSE

• Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license is required at the time of appointment and for the duration of employment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Opportunity to work remotely and in office.
• Must be able to work evenings, weekends, as required.
• Will require travel.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Good computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft Office and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software (Simpleview experience is a plus).
• Passion for sales and customer development, a self-starter who is persistent and professional.
• Strong relationship building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with internal and external clients at various levels of applicable organizations.
• Highly self-motivated with a strong work ethic, results oriented ability to thrive and excel in fast- paced environment, ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and time management, attention to detail.
• Highly self-motivated to create new business opportunities for Santa Clara.
• Expert ability to manage data and support reporting of sales data.
• Ability to collaborate with destination partners, community, and key stakeholders.
• Effective Sales Team participation.
• Ability to effectively present results to internal and external stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift 15 lbs
• Must be able to climb stairs and walk inclines to meet with vendors, clients, and customers.
• Must be able to type up to 25 WPM