Business Development Manager - Newbury

Business Development Manager - Vineyard Hotel

As an award winning employer, we believe that investment in each and every one of our staff members is key to the success of our business and happiness of our customers.  As an employer, The Vineyard Group offers support, training and development opportunities to help your career flourish.

The Vineyard Group encompasses The Vineyard, Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa and The Barns Hotel, Bedford. Each property is focused on providing the highest quality of service, food and beverage.

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Business Development Manager for our flagship hotels, The Vineyard and Donnington Valley Hotel and Spa, on a full time, permanent contract, working 40 hours per week, as per needs of the business.

Summary of role:

Reporting to the Director of Marketing & Sales you will be responsible for generating new corporate business and building relationships with local accounts in order to maximise revenues, with the overall objective of achieving budget.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Source new business opportunities through research, telesales, company visits, site inspections, educational and cold calls
• Maintain and strengthen both the relationship and annual revenues with an existing account base through extensive account penetration
• Hosting site inspections and familiarisation trips
• To be responsible for developing and promoting sales initiatives and maximising sales opportunities
• To generate business from all feeder markets, from tradeshows, exhibitions and undertake business development trips
• To maintain the highest standards of service and operational efficiency within the Sales department
• Ensuring you have a complete knowledge of The Vineyard Group of hotels and the product and services we offer
• Conducting hotel presentations to TMC’s, Conference and Incentive Agents, corporate companies, diplomatic embassies, etc
• To submit weekly sales reports
• To negotiate and administer all account sales contracts, and to record and monitor room night targets for all of these accounts
• Liaising with the Front Office/Reservations Departments to ensure all relevant client rates are loaded correctly and sales and revenue strategies are communicated
• To liaise with all departments about client and guest feedback on the products and services
• To monitor competitor activities on a regular basis, to ensure regular competitor rate analyses, and regular site visits to competitors and new hotels are undertaken
• To represent the hotels at relevant industry networking events

Financial Requirements:

• To achieve revenue and occupancy for the financial year
• To actively participate in the budgeting and forecasting process so that input is available ensuring targets are achievable and realistic with growth year on year
• To operate within the annual budget guidelines, monitoring and controlling, on an ongoing basis, departmental costs to ensure performance against budget so to maximum revenue and ensure profitability is achieved for the hotel
• To be part of the key business decision making team within the hotel controlling the optimum market mix according to budget, market conditions and recent forecasts
• To prepare statistical performance as necessary. Be aware of market trends and competitive set, monitor and evaluate as necessary
• To attend and take an active role in the weekly head of department meeting of each hotel

Personal Specification

For this role it is essential that you have a positive, can do attitude, a large smile and take pride in your work. You must be articulate, well presented, possess excellent communication skills and be an expert negotiator.

You will need to be passionate about our products, have the ability to work under pressure and be results orientated and as well as working on your own initiative it is vital that you thrive within a team environment.  Good numeric, literacy and computer skills are essential.

In order to be successful in this role as Business Development Manager, you
will need to have proven experience in a similar role within sales and the hospitality industry. 

Benefits Package:

In return we offer the successful Business Development Manager a very competitive salary as well as a market leading benefits package, including:

• Skills and Career Development opportunities
• Employee recognition rewards
• New employee referral scheme
• Meals whilst on duty
• Holiday allowance starting at 28 days (including bank holidays)