Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi is looking for Director of Commercial Strategy to join our Sales and Marketing team.

Are you a master of craft? Do you thrive in a team that succeeds together, demonstrating integrity and respect while acting responsibly? Do you embrace a growth mindset? We invite you to become a fan of the exceptional. 

Mandarin Oriental is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences located in prime destinations around the world, with a strong development pipeline. Increasingly recognised for creating some of the world’s most sought-after properties, the Group provides legendary service inspired by Asian heritage whilst representing the very cutting-edge of luxury experiences.

Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi is the definition of an unrivalled Arabian fantasy. From a 1.3km pristine private beach, landscaped pools and a private marina overlooking a natural bay, the hotel is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi and perfect for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday or for events and meetings that make a statement, with some of the city’s largest hotel conference centres. Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi offers award-winning 5-star luxury hospitality and authentic local experiences with 390 luxurious rooms and suites along with award-winning culinary cuisines.

About the job

Based at the Emirates palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi within the Sales and Marketing Department, the Director of Commercial Strategy in charge of reaching the targeted goals as defined in the Marketing plan. Responsible for orienting and following up to materialize the budgeted revenues of respective segments through existing clientele and key prospects. This position focuses on hotel's national and international key accounts. The Director of Commercial Strategy reports to the General Manager.

As Director of Commercial Strategy, you will be responsible for the following duties:

• The hotel achieves it's Financial Objectives.
• The Sales team that the person is responsible for achieves their revenue objectives.
• The person achieves their personal objectives.
• Marketing activities are created, planed, coordinated and implemented.

 As Director of Commercial Strategy, fulfils their role as a Talent Development Ambassador when: 

• They actively support and implement Talent Development initiatives as a part of their daily activities.
• They identify Training talents in their department and throughout the hotel as per below definition and actively support their career development.
• They support and initiate transfer, cross exposure and task force assignments for their team.
• They recruit and select potential talent according to current and future department, hotel and Mandarin Oriental’s needs including conducting interviews for positions in their department.

Key Competencies and Expertise :

1.Sales:

• Supervises preparations and definition of the marketing plan and manual for the department and participates in setting up the marketing policies, procedures and objectives.
• Determines the corporate/travel trade marketing and sales strategy related to pricing and promoting to meet the objectives outlined in the marketing plan.
• Handles budgets for miscellaneous sales activities and promotions.
• Follows the sales and marketing results (accounts’ room night productivity, revenue, etc.) and proposes corrective actions if needed.
• Maintains and maximizes the utilization of all automated sales and reservations systems involved with group business.
• Supervises the existence of an efficient follow-up on all leads to maintain a good relationship and generates group/individual leads for the hotel.
• Maintains permanent files for all corporate, group and travel trade accounts with strong room/night potential.
• Maintains and improves the efficiency of reservation centers, to ensure that information in reservation system’s database is updated. Coordinates such insertions to be realized correctly with reservations manager.
• Through various tools (e.g. media, social events, gatherings with competition etc.), explores economical data, new developments in certain companies’ structures, new assignments, industrial complexes, new business centers, new projects which all could be of interest and benefit of the hotel and distributes this information to relevant staff.
• Keeps close follow up on developments of the competitor hotels (occupancy, structural alterations, renovation, special campaigns, rate promotions, marketing efforts, theme events etc.). Also explores and compares corporate traffic amongst the competition.
• Proposes ideas for promotional materials to be distributed during sales calls, international trade shows and for other promotional activities.
• Supervises (and handles when necessary) the group and individual reservation requests. Follows-up the progress of the booked business
• Sets up the corporate rates for local / international companies / travel trade accounts as well as other commercial accounts.
• Collaborates with all local and overseas customers, make personal calls to accounts and traces potential customers.
• Supervises the existence of an efficient customer database system (OPERA), which will be capable of identifying to report sales calls and other sales activities and maintains a vigorous updating exercise in certain periods of time.
• Updates customers with the latest development of the hotel and informs hotel management of all changes in the customer profile.
• Proposes and coordinates the promotional activities undertaken by sales department and / or F&B.
• Supervises the coordination with the other department heads to ensure quality of guest / group satisfaction
• Projects and prepares the participation procedure for domestic or international trade shows, fairs, exhibitions, workshops, Road shows, sales blitzes etc. and participates in such professional business-related events.
• Supervises the quotations of group and travel agency rates as well as international corporate rates offered for multinational companies (directly or through travel consortia’s). Makes sure that the respective Mandarin Oriental regional sales offices are informed of such quotations.
• Determines overall marketing campaign ROI. Monitors and reviews the response rates in order to improve and take corrective measures (where applicable).
• Responsible for developing hotel Marketing budget and maintain budget control.

2.Marketing:

• To develop, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate all marketing activities including, strategies, advertising, public relations, revenue and reservations budgeting, Marketing Plan and printed collaterals and international trade fairs.
• To position Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental as the premier luxury hotel in the region as one of the most luxurious hotels in the world.
• To ensure that guest room and other revenue area marketing activities and all bookings are focused to yield maximum revenue.
• To be responsible for positively impacting all hotel revenue generating areas through marketing activities.
• Identify sources of business available to the hotel and to establish priority marketing opportunities in the solicitation of that business.
• Understand the different needs of market segments and implement strategies/programs as appropriate to maximize profitability.
• Analyse the hotel's capabilities; and to identify the advertising and public relations programs necessary to attract complimentary sources of business.
• Develop and implement the Annual Marketing Plan.
• To keep abreast of market trends and respond as needed.
• Develop marketing programs consistent with Mandarin Oriental Hotels’ style and image.
• Initiate and supervise the installation of all marketing office procedures and ensure hotel is in compliance with all Mandarin Oriental Hotels Marketing Standards.
• Prepare, monitor and control the annual advertising and business promotion budget.

3.Revenue Management:

• Monitor and identify current and future business trends to insure profitable sales in periods of low and high demand.
• Coordinate and implement the hotel's Yield Management Ideas program.
• Ensure accuracy of definite bookings plus contracted group and corporate accounts.
• Define the sales strategy together with the Revenue Director and Director of Sales.
• Optimize Revenue per available room of the hotel by managing the relationship between occupancy and average room rate.
• Ensure a continuously high quality of reservations delivery to the clients
• Manage and motivate the reservation team (individual and group) through the Director of Revenue & Reservations.

Personal Attributes

• Sophisticated Communication: Maintain an elegant and refined manner in all verbal and written communication reflective of the brand and appealing to all luxury brand stakeholders.
• Innovative Approach: With a forward-thinking mindset, stay ahead of industry trends and embrace new strategies to distinguish the resort in a competitive market.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Exhibit awareness and respect for diverse cultural nuances, crucial for an international clientele and team.

Our commitment to you

• Learning & Development. Your success is our success. We craft unique learning and development programmes for various stages in your career so that you grow, continuously.
• MOstay. When you work as hard as our colleagues do, it’s important to take time off. As a member of the #MOfamily, you can stay with us wherever you go in the world. The MOstay programme offers complimentary nights and additionally attractive rates on rooms for you and your loved ones.
• Heath & Colleague Wellness. Finding the right work-life balance is important. Your wellbeing matters to us. A variety of health benefits and wellness programmes are offered to all our colleagues, globally.
• Retirement Plans. When you show commitment to us, we reciprocate. We offer different retirement plans depending on the length of your service and your role.

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