Senior Manager, Strategic Planning and Business Development at The People Practice

Our client in hotel development and management are looking to hire a Senior Manager in Strategic Planning and Business Development who will focus on developing and executing strategic initiatives to enhance the hotel's competitive position, drive revenue growth, enhance the guest experience, and improve operational efficiency to ensure the long-term success and competitiveness of the hotel. The ideal candidate must be a brand ambassador for the organisation and act with the highest levels of integrity and professionalism to drive sustainable business growth and stakeholder value.

Responsibilities

Relationship Management, Partnerships and Alliances

• Identify, build and maintain potential strategic partnerships and alliances with other businesses, including corporate accounts, airlines, event planners, local attractions, and online travel agencies (OTAs).
• Collaborate with partners to create mutually beneficial marketing campaigns and promotional activities.

Portfolio Management and Driving Growth

• Growing net revenue in the market by developing business plans to achieve revenue goals, ensuring inventory levels exceed demand throughout the market, and maintaining rate competitiveness across multiple available platforms.
• Explore opportunities for hotel expansion, whether through new property developments, acquisitions, or partnerships.

Strategic Planning & Identifying Opportunities

• Develop comprehensive strategic plans for the hotel, including short-term and long-term objectives. Align these plans with the overall business goals and mission of the hotel.
• Continuously research and identify new business opportunities, market trends, and emerging customer needs.
• Develop and implement sales strategies to attract new customers and retain existing ones. This could involve direct sales efforts, partnerships with travel agencies or corporate clients, and online marketing strategies.
• Strategizing in order to market the hotel in a better way. It helps hotel partners to serve the needs of their customers and at the same time grow their businesses.

Revenue Management

• Work closely with the management team to optimise pricing strategies, inventory management, and distribution channels.
• Utilise data analytics and forecasting tools to maximise profitability and maximise revenue per available room (RevPAR), Booking Rate and Intent to Recommend (review score)

Brand Positioning and Marketing

• Collaborate with digital marketing teams to create promotional campaigns, advertisements, and special offers to attract guests and increase occupancy rates.
• Develop and maintain the hotel's brand identity and positioning in the market.
• Create marketing campaigns and branding initiatives that resonate with target audiences and differentiate the hotel from competitors.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Implement CRM systems and processes to effectively manage guest relationships, capture guest data, and personalise marketing communications.
• Use guest feedback and reviews to continuously improve service quality and guest satisfaction.

Building MIS & Market intelligence reports

• Prepare geography wise and service wise sales plans and achieving them. Sharing insights on market and industry with the clients and internal stake holders.
• Conduct market analysis and competitor research to understand the hotel's competitive position and identify areas for improvement.

Performance Tracking and Reporting

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the success of strategic initiatives.
• Prepare regular performance reports and presentations for senior management, highlighting achievements, challenges, and recommendations for improvement.

Networking

• Attend industry events, trade shows, and networking functions to promote the hotel and build relationships with potential clients and partners. 

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from a reputable institute in business, marketing or hospitality.
• Minimum of 12-15 years of experience in Business/Partnership Development, Sales/Travel Trade/ Key Account Management/ Contracting/B2B Sales, demonstrating a pattern of exceptionalism in the hospitality industry.
• Experience in handling multiple accounts as a partner is preferred.
• Proficiency in sales and CRM software (e.g. Salesforce)
• Demonstrated ability of strong project management and organisational skills with a service mindset
• Understanding of revenue management and distribution channels.

Must have skills

• Verbal and written communication
• Outstanding customer service
• Complaint handling and conflict resolution
• Presentation and professionalism
• Organisation and prioritisation
• Strong administrative skills
• Ability to work under pressure and to strong targets
• Ability to use initiative to work alone of with a team
• Great interpersonal & stakeholder management