Overview

The Durham Convention Center Sales Manager is responsible for promoting the booking of events for the convention center. This position negotiates with the client on rental rates and terms of the contract and provides proposals with comprehensive details. This position provides responsible support to the Director of Sales & Marketing.

This role pays an annual salary of $45,000-$60,000.

Benefits for Full-Time roles: Health, Dental and Vision Insurance, 401(k) Savings Plan, 401(k) matching, and Paid Time Off (vacation days, sick days, and 11 holidays).

This position will remain open until June 12, 2026.

Responsibilities

• Represent the facility to all potential facility users.
• Support the Director of Sales & Marketing in developing strategies to attract new markets and facility users.
• Manage and participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities of all Sales programs and activities.
• Assume management responsibility for all services and activities of the Sales Department within the facility including sales tools and materials, proposals, sales calls and contracts.
• Create and execute strategy to develop assigned market segments and event types.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the local CVB, area hotels, facility staff, service providers and facility users.
• Work cooperatively with the CVB in meeting the needs of both tentative and confirmed facility users.
• Respond to inquiries by prospective and confirmed facility users regarding rental rates and space availability for the facility.
• Apply a 24-hour turnaround on responses to client requests and general correspondence.
• Investigate available dates and compatible spaces for new and repeat facility users, suggesting alternate dates when necessary. 
• Conduct facility tours and make formal presentations to convention and exhibition managers and other facility users regarding facility booking policies, rental rates, services and operational policies.
• Screen facility use applications and other documents for compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Conduct background checks on prospective events.
• Prepare written facility use proposals and cost estimates for potential facility users; reevaluate potential business value of various events and facility users; initiate booking discussions; finalize all booking arrangements.
• Prepare event license agreements and addenda; consult with the Director of Sales & Marketing regarding specific language issues; prepare related correspondence to facility users.
• Interpret and explain convention center booking and scheduling policies and procedures.
• Enter and maintain facility user contact information and booking information into computerized event booking and management system; update as necessary.
• Provide information to and relay information between other facility departments involved in servicing events.
• Assist facility users and event managers with planning events.
• Participate in the development of marketing materials as directed.
• Prepare various reports on operations and activities.
• Attend meetings as scheduled, prepared and ready to contibute.
• As assigned, conduct a variety of industry related studies and recommend modifications to departmental service delivery methods and operational policies and procedures as appropriate.
• Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless customer service.
• Travel to and represent the facility at various industry events.
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3-5+ years of increased sales responsibility in an arena, convention center, sports franchise, hotel or other similar public assembly or hospitality facility.
• Bachelor’s degree or better from an accredited college or university with major course works in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field. Additional years of experience may be substituted for formal education.
• Ability to work event nights, weekends and holidays as required.
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation preferred.
• Has a strong track record of building relationships and generating new business.
• Excellent organizational skills, leadership skills, customer service skills.
• Knowledge of Public Assembly facility management, Tourism Industry Principles, Operational characteristics of events.
• Principles and practices of sales and marketing, specifically new business development.
• Strong PC and data processing skills; working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, as well as database management software.