Business Development Account Director – DACH

Role Purpose

To strategically drive new business opportunities from newly identified corporate and agency accounts across the DACH region and develop key relationships to maximise high revenue growth; to increase customer share for all brands across IHG in line with IHG’s commercial agenda for the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, develop and manage new customer relationships within the DACH region across Corporate Transient, Groups and Meetings and Specialty Markets segments. To focus on the largest growth opportunities by taking ownership of the delivery of customers’ expectations, developing a deep understanding of client hotel requirements.
• Showcase a proactive sales approach in identifying new business opportunities from unmanaged accounts to increase the revenue streams for the team and the region.
• Support strategic and tactical promotions and initiatives to maximise revenue in need periods, working closely with new and existing IHG hotels to identify the right new business accounts for the portfolio with the highest impact and revenue opportunities.
• Deliver both incremental and quality transient and groups and events revenue, including negotiating mutually beneficial contracts by building a diverse portfolio of prospecting accounts that can drive revenue into IHG.
• Support cross-regional/industry G&M opportunities (i.e. via Cvent tool) to support the inbound and outbound opportunities for hotels.
• Support and participate in internal and external events to maximise resource and drive broader and deeper relationships.
• Work across a wide variety of cultures and markets, tailoring approach, and behaviours to understand key differentiators and leverage best practices accordingly.
• Demonstrate a best-in-class approach with compliance towards a processes, tools and sales strategy and ways of working (IHG Global Sales, Europe Playbook).

Experience, Technical Skills and Knowledge

Critical Expertise & Experience: 

• Experience in an account management role with a portfolio of high growth international opportunities basing decisions upon sound data and insight, linked to the long-term strategy of the organisation.

• Ability to quickly identify new business opportunities, using key data points and analytics to make effective commercial decisions.

• Fluent in German and English.

• Experience of applying successfully sales methodologies such as The Challenger Sales Framework or Helping Clients Succeed.

• Experience of negotiating the needs of IHG and the needs of the customer. Includes the ability to define, manage and execute mutually beneficial contracts.

• Experience in initiating, developing and managing mutually beneficial relationships with customers, hotel owners & on-property sales teams.

• Experience of operating in culturally diverse teams across the European market.

   

Education:

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

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