POSITION OVERVIEW Empire State Building Company
Vice President of Sales
New York, NY
THE BRIDGE BETWEEN PROFESSIONALS | SearchWide Position Overview
www.searchwide.com THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING EXPERIENCE
The Empire State Building inspires the world from the heart of NYC. We are an immersive experience in one of the world’s most important landmarks. For 85 years, our legendary rise to existence has inspired the world and our visitors. Today we continue inspiring the world with our ever-changing views, groundbreaking energy efficiency, constantly evolving technology, landmarked lobby, Art Deco architecture and design, breathtaking sunrise experiences, impeccable service… and most of all, in our vision for a spectacular future. Every detail has a story, from our deep foundations to the tip of our spire.
The following are a few highlights of our visitor experience that draws millions from around the world.
STUNNING PANORAMIC VIEWS FROM THE HEART OF NYC
Our world-famous 86th Floor Observatory draws more than 4 million visitors a year. It sits in the open air 1,050 feet (320 m) above New York City’s bustling streets. The observatory offers spectacular panoramic views—up to 80 miles in every direction. Along with its 360-degree open-air deck, the 86th Floor Observatory also has indoor galleries to enjoy the views, rain or shine.
The 102nd Floor Observatory offers even more dramatic views of the city. At 1,250 feet (381 m) in the sky, the intimate glass-enclosed observatory grants visitors exclusive, unrivaled views all year round. Located right in the heart of New York City, the Empire State Building is easily accessed from any part of Manhattan. It’s just a short walk from Penn and Grand Central stations, and close to major subway lines.
SUSTAINABLITY AND HISTORICAL EXHIBITS
The Dare to Dream exhibit tells the story of the design, engineering, and incredible manpower that led to the building’s construction in just 13 months. Browse original documents, including architectural sketches, construction notes, and daily bookkeeping documents, as well as reproductions of photos and mementos from the more than 3,400 workers who made history.
The Empire State Building is the world leader in energy-efficiency retrofits in the existing building environment. Our comprehensive retrofit project reduces consumption by more than 38 percent, and is being replicated in similar projects around the world. The energy-efficacy retrofit exhibit details the state-of-the-art technology and processes that went into the overhaul.
A few more components to explore:
Official Store Historical Timeline
Tower Lights Education Center Shops and Restaurants Rebuilding
OUR COMMITMENT In pursuit of excellence our entire staff at the Empire State Building Observatory is committed to consistently deliver superior guest service.
POSITION SUMMARY
This is the lead sales position of the organization reporting into the Director of the Observatory with monthly reviews with ESRT’s Chairman and CEO. The successful individual, either a seasoned travel trade sales professional or a dynamic individual with commensurate sales leadership experience who has a professional demeanor that commands respect. This person will be responsible for the development of the travel trade strategies and retail plans, to include analysis of customer, market, and seasonal characteristics to determine price offerings for the Observatory. This person will be involved in all aspects of customer relationships with the objective to promote sales growth and customer satisfaction. The successful leader will be responsible for revenue growth to the Tour and Travel Trade business.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Sales . Use analysis of historical trends and attraction availability to develop the retail and travel trade sales plans (to include pricing), and go-to-market strategies. . Work closely with the Director to review plans, budgets, and targets. . Prepare annual budget for industry outreach, trade memberships, and sales collateral. . Manage, and work closely with the sales and admissions teams to develop tactical approach to achieve the organization’s goals. . Focus team’s sales effort on potential high yield prospects and customers and ensure systematic follow-through. . Monitor international in-bound market trends and adjust plan to align with times of available attraction capacity. . Special focus on developing inbound tourist markets. . Activities include: o Direct the sales effort of the sales/admissions teams o Join the teams on sales appointment to monitor/coach and improve presentation skills as necessary o Lead generation o Active engagement with tour and travel current and potential partners o Analyze of customer, market, and seasonal characteristics to determine price offerings for the Observatory o Participate in key trade shows and business functions o Manage and develop the top five (5) partnerships o Develop weekly reports to track the organization’s performance, and o Review performance of all sales teams on a monthly, or weekly basis . Build relationships with key accounts/customers and market segment/territory leaders. . Balance company and customer needs to create win/win situations.
Sales Team Leadership . Share comprehensive knowledge of customer and market segment needs with sales team members. . Heavy focus on analysis of trends and seasonality to develop products and engagement with key players in the market. . Coach, train, and motivate sales team members (5 direct reports currently). . Monitors and tracks sales team members’ activities/performance. . Monitors department’s results and progress toward sales target. . Builds inter-departmental relationships. . Performs annual performance reviews of sales team.
Customer Service . Meet regularly with the top accounts to review service delivery and identify opportunities to elevate its performance. . Monitor key travel trade partner presentation of Observatory offering and seek modification and updates as needed. . Monitor online reviews and ensures timely responses to opportunities. . Oversee the follow-through of the online order-support team’s work. . Train staff in customer service protocol, and establish service standards as necessary.
Administrative . Monitor and support financial performance of all direct bill clients. . Recommend credit increases/decreases within the approved guidelines of the company. . Ensure the sales team is working closely with finance to monitor AR performance. . Develop in-depth knowledge of Galaxy to manage client data, generate reports as necessary. . Manage time, set priorities, and maintain accurate paperwork.
Qualifications . 10+ years of experience in a leadership role in the hospitality industry. . Must have direct travel trade experience from a global perspective. . Executive presence that can drive revenue performance with a sense of urgency. . Strong analytical and financial modeling skills. . Strong problem solving skills such as prioritization, critical thinking and hypothesis development. . Superior verbal and written communication skills, particularly the ability to develop cogent arguments and present them concisely to a range of stakeholders including executives.
TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE FIRST 3 MONTHS
• Fully understand the history, present environment and future plans for the Empire State Building. • Meet CEO and all department heads to collaborate on what is working well and needs improvement. • Meet with each direct report and situationally assess their contributions. • Fully understand the competitive landscape and build plans to grow marketplace. • Maintain strong relationships with key partners. • Streamline current sales process to maximize opportunities with new and existing clients. • Develop and implement performance metrics for direct reports. • Review/Analyze current budget (revenue goals and expenses) and make recommendations. • Understand Empire State Building policy and procedures.
If this could be a great opportunity to extend your professional reach, please respond though the SearchWide website or email your resume to the following SearchWide Executive:
Ross Sawai, Executive Recruiter | SearchWide
www.searchwide.com | [email protected]
817-581-3718 (direct) | 817-296-9617 (mobile)
About SearchWide SearchWide is a full service executive search firm primarily for companies in the travel, tourism and convention, and hotel and lodging industries. We specialize in C-Level, Director and Management level executive searches for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 corporations to mid-sized public and private companies.