Senior Account Director of Group Sales
Sonesta
·Today
- Location
- Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island, SC, United States of America
- Workplace
- Onsite
- Type
- Full-time
- Department
- Sales
- Seniority
- Director
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Source
- Workday
Description
We’re People People. Are you?
We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast 🚀).
With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be.
But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).
What this role is all about
Position Summary
The Senior Account Director of Group Sales/ Associate Director of Group sales position is a wonderful opportunity to join a fast-growing team and company. Since 2020 Sonesta Hotels have seen huge growth from 250 hotels to 1200 hotels in North America and beyond. By accepting this role, you will be part of the 8th largest lodging company in North America that is on a major growth path. Here at Sonesta we take our teams’ learning & development very seriously.
The Senior Account Director of Group Sales is a key leadership role within the resort sales organization, responsible for driving group revenue performance while providing strategic guidance and leadership to a sales team member. This position directly manages the Executive Meeting Manager, who is responsible for booking and serving executive meeting events for our resort.
What you’ll be doing
Principal Duties and Responsibilities (Essential Functions) include
Key responsibilities would include selling guest rooms and meeting space within managed accounts and segments to groups for the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island and supporting other Sonesta hotels group production through the Ignite program.
Sales and Leadership Responsibilities
- Serve as the senior leader responsible for group room night and revenue production for the resort, ensuring goals are met or exceeded.
- Manage and mentor the Executive Meeting Manager, providing coaching, performance feedback, and guidance on lead generation, client development, and market strategy.
- Develop and execute a strategic sales plan for assigned market segments, targeting corporate, incentive, and association business.
- Explore new sources of business by developing contacts and maintaining key client relationships to expand the resort network and market share.
- Conduct market analysis and maintain awareness of competitor performance to inform pricing and positioning strategies.
· Maintain and update the resort’s CRM system in accordance to Sonesta guidelines.
· Attend daily business review meetings, weekly revenue meetings, and monthly sales meetings.
- Organize and participate in familiarization visits, sales blitzes, entertain and conduct other business-generating activities as and when required
- Conduct on-site inspections for existing or prospective travel influencers, decision makers and end users.
- Be aware of current market trends and supply competitor activity information to the sales leadership.
- Participate in sales trips and, when required, complete all sales reports in accordance with Sonesta guidelines.
- Participate in any projects as and when assigned by the department head.
- Perform any other reasonable duties as required by the department head.
Administration and Reporting
- Maintain accurate and timely information in the resort’s CRM in accordance with Sonesta standards.
- Prepare and analyze monthly production reports and business plans to ensure accountability and consistent performance across the sales team.
- Ensure that all business is booked, serviced, and communicated with precision and within brand standards.
- Support on-property collaboration with Revenue Management, Catering, and Operations to maximize profitability and guest satisfaction.
Team Development
- Foster an environment of communication, collaboration, and accountability between the on-property sales team and Sonesta GSO team members.
- Provide regular training and guidance to ensure compliance with Sonesta policies.
Guest and Service Excellence
- Deliver Sonesta’s “GUEST” service model, ensuring every client interaction reflects the resort’s values of warmth, professionalism, and responsiveness.
- Lead by example in building long-term relationships with clients and colleagues based on respect, transparency, and integrity.
Qualifications and Skills
- Minimum 5 years of resort group sales experience, including 2+ years in a senior or leadership role.
- Prior experience managing team members strongly preferred.
- College degree required.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams, PowerPoint).
- Experience with CRM platforms (Salesforce, Cvent, Ideas, or equivalent) preferred.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to travel up to 50% of the time
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
Company Overview
Welcome to Sonesta. These three simple words could open a whole new world to you. Each of the hotels and resorts in the Sonesta Collection provides a unique experience unrivalled in the hotel industry. Sprung from the classic hoteliers of the mid-20th century, Sonesta enjoys a rich history celebrating nearly 80 years in hospitality.
We aspire to greet every Sonesta guest with a spirit of warmth and welcome, proudly exceeding our guests’ expectations. Those aspirations extend deep into the heart of our hotels – right into the lives of our employees. In fact, we consider ourselves more than a hotel management company - we’re a member of the communities we serve. At our core, we celebrate the individuality of everyone who
walks through our doors. For our employees, that means we ensure they develop the skills and tools they need to do their job and exceed even their own expectations. We invite you to discover what you have been missing at Sonesta. Join us – we can’t wait to meet you!
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.
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 job description is subject to change at any time.
Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information
How we reward you
At Sonesta, we know showing up for our guests starts with showing up for our people. That means supporting your health, your financial future, and everything in between.
Here’s a snapshot of what we offer:
- Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
- Paid Vacation & Sick Time
- Paid Parental Leave
- Company-Paid Life Insurance
- Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
- Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
- Educational Assistance
- Sonesta Hotel Discounts (yes, you’ll want to use these ✈️)
- Additional Perks & Employee Discounts
Our Commitment to You
Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Before You Apply
To be considered, please complete the full application in addition to submitting your resume. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.