Who We Are: Aikens Group is a family-owned development company that has served the Shenandoah Valley since 1931, with a diversified portfolio spanning 7 branded hotels (Hilton, Marriott, and Choice brands), 30 commercial properties, 15 residential communities, and H&W Construction throughout Virginia and West Virginia.
The Opportunity: The Director of Sales - Crew & Project is responsible for identifying, developing, and converting construction, infrastructure, industrial, utility, and other project-related business into extended-stay and group room revenue for the Comfort Inn Martinsburg and the Hampton Inn Inwood.
This is a proactive, field-based sales position with a primary office located at the Comfort Inn Martinsburg. The Director is expected to be in the market identifying construction activity, visiting active job sites, developing relationships with contractors and project decision-makers, and uncovering projects before hotel room needs have been finalized. The Director will work closely with each hotel's General Manager to transition qualified opportunities into confirmed hotel business.
Success in this position requires someone who is comfortable prospecting in person, cold calling job sites, researching upcoming development, building relationships with contractors, and consistently following opportunities from initial discovery through conversion.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Prospect for New Project Business
The Director is responsible for actively identifying new sources of construction, project, industrial, infrastructure, and crew-related hotel business. Prospecting efforts will include both field activity and research.
The Director will establish a consistent weekly routine that includes driving through industrial parks, commercial areas, developing corridors, and areas surrounding the hotels to identify visible construction activity and potential upcoming projects.
The Director should routinely prospect within approximately a 5-10-mile radius of each hotel, expanding the territory when a project represents significant room night potential.
The Director should continually look for signs of future room demand, including construction trailers, contractor signage, heavy equipment, land clearing, building permits, fencing, survey activity, project announcements, and newly mobilized job sites.
Additional Selling Responsibilities:
- Prospecting for group business generated through sports teams and event generators.
- Supporting the sales effort of the General Managers on sales initiatives and in-person calls, including identified Corporate Target Accounts.
- Participate in community networking events to establish a presence on behalf of the hotels and Aikens Group.
Qualifications:
- Hospitality experience is preferred, but a demonstrated ability to prospect, build relationships, and close new business is required.
- Hotel sales, outside sales, business development, construction sales, staffing sales, or related experience.
- Experience developing new business through prospecting and cold calling.
- Strong relationship-building skills.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Comfortable approaching new contacts in person.
- Comfortable visiting commercial and construction environments.
- Ability to negotiate rates and business terms.
- Strong organizational and follow-up skills.
- Ability to work independently.
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365 suite and Sales Tracking Systems.
- Reliable transportation.
Compensation:
Base pay is $60,000 - $65,000, commensurate with experience. In addition to base compensation, this position is eligible for a quarterly bonus tied to revenue generated as a direct result of the Director's sales efforts. Bonus-eligible revenue is tracked through Aikens Group's Key & Target Account system, ensuring that new business the Director sources and closes is clearly identified and awarded.
Benefits:
- 401(k) with a company match (50% of your contribution up to 4% of pay)
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Basic life and AD&D coverage after one year
- Paid time off that grows with tenure
- Paid holidays
- Employee discounts across the portfolio after 90 days
- Pool & fitness center access at any Aikens Group hotel, plus a discounted wellness center membership.
- Annual Christmas bonus
Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
