Director of Revenue Optimization

The Director of Revenue Optimization is a key member of the Ashford Revenue Optimization & Asset Management leadership team and reports to the VP of Revenue Optimization. Primary priorities to include 1) ensuring that appropriate, best-in-class Revenue Management, eCommerce, Distribution, & Sales strategies are in place at Ashford’s Key Assets via support of the VP of Revenue Optimization & entire Asset Management team 2) supporting the Asset Management team in driving RevPAR Index Growth & growing Non-Room Revenue faster than comp set & tract scale.

Fundamental Requirements:

  • Provide Sales, Revenue Management & eCommerce strategy guidance & conduct audits of large key hotels.
  • Serve as a proxy for the VP of Revenue Optimization for key revenue meetings and/or analysis.
  • Work in tandem with Brands & Management Companies to develop and recommend pricing strategies to attract optimal business mix for either existing segmentation or new segmentation – Goal is to drive Ashford’s portfolio market share to maximum performance levels.
  • Support individual Asset Managers across Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management, Distribution and/or eCommerce/eMarketing – an ‘all things’ Revenue expert for Ashford.
  • Provide strategic leadership for Ashford Hotels’ participation in Marriott Elevated, Hilton EDGE & Remington E-Commerce.
  • Measure, track & recommend best-in-class Search, Mobile, Tablet & Social Media strategies.
  • Develop & implement hotel sales strategies across the portfolio to achieve optimal financial performance in conjunction with ownership objectives and the property leadership team. Manage the process to help set specific goals to achieve them and communicate performance across the revenue & asset management teams.
  • Monitor & improve sales, revenue management &/or eCommerce deployment and use of resources at the property level.
  • Pricing, Yield & Sales Strategy integration into Distribution & E-Commerce strategies.
  • Provide expertise on marketing execution plans (paid search, earned media, social media, promotions, partnerships) to meet portfolio sales and financial objectives, and ensure returns consistent with Ashford's financial metrics.
  • Strategize & introduce new business sources & channels for eCommerce departments at Brands & Management Companies to cultivate and activate new revenue streams.
  • Work with Analyst(s) to ensure accurate preparation and distribution of daily, weekly, monthly revenue reports. The reports include market segmentation analysis, production reports, source contribution analysis, daily pick-up reports, preferred guest program analysis, etc.
  • Detailed analysis of STR Data over 5 – 10 year cycle.
  • Details analysis of Demand360 over 2 years historical and 365 days forward-looking.
  • Maintain group & transient pick-up and pace reports and communicate with the Asset Management team about upcoming gaps & needs.
  • Maintain Forecast & Budget reports and communicate with the Asset Management team about upcoming gaps & needs.
  • Must be knowledgeable of all rates, room types, and hotel products.
  • Participate in weekly revenue management, sales strategy &/or e-commerce meetings & calls with brands & management companies, as needed.
  • Monitor and analyze the competition daily / weekly through shop reports, the Internet & Demand360 data to identify selling strategies and market trends.
  • Assist in preparing short and long term forecasts.
  • Review and analyze reports includingRate Shopping Tools, STAR, Hotel Intelligence 360, Demand 360, Online Reputation Reporting and other measurement tools and present revenue opportunities.
  • Participate in special projects and company-wide initiatives as needed.

Candidate Profile – Key Talents & Experience Desired:

  • Required: 3+ years in Revenue Management, Sales &/or E-Commerce in Hospitality.
  • Ability to travel domestically 10 – 20% a month.
  • Knowledge of all industry reports such as STR, Hotelligence, Revinate, P&L, Demand360, Market Vision, PMS data, etc.
  • Knowledge of all industry systems: PMS, RMS, CRS &/or Sales Automation.
  • Expert in Microsoft Excel, Word, Power Point.
  • Working knowledge of statistical applications & principles.
  • Ability to work quickly in a high-pressure & high stress environment.
  • Excellent time management skills (E.g. Ability to juggle 20+ projects & priorities simultaneously.)
  • Exceptional attention to detail and follow up ability.
  • Strong analytical skills, ability to clean & interpret Big Data.
  • Ability to develop robust new strategic, industry solution concepts that address key opportunity areas by brand, market and/or management company.
  • Relationship oriented.
  • Excellent communication, inter-personal and persuasion skills required to sell concept both within the company and within the lodging industry.
  • Temperament and ability to lead projects from concept to approval to implementation.

PREFERRED:

  • Ability to handle complexities of working with brands, management companies, internal and external stakeholders.
  • Prior Marriott &/or Hilton experience.
  • Starwood, IHG or Hyatt brand is a plus.
  • Experience with Times Series Forecasting for Unconstrained Demand.
  • Experience with Correlation Analysis.
  • Consumer Segmentation & Analytics.
  • Development & implementation of new Business Intelligence Systems or Reporting.
  • Experience with Google Apps for Business.

Education:

  • Bachelor's degree required (Business, Engineering, Finance, Economics, Math or Stats is preferred); Graduate degree, e.g., MBA or related is a plus but not required.