VP, Business Development, Travel Trade

Title: VP, Business Development, Travel Trade

Department: OBS Sales

Reports To: VP, Operations - OBS

Location: New York, New York 

FLSA: Full-Time, Exempt

Company Summary

The Empire State Building Observatory (ESBO) is New York’s City most iconic, the most Instagrammed U.S. landmark, and the world’s most famous building that has wowed millions of global visitors as they witnessed the jaw dropping views whether from its popular 360-degree, open-air Observatory, or its 102nd floor floor-to-ceiling glass enclosed viewing gallery. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire State Realty Trust.

Are you a dynamic, goal-oriented leader with a passion for driving travel trade sales success? Do you excel at building high-performing teams and achieving revenue targets while delivering outstanding customer experiences? If so, come join our team where hard work, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence are rewarded, and together, we'll create a top-tier attraction in the travel industry.

The ESBO has recently undergone a top-to-bottom renovation that includes a dedicated Guest entrance, an immersive, tactile, and digital museum that celebrates our icon from the moment it was conceived to its place today in pop-culture, and a completely re-imagined 102nd floor viewing experience (www.esbnyc.com). Within the museum’s more than one dozen memorable moments, we could not resist but sprinkle a little extra fun with the inclusion of our Kong exhibit where visitors walk through an office from the 1930’s complete with the famous, giant ape's fingers pierce the walls as he dangles from the building and dodges vintage fighter planes. Those brave enough can even step into Kong's hands – but beware, you might feel the power of this fearsome ape firsthand!

The renovations also include industry-leading Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) improvements such as bi-polar ionization, MERV 13 filters, and increased ventilation that led to the building’s achievement as the first building in the Americas to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating .

Overall, the Guest feedback has been stellar! New York Times’ quote: “…exhilarating and intimate.”

Are you a driven, self-motivated and results oriented professional who thrives on building a winning team? Do you define success as the ability to drive revenue, EBIDTA, and deliver an exceptional experience? Then join our team and experience the rewards of hard work, teamwork, learning, and dedication to create a “best-in-class” attraction that requires excellence in all that we undertake.

About Empire State Realty Trust

Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets and the Observatory deck attraction in ESRT’s flagship Empire State Building – the “World’s Most Famous Building”. The Company is the recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As of March 31, 2024, ESRT's portfolio is comprised of approximately 8.6 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.7 million rentable square feet of retail space and 727 residential units. More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at esrtreit.com and by following ESRT on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , X, and LinkedIn .

The dedicated team at ESRT is a collection of diverse individuals with a shared passion for excellence and a keen eye toward future growth. Headquartered in New York City, we harness the energy of the city in everything we do. We care for one another, work hard, and have a lot of fun doing it! We are Certified™ as a Great Place to Work® by the global authority, Great Place to Work®, on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors. We prioritize and invest in the health and wellness of employees to attract, develop, and retain top-tier talent. ESRT values continuous employee development and encourages colleagues to excel in their roles and adapt to emerging business needs. From our crown jewel, The Empire State Building, to incredible buildings modernized for the 21st century, to outstanding customer service, and our decade-long leadership position in sustainability and energy efficient portfolio that is 100% fully powered by renewable wind electricity, we take pride in our work. ESRT seeks an equally passionate colleague to join the team, understand the vision and help achieve that vision.

Position Summary

This position as VP, Business Development, Travel Trade for The Empire State Building Observatory oversees the entire Sales organization for the Observatory. The ideal candidate is not only knowledgeable on sales and the hospitality industry, but also strategic, well-versed in different markets, and proactive. This individual will provide multi-year strategies for all sales partners and markets, while leveraging technology and analytics to optimize revenues and improve efficiencies.

Responsibilities

• Oversee total sales goals and activities
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret sales data and market insights to drive actionable strategies
• Ability to embrace challenges, take risks, learn fast and influence change to lead execution of strategic initiatives
• Develop specific sales plans for all travel trade partners and markets
• Prepare and deliver on sales goals for each travel trade partner, market, and seller
• Monitor and review daily sales performance through key metrics (admissions, sales, revenues, per caps, upsells, etc.)
• Provide strong leadership to the Sales Team, fostering a positive and cohesive culture
• Foster a collaborative environment that promotes development, teamwork, initiative, and critical thinking
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, negotiation, and presentation skills
• Report performance, metrics, and sales tactics to senior leadership
• Review marketing initiatives, social campaigns, and other tactics to increase sales and per caps
• Create an annual sales budget for industry events, memberships, trade shows, conferences, sales collateral, and partnerships
• Explore additional sales opportunities and partnerships for future business development
• Look for new initiatives that generate incremental revenues
• Forecast by segment and market recovery for multiple years in advance
• Develop and maintain an exceptional rapport with partners, especially NYC Tourism and Conventions
• Conduct competitor analysis and study market trends for sales strategies to exceed goals and achieve business objectives
• Review booking patterns and trends by trade partner and market to determine revenue opportunities, marketing initiatives, and partnerships
• Support of key trade shows and FAM (familiarization visits) activities
• Maintain a high-level of service with clients through customer service and account management
• Manage interdepartmental relationships and ensure SOP’s and company standards are adhered to
• Collaborate with Marketing regarding print and digital assets to enhance the guest experience, sales process, and trade shows/client events
• Work with IT for efficiencies and to deploy new tools and software
• Partner with Operations and Accounting to ensure that day- to-day operations are successful
• Manage all third-party vendors and agencies, especially in international markets
  
  

What Success Looks Like

• Drive sales and admissions per cap through all tour and travel channels.
• Discover new business developments for incremental revenue opportunities.
• Build a long-term sales strategy with necessary reporting, tools, and strategies.
• Take initiative to develop new partnerships, products, and tactics.
• Innovate existing business practices through a strong work ethic, customer-focused mentality, teamwork, and thorough research.
  
  

Required Skills/Abilities

• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Outstanding customer service skills.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in sales technology and CRM software.
• Passion for sales and customer service to provide the most memorable experience at ESBO.
• Excellent multi-tasking, organizational, and time management skills.
• Ability to travel 10-15% required.
  
  

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Minimum of seven years sales experience in hospitality or travel and tourism industry a must.
• Five years of sales leadership and senior management experience.
  
  

What You Can Expect

At ESRT, like our tenants, our employees come from everywhere. We foster a richly diverse work environment that captures top talent and cultivates the best ideas. By focusing on inclusion and celebrating our differences, we create even greater value — in business practices, relationships, and employee engagement. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees can thrive. In addition, ESRT employees embody our Company Culture & Success Factors -

• Adaptable – you are a self-starter who’s able to quickly digest and execute new processes to work both collaboratively and independently
• Dynamic – you are solutions-oriented, aim to improve processes and implement efficiency, and offer insightful feedback to improve ESRT
• Dependable – you take a strong sense of ownership and accountability over your work
• Passionate – you keep up with industry trends and are excited about the potential to propel the industry forward with a “roll-up-your-sleeves” attitude
• Curious – you consistently look for new ways to work smarter, not just harder
• Ethical – you treat others with respect, and embrace and contribute to a culture of diversity and inclusion
• Positive – you possess a service-oriented attitude with excellent follow through
  
  

The salary range for this position is $175,000-$200,000. Salary is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, job location, size of property where applicable, and/or certifications. In addition to your base salary, ESRT provides discretionary annual bonuses. ESRT offers comprehensive, competitive benefits & well-being programs including:

BENITFITS

• Competitive base salary and bonus
• Health/Dental/Vision insurance
• Company sponsored Life, AD&D, STD (with Salary Continuation), and LTD Insurance
• Voluntary Enhanced LTD Program
• Voluntary Hospital, Accident, and Cancer Programs
• 401(k) with 100% match up to 5%
• Paid parental leave
• Pre-tax transit accounts
• Employee Assistance Program for emotional, financial, and legal support
  
  

WELL-BEING

• Generous paid time off
• Flex Summer Fridays
• Employee engagement programs
• Volunteer time off
• Continuing education
• Complimentary Empire State Building Observatory access
• Complimentary gym membership and other wellness benefits
• Employee Discount Programs
  
  

ESRT is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We celebrate the unique differences of our employees because they drive curiosity, innovation, and the success of our business. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, caregiver status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination. Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities.