Sales Director, West USA

Job Description:

Position Summary

Strategically manage a sales territory, selling & marketing a global portfolio of Abercrombie & Kent products and experiences to the retail travel agency community, with a focus on the Luxury Travel & Leisure Markets. Implement a cost-effective sales strategy to meet or exceed A&K’s annual sales and revenue goals, working within a predetermined annual budget.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Responsible for growing existing sales as well as an emphasis on prospecting for new business within the Western territory. The position should be in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland or Denver. Achievement of assigned revenue goals, agency and advisor engagement metrics is required.
• Be the regional brand ambassador and instill confidence and loyalty in the A&K brand.
• Initiate and execute training and product knowledge seminars for travel advisors and consumers using brand standard A/V presentations.
• Plan and manage sales activities of DMC and sister brand sales colleagues in the territory from time-to-time to provide maximum return on investment.
• Represent A&K at trade shows and travel agency-organized consumer events, including setup of brand standard displays as specified by Global Marketing, collateral and A/V.  Cover events for other Sales Directors as needed.
• Ensure that all sales activities—including emails, phone calls, sales visits, and conferences, as well as market intelligence—are reported in OneIS in a timely manner and no later than the evening of the 4th of the month following the month of the activities. These activities should meet required metrics and be accurately reflected in the monthly sales summary.
• Submit all expenses in Concur according to company policy: corporate credit card expenses must be entered by the last day of the month, and out-of-pocket expenses must be submitted within 60 days. All entries should comply with the company’s travel and entertainment policy.
• Responsible for travel agency quality control and customer service issues in coordination with appropriate A&K office.
• Provide travel agency / advisor updates for maintenance of database, CRM and invitation lists.
• Share market intelligence and best practices with A&K colleagues.
• Invite Independent Contractors from host agencies outside sales territory to local events.  Share contact information for ICs residing in other SDs’ territories.

Skills and Abilities

• Experience in Strategic Territory Management.
• Excellent sales and customer service skills.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Self-motivated and results oriented.
• Excellent relationship building skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Fluency in MS Office applications, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
• The ability to set up a consumer show and trade show booth, including signage, table covering, decoration and collateral.
• The ability to lift parcels of up to 35 lbs.
• The ability to carry a laptop in carry-on luggage when traveling by air.

Education and Additional Experience

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• 5 – 10 years of experience in travel industry sales.
• Extensive international destination knowledge, including A&K top-selling destinations preferred.
• Existing travel industry sales relationships in the assigned region and a demonstrated track record of sales success required within a sales territory with a leading travel company required.

Special Requirements

• Must reside in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland or Denver metro area. Any future changes to this requirement must be approved by the Senior Vice President of Sales in advance of any relocation.
• 60% business travel is expected, including international destinations at times throughout the year.
• Must own or lease a reliable vehicle, including required liability insurance coverage, to be used for business purposes within a drivable distance from home.
• Must have the ability to receive and store sales collateral, home office equipment and trade show materials in or near home.
• Valid driver’s license required. This position requires regular driving throughout the assigned sales territory to conduct agency visits, attend industry events, trade shows, client meetings, and other business-related activities. Driving is an essential function of the position and is required to fulfill the territory sales responsibilities.
• Valid passport required due to domestic and international business travel.
• Must be eligible for employment in the United States.

Salary Range

• 125,000-135,000 annually; with additional earning potential through sales incentives.

Benefits 

A&K offers a large portfolio of competitive benefits to all eligible, full-time employees. Some benefits are provided at no cost to the employee, such as group life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, and travel discounts through use of an IATAN Travel Professional card. Other elective benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, supplemental life insurance, pre-tax healthcare and dependent FSAs, and a 401(k) plan with generous company match. 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required by the employee.

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EEO Statement

Abercrombie & Kent is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.