Account Director, GSO Sydney

The Account Director, GSO Sydney manages and/or provides dedicated support to a targeted portfolio of complex GSO global accounts. The position builds and maintains business relationships with key buying influences to achieve account market share goals across all Marriott Lodging brands. The primary focus is on opportunities to increase preference and loyalty and improve the overall buying process by emphasizing an ‘ease of doing business with Marriott’. In the role of Account Director, GSO Sydney, this position has direct accountability for transactional sales activities within their assigned accounts. 

BUSINESS CONTEXT 

The role of the Account Director, GSO Sydney is to support the GSO vision and mission by leveraging Marriott’s products and services as a team leader or team member within their assigned account portfolio. By utilizing the processes of strategic account management and team-based sales, this position will be responsible for increasing Marriott’s preference, loyalty and profitable share within their assigned accounts and contribute to overall GSO success through the direct sales efforts of Revenue Generation and Value Creation. 

Position will be located in Sydney, Australia. 

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience Preferred. 

Strong preference for candidate with Marriott experience  

• 15+ years’ sales and marketing experience required in both Above Property and Property.   
• At least 5+ years in leadership position a plus.   
• Total Account Management experience required with strong knowledge in Corporate, Wholesale, and MICE segments
• Hospitality sales experience required, with extensive experience in global markets. 
• Strong preference for candidate with fluency in both written and spoken English language.
• Master’s degree in business hospitality would be highly valued. 
• Highly experienced in organizing tradeshows, showcases, and events for the portfolio 

Account Management 

• Accurate qualification of potential accounts; re-qualification of existing accounts. 
• Establishes and maintains complete and up-to-date information on each account. This includes a thorough understanding of the account’s needs, history, plans, issues, organizational structure, strategies, existing business alliances and key competitors. 
• Interprets financial statements, e.g., P&L statements, annual reports, as appropriate, to assist in the formulation of an “account” proposal. 
• Maintains account information in SFA/Empower to ensure accurate and up-to-date account reporting. 
• Manages all resources within budgeted guidelines. 
• Proactively develop goals and objectives to support the strategic account plan. 
• Represents all brands of Marriott Lodging. 
• Responsible for proactive account or segment sales. 
• Supports data gathering, reporting & tracking functions. 
• Participates/Lead account team calls and strategy formulation of Marriott International’s global accounts

Revenue Generation 

• Identifies, develops, initiates and manages opportunities based on their fit with broader strategic account initiatives. 
• Identifies key purchase points and decision-makers that influence the “buy” decision. 
• Networks account teams to maximize coverage of key contacts and revenue streams. 
• Partners with HQ support for annual pricing process, requests for pricing (RFPs) and related maintenance activity. 
• Relates customer needs to product capabilities. 
• Routinely quantifies the business impact to both the customer and Marriott. 
• Works with Revenue Management to support account strategy in-market.
• Develop partnerships and promotion from managed accounts where relevant 

Value Creation

• Anticipates and quickly seizes opportunities that are not obvious to others to build customer satisfaction.
• Delivers on commitments to customers.
• Delivers value-added products and services to create long-term customer loyalty.
• Focuses on two-way communication to ensure win-win relationships are maintained.
• Positions self as “Subject Matter Expert” in terms of customer or account activity, business segment activity or market/region activity.
• Pursuing initiatives to capitalize on strengths and market opportunities, and to counter competitive threats
• Uses knowledge of Marriott’s operations, its markets and competitors to promote dialogue and enrich customer interactions.
   

Market Integration & Team Participation

• Ensure that account sales strategies are communicated, implemented and updated as market conditions fluctuate.
• Facilitates educational opportunities that enhance credibility and integration between GSO and internal stakeholders.
• Identifies and cultivates relationships with key colleagues and stakeholders in other parts of the organization.
• Participates in professional and industry organizations (e.g., ACTE, PCMA, GBTA, MPI, etc). 
• Participates with global account team in market pull-through activity.
• Supports ‘in-market’ needs of properties in each regional area.
• Leads global strategic account management, supporting continent and country account leaders

Other

• Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Experience

• 15+ years’ sales and marketing experience required, in both Property and Above-Property
• Total Account Management experience preferred.
• Experience in managing high-value global Corporate, TMC, Group and Leisure preferred
• Above average knowledge on global corporate RFP management preferred  
• Hospitality sales experience preferred, with extensive experience in global markets
• Experience in marketing and partnerships is a plus

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to use standard software applications, such as MSOffice, SFAWEB, Lanyon, Cvent, Empower etc.
• Acts decisively to recover from mistakes; knows how to develop/propose/initiate solutions and when to involve leader.
• Acts independently to improve and increase skills and knowledge.
• Can effectively articulate the financial benefits of a proposal as it pertains to the customer’s business objectives.
• Collects and analyzes key information about the customer’s business and/or operation.
• Delivers clear, evenly paced presentations and tailors’ message to appropriate audience.
• Delivers on commitments to customers, supervisors and peers.
• Develops opportunity sales plan with actionable steps to attain revenue goals.   Holds self and others accountable for achieving results.
• Expresses oneself clearly, concisely and effectively in written and verbal settings.
• Expresses self well in groups and in one-on-one conversations.
• Gains the confidence and trust of others through their own authenticity and ethical standards.
• Generates enthusiasm for ideas; wins support from others; negotiates persuasively.
• Keeps up to date on and leverages available resources to meet the objectives of Marriott/Account initiatives.
• Knows the strengths and weaknesses of competitors; leverages strengths and counters competitive threats.
• Listen patiently and carefully to input; clarifies others’ points of view; listens well in a group setting.
• Negotiates terms and conditions, commitments, and customer issues that balance the needs of the customer with the needs of the business. 
• Shares credit with others.
• Works effectively participating in a ‘virtual’ team-based environment
   

Education or Certification

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent strongly preferred, master’s degree in business hospitality valued
• Above average English language written and spoken.  Knowledge of other languages a plus