Business Development Manager, National and Strategic Accounts

Carnival Corporation is a leading international premium cruise line known for its White Star Service. The Business Development Manager will maximize financial goals by building strong relationships with national accounts and collaborating across teams to support lead generation and performance tracking.

Responsibilities:

• Sets goals with top accounts including annual, quarterly, and trade where applicable
• Strategizes with accounts to meet company and account goals
• Works with each account to maximize the selling of our brand
• Develops Sales & Marketing plans, national promotions, incentives, events, and training opportunities
• Initiates meetings with the accounts leadership team to discuss strategies for continuing and/or improving the accounts performance based on the analysis of the accounts business portfolio
• Advocate on behalf of agency management team and/or owners regarding policies, experience, and opportunities to gain market share
• Works with Director, National Accounts in the negotiation of the annual business terms for all account agreements tendered
• Defines an annual contact strategy with key accounts to provide consistent, effective engagement and collaboration
• Plan and attend import functions, seminars, conferences, top producer events and trade shows
• Sets periodic training with top accounts
• Oversees the accounts efforts utilizing their allocated cooperative marketing, conferences/events and promotions budget agreed upon to advertise our brand effectively and efficiently to increase sales and profitability
• Provides consistent reporting of account performance and tracking to goal to upper management monthly
• Analyzes accounts and competitive trends to identify sales growth opportunities
• Responsibility to alert the Director, National Accounts of any overage/savings in budgetary allocations as soon as the run rate of expenditures indicates a savings is likely and/or re-allocation of funding for investment funding opportunities
• Works with each account to increase YOY revenues through maximum utilization of the company programs and sales tools
• Promotes and advocates the use of group program, exclusive promotions/offers to assure maximization of group space and amenities
• Analysis of inventory and advises accounts of sales opportunities
• Creates “out of the box” exclusive programs to create value-added proposition for accounts and their customers. For example, exclusive value-added amenity programs
• Organizes and prioritizes various projects that are required on “as need basis”. For example, conference/events calendar management, concessions cabin, road show and cruise sale utilization
• Supports the development of annual marketing plans for accounts where applicable
• Manages and tracks all approved co-op marketing including the vetting and proofing of various marketing pieces
• Ensures appropriate use of brand imaging, logos, and selection of trade/product to advertise
• Collaborates with marketing on the development of brand consistent presentations
• Collaborates with marketing for brand position, consumer trends and co-branding opportunities
• Develops marketing intelligence of competitive activities and materials
• Drives agent participation and completion of Academy training
• Reviews and tracks account marketing plans
• Responsible for the submission of commitments and ensures accounts invoices, pre-bills are submitted and processed in a timely manner
• Helps ensure that T&E budget targets are met
• Submits timely Pcard expenses and iexpense reports
• Manages air, hotel, and car travel
• Attends consortia/national account conferences, imports, account familiarization cruises, sales meeting events, top producer events, and regional training events
• Provides competitive data to commercial/product team for evaluation and pricing strategy
• Provides feedback to onboard product group regarding trade partner and customer experiences
• Communicates with guest services, customer services, contact center and partner support team to ensure trade partner relationships are meeting and exceeding service level expectations
• Advocates to company head office on behalf of Agency owners, managers and agents regarding business opportunities, policies, service delivery experiences
• Attends corporate development workshops and training
• Stays abreast of all company communications, policies, product enhancements and itineraries
• Stays abreast of all industry developments by ready trade publications, attending industry events and networking

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Experience
• 5-7 years in cruise/hotel/hospitality industry required
• Excellent written, verbal communication and presentation skills
• Understand travel industry business models
• Ability to work effectively with remote teams/individuals
• Excellent analytical skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Salesforce management tool
• Ability to lead, coach and motivate travel advisors and to help them develop business and marketing plans
• Ability to work independently and effectively with agent partners and executives at all levels
• Ability to negotiate account issues and facilitate resolutions across various departments throughout the company