Account Director, Global Corporate and Airline Sales

Manages and develops business from a portfolio of multinational corporate + airline accounts, with revenue delivery of >$40M from discovered contacts across assigned account portfolio.   Delivers revenue to hotels globally, maximizing revenues and market share for all brands and across all segments (transient, group, project, crew). The account portfolio is comprised of corporations and airlines which have high complexity given their size and global reach and require deployment of an account team comprised of team members deployed to key buyers, decision-makers and influencers within each account, across different geographies.  

Your day to day

• Along with account team members, leads and directs company resources across a portfolio of multinational corporate + airline accounts. 
• Formulates the strategy to optimize account performance and strategic opportunities across IHG functions, regions, and brands. 
• Along with account team members, owns the account relationship for the company, engaging the account and company business functions in all interactions (at all levels) related to our mutual business together, representing a 360 view of our account relationship. 
• Leads and engages company resources which include global sales team, regional sales leadership, hotel operations, global and regional functional groups (such technology, multi-brand/brand, marketing, loyalty & partnerships, procurement) and senior management.  Responsible for all facets of strategic account management, including the development, evolution and execution of strategic account plans, account progress updates for internal and external stakeholders, corporate + airline + airline, Group & Project RFPs, communicating brand differentiation  through brand program, agency events, roadshows, tradeshows, next-gen initiatives, B2B marketing and other sales activities.
• Actively participation in travel professional and industry groups, and be recognized internally and externally in the designated market segments.
• Listens to understand each account’s and each contact’s needs and expectations and delivers tailored solutions to the account which maximize returns to the client and our business, intentionally differentiating our partnership and offerings vs. competitors. 
• Understand Key Account’s drivers, behaviors, values & opportunities
• Maintain relationship with multiple key contacts within all subsidiaries and/ or business units to maximize revenue delivery to IHG
• Drives and maximizes revenue and market share growth from each account, resulting in achievement of individual and team sales targets which contributes to the outperformance of our brands and fuels growth for the company.
• Possess end-to-end critical thinking skills: the ability to interpret & action data, articulate a business case, and evaluate ROI/financial impact of potential actions

What we need from you

Education: 

• Bachelor’s or Master's Degree in Marketing, Management, Business, Hospitality or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience. 

Critical Expertise & Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in working in global markets, deep understanding of managing across cultural teams and cultural client interactions.
• Demonstrated sales management experience in organizing, planning and executing large-scale sales segment plans from conception through implementation.
• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills for the purpose of providing information to clients, vendors, senior management and staff. Must be able to work effectively at board level in client companies, possess strong relationship management skills, and well-developed negotiating and persuading abilities.
• Demonstrated knowledge of hotels and hotel sales & marketing, business planning, etc., along with strong sales ability, sales management, problem solving and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of competitors’ sales strategies, positions and initiatives.
• Demonstrate a strong commercial acumen and hold a high-level understanding of operating in an owned managed and franchised environment.  Experience with franchise organization or ownership constituencies is preferable. International experience or handling accounts with international scope is required.
• Demonstrated computer skills in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint AND using sales-related software.

Who we are

At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we work together to deliver True Hospitality for Good on a global scale. With corporate offices and over 6,000 hotel destinations worldwide, a career at IHG is the perfect way to broaden your horizons. You’ll experience our unique culture and brilliant colleagues who will support and inspire you. With a host of corporate opportunities to choose from, wherever you are on your career journey, and whatever you want to achieve there’s Room for You at IHG. 

Over recent years, we’ve transformed our company. We have bold ambitions to drive performance and maintain our relentless focus on growth in order to be the hotel company of choice that guests & owners love.  

We are a hospitality business at our core and value connections and being together helps us foster a unique sense of belonging that also supports productivity. That’s why here at IHG, we give our colleagues flexibility and balance – working in a hybrid way, blending office and remote working collectively. We recognise that every role is different, that’s why leaders work with teams to determine how and when they collaborate.  

We provide a wide range of benefits designed to help you live your best work life. These include impressive room discounts across our many properties, recharge days and volunteering days throughout the year. Through our myWellbeing framework, we are committed to supporting wellbeing in your health, lifestyle, and workplace. We offer a unique and inclusive culture, where there is always Room for You to belong, grow and make a difference. 

Our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams where we celebrate difference and encourage colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. IHG Hotels & Resorts provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. We promote a culture of trust, support, and acceptance. Always welcoming different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives