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Visit Milwaukee

DIRECTOR OF SALES

Milwaukee, WI

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ABOUT MILWAUKEE, WI

Milwaukee – the largest city in Wisconsin – is centrally located in America’s heartland. It has a rich history as a center for trade and commerce, and today serves as an industrial hub for 21st century technologies. Although the metro area is Wisconsin’s primary commercial and manufacturing center, as well as the largest tourism economy, Milwaukee maintains a small-town, “urban easy” vibe.

This is not a city you have been to before. Milwaukee is exciting and vibrant, friendly and walkable, innovative and authentic. It is a city that cherishes its roots; you'll see revitalized architecture throughout downtown, and a parade of summer festivals celebrate the diverse cultures that made the city what it is today. But Milwaukee is also a city that's growing and changing. From major construction projects like a brand new arena and streetcar to the revival of streets and neighborhoods around the city, there's a new energy in the air.

Milwaukee’s manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and brewing industries are alive and thriving, as are its startups, culinary, arts, and hospitality businesses. Companies have come together and reached out to associations, schools, and trade groups to work together and generate new ideas and invest in the people making those ideas come to life.

Milwaukee has a population of 600,000, and an area covering nearly 97 square miles. It’s the 28th largest city in the country. The five-county metropolitan area (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, and Waukesha counties) has a population of 1.7 million. The city is home to over 100,000 college students, with two major universities (Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and several smaller colleges and universities. Called the coolest and most underrated city in the Midwest by Vogue Magazine in 2018, Milwaukee offers one of countries most unique blends of food, entertainment, arts, sports and fun.

Situated on the shore of Lake Michigan, just ninety miles north of Chicago, Milwaukee is within 600 miles of 25 percent of the US population, making it a convenient meeting place for convention groups and an easily accessible road trip for leisure visitors. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is located only eight miles from downtown. Servicing over 7 million passengers every year, it is one of the fastest growing airports in the country, with 41 direct flights and 161 one-stop flights from all major carriers every day. The Milwaukee Intermodal Station also serves as a major Midwest hub for Amtrak and Greyhound, and services 1.3 million passengers every year.

NEIGHBORHOODS

Known as a “big city of little neighborhoods,” Milwaukee’s unique neighborhoods are what make up the city’s one-of-a-kind culture. We like it local here, and you’ll find locally-owned restaurants, shops, and businesses throughout the city.

Avenues West and Marquette Bay View Brewers Hill Bronzeville Clarke Square East Side East Town

Harbor District Historic Third Ward Menomonee River Valley Riverwest Walker's Point Westown

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THINGS TO DO

The Brew City. The Cream City. The City of Festivals. Whether you know it as America's Third Coast or the Bloody Mary Metropolis, Milwaukee is a friendly, vibrant city filled with things to explore. Visit the flying art museum, Discovery World, discover the birthplace of Harley-Davidson, sip a locally-brewed cup of coffee - it's totally random, totally wonderful, and totally Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is home to the NBA Bucks, MLB Brewers, AHL Admirals, Wave professional soccer and NCAA Marquette Golden Eagles.

CONVENTION FACILITIES

Wisconsin Center: Designed with meeting planner input and located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Center offers the ultimate in versatility, functionality, and style. The nearly 300,000-square-foot convention center includes 189,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, a 37,500-square-foot grand ballroom, and an additional 40,000 square feet of meeting space that can be partitioned into as many as 28 meeting and breakout rooms. The Wisconsin Center is planning an expansion that will double the convention center’s size, scheduled for completion in early 2023.

Miller High Life Theatre: Located just behind the convention center, this magnificent historic theater is the largest theater in the state. The nearly 4,100-seat theater has two sloped tiers of seats offering superior sight-lines, luxury, and

comfort. Built-in flexibility can reduce the space to a more intimate theater setting with a full house of 2,500 seats through the use of specially-designed screens and strategic house lighting.

UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena: Adjacent to the Miller High Life Theatre is the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, a 12,700-seat home for sports, entertainment events, and assemblies with no obstructed-view seats. More than a sports venue, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena can transform into a 24,000-square-foot floor perfect for exhibit booths and trade shows or can seat 1,800 diners with the services of an on-site caterer.

HOTEL INVENTORY

Milwaukee's compact, walkable downtown offers a wide variety of hotel options conveniently located near the convention center campus. Just a skywalk away is the Four-Diamond Hilton Milwaukee City Center offering 34,835 square feet of meeting space and 729 guest rooms. A second skywalk leads to the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee featuring 481 guest rooms and more than 20,000 square feet of flexible function and meeting space including downtown Milwaukee’s largest hotel ballroom. The third skywalk takes guests to SpringHill Suites’ 155 hotel rooms and about 1,840 square feet of meeting space.

There are nearly 3,400 hotel rooms and 84 meeting rooms within half a mile from the convention center. More than 6,100 hotel rooms can be found within a mile of the convention center. The Greater Milwaukee area has over 17,000 hotel rooms.

ABOUT VISIT MILWAUKEE

Established in 1967, VISIT Milwaukee is the Greater Milwaukee area’s convention and visitors bureau, marketing the destination as a top choice for business, convention, and leisure travel to national and international visitors in order to

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increase the economic impact of tourism in the region. Each year, tourism supports over 52,000 full-time jobs and brings more than $5.7 billion to the community. VISIT Milwaukee has over 700 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services, and area businesses. The Wisconsin Center District, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, and City of Wauwatosa are strategic partners with VISIT Milwaukee, providing funding support for conventions and tourism programs.

Budget: $10.3 million

Staff: 35 full time, 6 part time

Mission Statement: Create economic growth and improve quality of life for our communities by branding, marketing and selling Milwaukee as a must-experience destination.

Vision Statement: Milwaukee. The experience your life needs.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Sales manages the Convention Sales department on a day-to-day basis. Responsible for directing, training, and monitoring the convention sales efforts and related activities for the purpose of promoting the Greater Milwaukee area as a premier destination for conventions, meetings, and trade shows. Responsible for developing long and short-term sales and convention marketing strategies to ensure established goals and quotas are met. May have responsibilities for customers and accounts.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Leadership and Development of Individual Sales Performance • Directly oversee sales managers on a day-to-day basis, ensuring that sales staff is strategically focused. Assign

market segments to sales managers. Develop and maintain daily and weekly measures of performance, andthrough one-on-one discussions, mentoring, and coaching, meet sales production goals. Hold sales managersaccountable for results and adherence to established policies and procedures. Responsible for conducting salesstaff performance appraisals.

• In coordination with the Senior Vice President of Sales, establish annual goals for the sales department.Establish annual sales team production incentive program, and any special incentive programs as appropriate.

• Conduct daily and weekly sales team meetings with department staff and convention services staff. Includescross-departmental collaboration as needed.

Convention Sales Planning and Administration • Assist the Senior Vice President of Sales in the development, implementation and monitoring of a sales

marketing plan and strategies to promote the destination to convention business.• Develop, implement and monitor a systematic program of sales solicitation including phone and email contacts,

special events, and active, targeted participation at industry trade shows.• Develop and direct cooperative programs, familiarization trips, and sales missions with partner hotels and

tourism partners. Work with hotel partners to offset costs of programs through sponsorship dollars or in-kinddonations.

• In conjunction with Senior Vice President of Sales, develop incentive programs for clients. Manage businessopportunity fund, including establishment of procedures and training of sales staff on the program.

• Develops and directs meeting planner Advisory Council and Three-City Alliance with Pittsburgh and PortlandCVBs.

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• Manage and oversee all booking reports, bid presentations and site inspections conducted by the sales department. Manage team and partners to develop and present competitive bid package and incentives.

• Oversee the lead process, ensuring complete meeting planner specifications are accurately included in leads.• Oversee Convention Sales & CRM Coordinator to ensure proper maintenance and utilization of reports,

research, and CRM database. Ensure reports are generated accurately and in a timely manner.• Analyze sales statistics from monthly activity reports including but not limited to leads generated, confirmed

bookings, conversions, lost business, and proposed client base expansion.• Identify and explore emerging markets. Stay current on competition, industry trend, and practices.• Oversee the coordination and transition of clients from account sales to account services, in conjunction with

the Director of Convention Services.• Coordinate financial solicitation with Director of Development, as needed, when significant event

support/sponsorship is needed.• Closely collaborate with the marketing department to ensure integration of convention sales and marketing

messages into media placements, collateral, electronic media, electronic bid books, etc.

Client, Industry, and Community Relations • Conduct monthly Director of Sales meeting with partner hotels; prepare agenda and chair the meetings.• Represent VISIT Milwaukee, or assign members of sales staff to represent VISIT Milwaukee at the local, state

and national level by maintaining active memberships in pertinent industry associations, and attending industry-related meetings to promote sales and services.

• Maintain close working relationship with partner hotels, the Frontier Airline Center, and partners. Serves asliaison between the client and these facilities.

• Identify, recruit, and encourage local stakeholders who can influence targeted clients on site decisions.• Maintain well-informed working knowledge of all related convention and show facilities and services, hotel and

tourism partners.

Other Supervisory/Administrative Duties • Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization’s policies and applicable law.• Interview, recommend for hire, and train new employees. Reward and discipline employees as needed.• Plan, assign and direct work.• Review and authorize office documentation, including department specific and administrative documents.• Coordinate all documentation and backup related to account management and budget.• Prepare department annual budget and submit to Vice President for approval. Manage department

expenditures to assure compliance with policies budget levels. Review monthly financial reports and reportvariances in a timely manner.

Education Requirements • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited ins�tu�on in business, marke�ng, communica�ons or related field.• Minimum seven years of experience at a management and/or Director level in direct sales, sales marke�ng, or

related field.• Sales experience within a convention bureau, convention center or convention hotel.

Experience/Skill Requirements • Proven skills in leadership, mentoring, and motivating others.• Proven skills in sales training, persuasion and nego�a�ons, rela�onship building.• Excellent communica�on skills and demonstrated presenta�on skills.• Ability to develop and write effec�ve proposals, reports, sales plans and business correspondence.• Strong na�onal, local and state client base desired. Involvement with ASAE, PCMA, MPI and other

industry trade organiza�ons a plus.• Experience with MS Office applica�ons and CRM databases.

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• Ability to travel by air and personal vehicle. Must possess a valid driver’s license.• Ability to work evenings and weekends.

Key Priori�es for the first 12-18 months 1. Develop business rela�onships with key partners and stakeholders. Gain a strong understanding of the

des�na�on product, as well as its strengths and weaknesses.2. Evaluate the en�re sales process and iden�fy areas of effec�veness and poten�al improvement.3. Provide strategic leadership and direc�on for the hotel community at the DOS level.

If interested in learning more about this great opportunity, please use the link below to apply or send your resume to the SearchWide Global Execu�ve listed below.

Nicole Newman, Vice President | SearchWide Global

www.searchwideglobal.com | info@searchwideglobal.com

480-264-7675 (direct) | 951-640-3745 (mobile)

About SearchWide Global

SearchWide Global 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.