Greater Kokomo Visitors Bureau seeking Sales Manager: Meetings, Conventions and Sports Tourism

The Greater Kokomo Visitors Bureau is seeking an energetic, results-driven Sales Manager to help grow Kokomo and Howard County’s impact in meetings, conferences, and sports tourism.

This full-time position is primarily responsible for selling and promoting Kokomo and Howard County as a destination for meetings, conventions, conferences, and sports tournament activity that generates visitor spending and economic impact through overnight stays.

Description: The Sales Manager will facilitate implementation and coordination of programs and sales efforts focused on promotion of the meetings, conferences, and sports market in Kokomo and Howard County. Reporting to the Convention & Visitors Bureau Manager, this position will interact with staff, volunteer board, and community members and stakeholders to plan, develop and execute efforts to maintain and increase conferences, meetings, sports events and tournament activity; engage with local, state, regional, and national meeting planners, tournament directors, and local sports organizers to host new and recurring events; direct, coordinate, and assist with the preparation of bids and proposals to host meetings, conferences, conventions, and sports tournament opportunities with the goal to increase overnight stays; maintain knowledge and database of all area meeting venues, sports facilities and new facility developments; service events and assist with additional duties as needed.

Location: Kokomo, Indiana
Status: Full-time
Salary: Competitive pay based on experience
Eligibility Requirements: Must be a U.S. citizen and not require current or future sponsorship

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality management, or sales preferred or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in convention and meeting sales and/or sports sales is preferred.
• Ability to direct, supervise, and coordinate several projects concurrently.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both written and digitally.
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective and continuously growing sales network.
• Strong work ethic with the ability to work both individually and as a part of a team to accomplish the organization’s goals.
• Maintain a professional image with high standards of accuracy, responsiveness, integrity, customer satisfaction, confidentiality, and discretion.
• Ability to work weekends and travel for sales activities and events.
• Represent Kokomo in a positive hospitable manner when working with the public and be familiar with Howard County as it relates to the tourism industry, including events, facilities, and attractions.
• Experience with using a CRM sales tracking tool, such as Salesforce.
• Residency in or strong familiarity with Howard County is strongly preferred.

Areas of Responsibility:
(Duties to include, but not limited to the following)

• Assist meeting planners and event organizers to secure lodging, venue, and hospitality needs in order to host meetings, conferences, and sports tournaments in Howard County.
• Research and qualify prospective meeting and sports sales opportunities and actively solicit business to produce leads and secure bookings for venues and lodging facilities.
• Maintain an overall sales plan with objectives and metrics that are reviewed regularly.
• Maintain accurate historical records and a current list of possible sales opportunities for our market for a minimum of 5 years.
• Continuously evaluate local market competitiveness, developing strategies to meet new market demands.
• Oversee the development and implementation of bid proposals to host new and repeat meetings and sports events in Howard County.
• Make verbal presentations which clearly present the features and advantages of Kokomo as a meeting and sports destination.
• Develop and maintain meeting and sports facilities database.
• Build relationships and be familiar with all Howard County meeting and sports venues and conduct site visits with planners when needed.
• Attend appropriate trade shows, conferences and meetings for sales opportunities to promote Howard County venues to meeting planners, tournament directors and event organizers.
• Maintain active membership in professional state and national associations and use member affiliation as a catalyst for networking, making key connections, and finding new business.
• Build and maintain partnerships with Grand Park and area sports organizations.
• Some travel is required.

Review of candidates will begin May 1, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. To apply, submit a letter of interest and a resume outlining your appropriate work experience to Sherry Matlock at smatlock@visitkokomo.org. Please include "Sales Manager" in the subject line.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace.