Director of Sales (HIRED)

Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and eCommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Artist Nation and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five eCommerce sites, with over 27 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 22,000 shows annually for more than 2,300 artists globally. Artist Nation is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling over 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

HOB Entertainment, a division of Live Nation Entertainment, offers exceptional club venues nationwide. House of Blues Venues provide several genres of live music, from Rock, Hip Hop, Country, Rock en Español, Blues, Jazz, Reggae and Pop. House of Blues venues are also known for their southern-style cuisine, juke-joint inspired atmosphere and the World Famous Gospel Brunch. House of Blues opened its doors on Thanksgiving Day in 1992, serving its first meal to the local shelters. Since opening, House of Blues has been committed to giving back to the community through the International House of Blues Foundation.

Who you are:
Passionate and motivated. Driven, with an entrepreneurial spirit. Resourceful, innovative, forward thinking and committed. At Live Nation Entertainment, our people embrace these qualities, so if this sounds like you then please read on.

The role:
Complete responsibility and accountability for the success of the Special Events Sales department.

Responsibilities:
• Meet and exceed monthly, quarterly and yearly financial goals.
• Proactively solicit new business opportunities by conducting effective sales calls, make out-of-the-office sales calls and presentations to potential clients, handle special event inquiry calls, negotiate space, assist with clients catering needs through local caterer, create event proposals and conduct site inspections.
• Negotiate and close contracts.
• Build/Generate new leads to increase size of potential client database from cold calls and market prospecting to include, but not limited to: conventions, corporations, DMCs, tour operators, meeting planners, associations, SMERF (Social, Military, Educational, Religious and Fraternal) groups, concierges, hotels, organizations (i.e. Chamber of Commerce, Convention Center, Convention & Visitors Bureau, etc.) etc.
• Develop strategic and promotional plan to drive Special Event/Rental sales for the venue/region to reach/exceed annual goal. Plan to include strategic initiatives, competitive analysis, insights on new areas of opportunity, etc.
• Sales generation – maximize revenue while developing long-term relationships with clients (both local and national).
• Monitors changes in the sales/special events industry and develop strategies to improve and adjust to those changes.
• Evaluate/identify potential business from new clients for both local market venues as well as Live Nations portfolio of opportunities.
• Seek out and develop relationship with local industries (i.e. corporations, hotels, non-profits, etc).
• Fully integrate into CVB to capitalize on the corporate and convention business that comes to the local market.
• Become involved in local and national outside organizations directly related to the hospitality industry (i.e. MPI, PCMA, ISES, HSMAI).
• Attend local trade shows, participate in sales blitzes and other off-site sales efforts.
• Responsible for overall financial aspects involved in promoting and selling the venue.
• Create and implement required reports on the productivity of sales by establishing revenue goals, enhancing client database, increasing check averages, managing contribution margin and exceeding goals in all categories.
• Oversee and coordinate service vendors to fulfill client proposal and event needs.
• File management of Caterease (Special Events software system).
• Strategic planning and forecasting.
• Oversee all departmental accounting paperwork.
• Development, management and fulfillment of the Special Event marketing budget.
• Weekly reports to the GM on corporate sales trends, bookings, sales recaps and department productivity.
• Submit monthly reports to GM and VP of Sales including, but not limited to: Special Event Revenue Report, Forecast, Revenue Pipeline, Talent Cost, Event Export Reports, Revenue Breakdown and Lost Business.
Supervision of the department(s)
• Actively train and develop team on effective sales calls, prospecting and presentations.
• Manage Sales Managers and provide strategic direction on how they can reach/exceed their individual goals, both short-term and long-term.
• Execute weekly department meetings to keep staff informed, assess/set goals and create strategies for new business development.
• Provide a positive and creative team environment within the department(s).
• Oversee daily management of sales team.
• Ensure accuracy and delivery of all required reports (SEO’s, leads, event calendars, forecasting, sales revenue reports, etc) are distributed in a timely manner for proper planning.
• Understand all operational department responsibilities, capabilities and limitations to smoothly ensure maximum guest satisfaction and operational communication.
• Serve as an advisor to staff members on logistical arrangements, recommend and monitor new business opportunities, develop professional and personal goals of the staff maximizing productivity and stimulating growth, both internally and externally.
• Monitor office procedures to ensure timely returned calls, maintain filing, trace system, lost business and proper etiquette.
• Handle all recruiting, hiring, disciplinary and terminations in accordance with all Live Nation policies.
• Maintain open communication and handle conflict resolution with staff.
• Conduct evaluations of staff, outline goals and monitor progress, maintain action plans, propose/raise recommendations.
• Ensure staff training is complete and satisfactory.
• Ensure consistent and on-going mentoring for department employees.
• Monitor department office procedures.

Competencies and skills required:
• Salesmanship.
• Advanced MS Office skills.
• Persuasion and negotiation.
• Advanced managerial finance.
• Interpersonal skills.
• Caterease systems.
• Planning and organization.
• Food knowledge.
• Communication.
• Liquor and wine knowledge.
• Customer focused.
• Employment law knowledge.
• Building and managing a successful team.
• Hiring/interview techniques.
• Team member management and development.
• Formal presentation skills.
• Action orientation.
• Social networking tools.
• Innovation.
• Strategic decision making.
• Professional appearance.

Requirements:
Minimum
• State or County Licensee or Certification Requirement/Responsible Alcohol Awareness Training Certification or equivalent.
• Working knowledge of local and regional markets, restaurant and venue operations, computers (Windows environment, spreadsheet, databases, word processing), guest relations.
• Skill in interpersonal communications, organization, financial knowledge and team building.
• Ability to delegate, follow up, relate to staff and guests/clients in a positive effective manner.
• High school diploma required.
• Minimum of 5 years sales experience in the hospitality industry.
• Tolerance of all cultures, music and art forms.
Preferred
• Bachelor’s Degree.

Physical work demands:
• Ability to work in a very fast-paced environment with considerable noise and interruptions. Must be able to change activity frequently.
• Physical activities include walking, talking, seeing, hearing, pushing, balancing, stooping, crouching, kneeling, handling.
• Must be able to grasp and hold very small objects.
• Ability to walk and stand for long period of time.
• Ability to lift and carry objects up to 35 pounds.
• Flexible schedule (days/nights, weekends).

Live Nation Entertainment strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.