The Commercial Director will oversee the sales and marketing initiatives for a portfolio of exclusive luxury homes, primarily located in Costa Smeralda and the South of France (SOF), managed by the company’s Exclusive Lease Agreement (ELA) Department. The role focuses on maximizing revenue streams, enhancing brand awareness, and strengthening the company’s reputation. Working closely with the marketing department, the Commercial Director will focus on increasing home occupancy through strategic partnerships with trade partners, destination management companies (DMCs), and key players in the luxury travel sector. Additionally, attracting direct customers in the HNWI and UHNWI segments will be equally important to the success of this role.
The Commercial Director will be responsible for crafting and executing commercial strategies, driving business growth, and managing key accounts. Additionally, this position entails nurturing and expanding relationships within the market, managing internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring the villas maintain a leading position in the competitive luxury travel industry.
The candidate will target Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) across international markets, including the Arab countries, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Iran, United States, China, and India.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership and Team Management:
- Lead, develop, and manage a high-performing sales team, ensuring the achievement of key commercial objectives, including revenue targets and occupancy rates.
- Provide clear strategic direction, ensuring that team goals are aligned with the overall business objectives of the villas.
Strategic Planning:
- Actively participate in creating annual and seasonal strategic business plans, focusing on driving revenue growth and strengthening market positioning.
- Collaborate closely with the ELA team to develop a comprehensive commercial strategy, utilizing channels, segmentation, and distribution to optimize decision-making and performance.
Budget and Financial Management:
- Manage and monitor assigned budgets, ensuring that all expenses are aligned with the villas’ financial objectives.
- Ensure resource allocation and expenditures are in line with revenue targets and overall business needs.
Market Analysis and Reporting:
- Generate and review sales reports to identify trends, sources of business, and performance fluctuations.
- Utilize market intelligence to assess the competitive landscape and position the villas for optimal success.
- Regularly report on business performance during weekly revenue meetings and monthly business reviews, providing key insights to senior leadership and stakeholders.
Partnership Development:
- Build and maintain relationships with key partners, including travel agencies, consortia, and luxury travel platforms such as American Express FHR, Signature, Virtuoso, and Internova.
- Leverage partnerships with DMCs, luxury travel companies, and lifestyle concierge services to promote the villas and drive targeted business growth.
Marketing and Campaign Coordination:
- Collaborate with marketing teams to implement strategies that showcase the unique attributes of the villas, aimed at UHNWIs and discerning travelers across global markets.
Service Standards:
- Set and maintain exemplary customer service standards across all guest touchpoints.
- Ensure all operational processes and procedures meet the highest standards of service excellence.
Operational Excellence:
- Act as an ambassador for the brand, consistently upholding the highest standards of personal presentation and professionalism.
- Assist with additional tasks and responsibilities as requested by senior management to ensure the overall success of the villas.
About You:
The ideal candidate will possess:
Experience:
- A minimum of 7 years of experience in luxury or ultra-luxury hospitality, with at least 3 years in a leadership role such as Commercial Director, Director of Sales, or Head of Sales and Marketing for a high-end property and/or Luxury Hotels.
- Demonstrated success in developing and maintaining key relationships within the luxury travel and hospitality markets.
- A strong track record in sales management, strategic planning, and driving business growth in the luxury hospitality sector.
Qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, Business, Economics, Marketing, or a related field.
Skills:
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make informed strategic decisions based on business intelligence.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and writing skills.
- Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite (Excel, Word), experience with property management software, and a solid understanding of CRM systems.
- Multilingual abilities are a plus, particularly proficiency in English (mandatory) and Italian, with additional languages relevant to key markets (e.g., Russian, Arabic, Mandarin) being advantageous.
Why Join Us:
This is a unique opportunity to take charge of the commercial success of some of Sardinia’s most exclusive luxury villas. You will be part of a dynamic, high-energy team and play a pivotal role in expanding the brand’s presence and driving business growth on a global scale. We offer a competitive salary package with performance-based incentives, along with other attractive benefits.