SVP, Travel & Sports Development

ABOUT PIVOT

PIVOT is a full-service sports marketing agency built at the nexus of brands and culture, forming alliances between consumer brands, athletes, sports, the arts, causes, business & media.

Our Mission: To deliver best-in-class expertise, always prioritizing our client’s needs to achieve optimal success.

Our Vision: To be the industry-leading sports & entertainment agency by offering a strategic array of diverse, best-in-class client services.

Our Core Values to Clients:

- EXCELLENCE

We are committed to consistently delivering the highest standards of service, with relentless dedication to providing unforgettable and flawless experiences for our clients.

- TRUST

Winning teams are built on trust. We don’t take for granted the trust we earn through our dependability, transparency, and genuine care for our clients.

- COLLABORATION

We are your ultimate travel partner, working in sync with you to elevate your travel experience. From big decisions to the smallest detail, we are ready to assist, strategize, and execute with best-in-class service.

- INNOVATION

We are driven to constantly explore cutting edge solutions, forecasting industry trends, and seeking out the most exceptional offerings. We are always one step ahead in delivering unparalleled service.

SUMMARY

The SVP, Travel & Sports Development is responsible for being a driving force in the vision and strategy for PIVOT’s sales, development & retention division within PIVOT Travel. This person is an effective communicator with a clear focus on performing for our future clients and being a key member to help build out a vision for the future of the Pivot travel group clients, including, WNBA, NASCAR, NCAA, Youth Sports, Entertainment, Corporate/Wedding/Events. Also supporting our team with any group business outside of NBA/MLB/NFL/NHL travel. Our ideal candidate has a strong understanding of travel agency sales & all encompassing logistics as it applies to clients. This person will be responsible for all aspects of sales, development & retention including: Prospect & Pipeline buildout, sales training, group & VVIP sales, client onboarding, sourcing, contracting, overseeing and supporting with day-to-day operations, relationship building, finance & analytics.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Uncover new group opportunities within PIVOT Travel
• Utilize Salesforce by leading/ training by both prospecting/ pipeline buildout for PIVOT Travel
• Support/have synergy with other sales divisions & PIVOT through prospecting & pipeline buildout
• Provide ongoing support to future clients with day-to-day operations through client interaction, liaison between hotel and client, and other administrative support
• Outline event requirements with client (dates of stay, room/meeting space needs, concessions, etc.)
• Understand the client’s needs, budget and requirements for each opportunity
• Strategically source hotels for each opportunity and generate hotel bid reports using CVENT
• Negotiate proposals with hotels to achieve the best rate and most conducive concessions based on client preferences
• Contract request/redlines within an efficient time frame
• Finalize & execute contract agreement with client & housing/ brand partner.
• Provide support to client for additional services needed (air, ground transportation, black-car service, long-term/short-term rental)
• Building and maintaining strong partner relationships with all properties, NSO’s, CVBs and clients
• Manage last-minute requests, needs, or changes.
• Follow up with clients, CVBs, hotel partners on any feedback or challenges encountered during the stay/ event
• Report weekly to Chief Growth Officer & EVP, Travel with updates, weekly wins/losses, and client related information
• Work with Travel Division finance team on any specific pick up reports, commission or hotel support
• Support VPs & Directors with innovation, strategies & industry relationships
• Support experiential client group travel requests including ideation, execution and revenue strategy
• Support special projects as assigned by Chief Growth Officer & EVP, Travel
• Support Biz Dev needs as appropriate (e.g., PTR, emerging sports)

SUCCESS CRITERIA

• Ability to meet and exceed individual and department revenue goals on behalf of travel clients
• Ability to demonstrate commitment to PIVOT and PIVOT clients
• Ability to communicate to leadership on sales outreach activity and revenue pipeline projections
• Lead and update travel clients on latest developments and relevant industry news
• Ability to act in the best interest of company objectives and collaborate with fellow team members and senior leadership
• Ability to use sound judgment and personal discretion in representing the company’s values and objectives inside and outside of the office

Requirements

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Business, Sports Management, Sales, Travel or other related disciplines
• 10+ years of experience in sales, marketing, travel, business development, 3rd Party/Hotel, CVB and/or team operations related position
• Expert knowledge and understanding of group housing, client logistics, hotel operations and platform booking technologies from both a competitive and business perspective
• Existing book of business and industry relationships
• Acute attention to detail, organization, and efficiency

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• An appropriate level of drive and toughness to effectively manage multiple demanding critical projects in a fast-paced, technical environment, and rapidly evolving industry
• A strong hotel brand awareness (i.e. Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG)
• Advanced negotiation skills
• Knowledge of all aspects of travel (air, ground, rentals, catering, etc)
• Strong interpersonal skills to be able to effectively manage different relationships with clients & hotels
• Excellent presentation, written, and oral communication skills
• Experience using CVENT, Salesforce, MS Office,, Google Suite

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Work From Home

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

At PIVOT Agency, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of or traits historically associated with race; color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This role operates in a typical business environment working remotely from an employee’s home office. This role routinely uses a computer and its voice or video call capabilities. This role requires working long hours sitting and staring at a computer and talking via voice and video calls.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use a laptop computer. Specific physical abilities required by this job include sitting, standing, talking and hearing both in person and over the phone and keyboarding.