Business Development Manager at InterContinental Hotels

Job Description

• Do you see yourself as a Business Development Manager for our Nigerian accounts in Corporate Sales?
• What's your passion? Whether you're into tennis, shopping or karaoke, at IHG we're interested in YOU. IHG employs people who apply the same amount of care and passion to their jobs as they do their hobbies - people who put our guests at the heart of everything they do. And we're looking for more people like this to join our friendly and professional team.

Job Overview

• Reporting to a Team leader, you will be managing client relationships and developing new client relationships within a Nigerian Key Account portfolio of up to 20 accounts.
• Your role will be focused on maximizing and driving revenue by increasing market share across all brands.
• This role is wholly outdoor sales although there will also be internal meetings. Minimal client visits which will also require National travel (1-2 per year per account).

Key Success Strategies are:

• Delivering total account management
• Building multi-level client relationships within the account
• Effectively driving revenue delivery by utilization of IHG’s sales tools and rate products
• Driving stakeholder engagement within IHG and the account organization
• Proactively promoting our brands across your account portfolio through deep account profiling

At Intercontinental Hotels Group® (IHG) we want our people to feel great about working at IHG, so we give people room to be yourself and ask everyone to ‘live’ the IHG Winning Ways.

At IHG we want our people to:

• Do the right thing
• Show we care
• Aim higher
• Celebrate difference
• Work better together

Duties and Responsibilities

People:

• Cross-team collaboration with internal stake holders and Key Account Directors to share best practice and support development
• Through account workshops/sales blitzes teams develop a working together approach to execute account strategies
• Working across a wide variety of cultures and markets, tailoring approach and behavior to understand key differentiators and leverage best practice accordingly

Guest Experience:

• Gain competitor insight to drive market share and brand preference
• Increase IHG brand exposure through site inspections, guest cocktails and any other client events
• Developing clear understanding of client profile/traveler profile to determine hotel needs

Responsible Business:

• Taking responsibility for working within budgetary restraints
• Be up to date with IHG's Corporate Social Responsibility commitment and promote to clients

% Time Allocated to Key Responsibilities:

• 30% Managing relationships with Key clients / Agents / TPIs, etc.
• 20% Driving new business thorough proactive targeting accounts
• 15% Managing and building internal relationships
• 10% Analytics
• 20% Administration
• 5% Supporting campaigns/initiatives

Financial Returns:

• Within a managed portfolio, proactively build and maintain a network of account contacts at all levels, and across different cultures, demonstrating the value of doing business with IHG
• Rapidly grow revenue and market share from new accounts assigned by the Business Development Team
• Responsible for achieving sales goals set per account on a monthly, half-yearly and annual basis
• Completing and updating account plans and client-specific information using IHG CRM tool (Opera, Account Management Grid, Account Sales Planner) and ensuring consistent communication to relevant departments
• Use the IHG RFP tool, to set rate expectations and negotiate win-win solutions for hotels and clients
• Support brand campaigns and tactical promotions to maximize revenue and brand awareness
• Analyze client and business data to identify areas of opportunity
• Meet with client to hold review/negotiations (max four a year) to review account performance, align strategies and uncover new opportunities

Accountability

• Direct Reports: Assistant Director of Sales
• Budget Accountability: Manage travel costs/expenses in line with department budget
• Decision making responsibilities: Account planning and strategy

Key Metrics:

• Achieve sales revenue goal (individual and team)
• Achieve assigned Department KPOs

Key Relationships

Key Internal Relationships:

• Franchisee / Owners
• Functional Teams
• Global / Regional Sales teams
• Hotel teams

Key External Relationships:

• Key Business Influencers
• Travel Managers / Procurement Managers
• Bookers / TPIs / BTAs

Qualification

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Hotel Management

Experience

• 3+ years progressive work-related experience within an Sales account manager or business development role , as well as demonstrated mastery of technical and business knowledge and understanding of multiple disciplines/processes related to the position
• Extensive sales experience is required, as well as key account and/or client management experience

Required Skills

• High Degree of Communication skills in dealing with external / internal customers
• Proactive, dynamic approach with strong drive for team results
• Prior knowledge of Opera is a plus
• Strong proficiency of Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint
• Fluent in English. Additional languages an advantage

Benefit
In return we'll give you a competitive financial and benefits package including hotel discounts worldwide and the chance to work with a great team of people. Most importantly, we'll give you the room to be yourself.