Now Hiring - Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority - Travel Sports Development Manager, Sales in Charlotte, NC

Who We Are

The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority will leverage our hospitality marketing and management expertise to maximize the impact of the Charlotte Region’s economy…creating opportunities and jobs for our community.

Job Summary

The Sports Development Manager plans and administers sales policies and programs to foster sporting events and conference bookings for the Charlotte market resulting in hotel bookings.

A. Essential Job Duties

• Represents Charlotte to appropriate organizations/groups for the purposes of generating interest in the City as a viable sports destination; develops, coordinates, and implements comprehensive athletic event marketing and sales strategies including but not limited to attending trade shows, trade missions, out-of-market and in-market sales calls, advertising, and direct mail to capture that business for the City of Charlotte.
• Plans and coordinates the promotion of Charlotte as a major sports destination; works closely with the staff of the Charlotte Convention Center, Spectrum Center, Boplex, Bank of America, Aquatic Center, Memorial Stadium, Matthews Sportsplex, and our other Parks & Rec Facilities to facilitate maximum athletic event bookings. Work closely with venues, hotels, attractions, restaurants, and retail to generate successful proposals that bring tournaments and other event business to Charlotte.
• Maintains a working knowledge of all available facilities, sports event amenities,
• Attractions, and services in the area, both public and private, to effectively educate.
• Prospective clients and acts as liaison between these entities and the client. Creates client familiarization trips, as needed, to present Charlotte’s sports capabilities; travels to client locations and trade shows to present Charlotte as a destination.
• Maintains a high degree of contact with local, regional, and national sports rights owners to persuade them to select Charlotte for the sporting events or conference needs.
• Conducts site visits with prospective clients to showcase Charlotte.
• Creates and maintains strong partnerships with Charlotte hotel partners and encourage hotels to bid on events for the potential of the group coming to the city, to capture that business for Charlotte.
• Solicits state, regional, national, and international amateur, collegiate and professional events through prospecting by phone, letter, personal sales calls and bid presentations to capture that business for the City of Charlotte.
• Provides groups with logistics of sale such as invoices, payment procedures, directions and parking, schedules, and curriculum materials.
• Develops, implements, and manages comprehensive sales strategies; distributes sales leads to local hotel properties and follows up with booking notices as change of lead status occurs. Prospects accounts within sports market to increase the number of potential events in each calendar year, focusing on booking for future years whenever possible.
• Identifies, establishes relationships, encourages, and recruits local citizens affiliated with regional, state, national, and/or international sports organizations to support Charlotte as a host site for tournaments, meets, etc. associated with those organizations.
• Prepares reports of business transactions and keeps expense accounts.
• Identifies potential business prospects and maintains a prospect file system including task management, geographic and alphabetical indexes, and documentation of all account maintenance in the computer sales software system; remains current on all traces and other work with accounts.
• Coordinates group services required for booked business with Sports Event Services Manager. Supports services effort to ensure exceptional outcome and potential for repeat business.
• Attends industry trade shows and participates.

• Consults newspapers, trade journals, and other publications to learn about contemplated conventions and social functions.
• Maintains monthly sales productivity statistics and prepares individual reports for the Sr. National Sales Manager.
• Represents the Department and City in speaking with associations/groups to generate interest in the city as a viable sports destination; represents the city on committees and boards of associations, acting in a leadership role when possible.
• Organizes prospect files by listing information, such as names of officials and plans for conventions or sporting events, to be used for promotional purposes.
• Assists the Sr. National Sales Manager in the preparation and presentation of facilitates client meetings, project meetings, brainstorming sessions, and sales meetings; develops and implements a variety of special projects as needed.
• Look to the leadership and example of the ELT to help formulate a plan for soliciting business.
• Contacts executives of organizations to explain services and facilities offered by CRVA and to solicit their business.
• Develops partnerships with other regional and North Carolina destination marketing organizations to promote Charlotte to prospective clients as a knowledgeable and capable sports destination, an integral City in the Charlotte region and an active member of North Carolina Sports Association.
• Always maintain professional demeanor.
• Solicit organizations and process inquiries to attain all established measurable goals.
• May perform other duties as required.
• Adhere to the CRVA core values: Trust, Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, Engagement, and Accountability
• Negotiate and close agreements with large customers.
• Perform research and identify new potential customers and new market opportunities.
• Provide timely and effective solutions aligned with clients’ needs.
• Perform research and identify new potential customers and new market opportunities.

B. Consistently deliver the best in customer service. Represent our city by setting the standard in Southern hospitality. By applying the CRVA Service Standards, ensure customers’ needs are met and offer an authentic closing with appreciation by offering personalized and complete solutions that exceed expectations, to deliver memorable customer experiences.

C. Champion CRVA’s mission, vision and core values and comply with organizations policies and procedures.

Scope of Responsibility

• 
  This job will have periodic access to confidential data including company records and/or minutes, customer quotes, product costs, and company plans, designs, and/or programs.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• 
  Proven track record of developing and managing accounts; strong prospecting, presentation, and communication skills.
• Quality focus in all relationships, projects, events, and ability to uphold and elevate the Charlotte Sports Department.
• Ability to work in dynamic environment including at office, sports, and special events, and active in community.
• Ability to work non-traditional hours at times, and opportunity to work remote two days per week.
• Proactive communication style, including engaging and persuasive presentation skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and Simpleview.

Education and Experience

• 
  Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years of experience in the Sports Tourism Industry, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Physical Demands

• 
  The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 25pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk.
• Must have a valid driver’s license to transport clients for onsite inspections or trade shows and /or conferences.

Work Environment

• 
  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

What We Offer

• 
  Education Reimbursement
• 457 Plan
• CRVA University
• Employee 1st Culture
• CORE Values

Travel Required

• 
  This job requires up to 20% overnight travel.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Our “employee first” culture requires engagement and engagement can’t happen without the voices of many talented and diverse individuals charting our direction.

Diversity and Inclusion is a shared responsibility for every employee at the CRVA. We are committed to respecting, valuing, and celebrating the unique personal differences that make us a stronger organization. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.