Account Director - MICE & Leisure

Location

Full Time

Job Summary

Candidate Profile

• Bring 5–7 years of hotel sales experience, including at least 3 years in the leisure segment.
• Possess strong experience managing wholesale, OTA, and travel trade partners.
• Have experience in a luxury or 5‑star hotel environment; Marriott experience is a plus.
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of UAE/GCC leisure market trends and competitive landscape.
• Show proven ability to meet and exceed revenue and production targets.
• Be proficient in Opera, Salesforce, and other hospitality sales tools.
• Display excellent negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Present a polished, professional demeanor with strong relationship‑building capability.
• Be self‑motivated, commercially minded, organized, and able to perform under pressure.
• Conduct sales calls, client meetings, sales trips, and represent the hotel at trade shows.
• Strengthen hotel visibility and relationships through familiarization trips and client engagement.
• Collaborate with Revenue Management on pricing, forecasting, and distribution strategies.
• Work with Marketing on leisure campaigns, seasonal offers, and market‑specific promotions.
• Coordinate with Reservations and Operations to ensure smooth handling of leisure FIT and group bookings.
• Maintain accurate account information and production data in Salesforce, Opera, and other sales systems.
• Prepare weekly reports, monthly forecasts, and market intelligence updates for leadership.

Understanding Market Opportunities & Driving Revenue

• Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.
• Partners with group/catering counterpart to effectively manage the business opportunity.
• Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property that are outside parameters of the .
• Handles all opportunities if property does not participate in an EBC.
• Identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and each property’s revenue goals.
• Focuses efforts on group/catering accounts with significant potential sales revenue.
• Develops effective group/catering sales plans and actions.
• Designs, develops and sells creative catered events.
• Maximizes revenue by upselling packages and creative food and beverage.
• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• Closes the best opportunities for each property based on market conditions and individual property needs.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations.
• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
• Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
• Supports brand’s Service and Relationship Strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
• Provides excellent customer service in order to grow share of the account.
• Executes brand’s Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.
• Executes and supports the business Customer Service Standards and property’s Brand Standards.
• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to the property and brand.
• Gains understanding of the property’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

Building Successful Relationships

• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., , Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
• Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff.

Additional Responsibilities

• Utilizes intranet for resources and information.
• Conducts site inspections.
• Creates contracts as required.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• *At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity.
• We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated.
• Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates.
• We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law.*
• At Le Méridien, we are inspired by the era of glamorous travel, celebrating each culture through the distinctly European spirit of savouring the good life.
• Our guests are curious and creative, cosmopolitan culture seekers that appreciate moments of connection and slowing down to savour the destination.
• We provide authentic, chic and memorable service along with experiences that inspire guests to savour the good life.
• We’re looking for curious and creative people to join our team.
• If you appreciate connecting with like-minded guests and have a deep desire to create memorable experiences, we invite you to explore career opportunities with Le Méridien.
• In joining Le Méridien, you join a portfolio of brands with Marriott International.

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