Description

About Visit Seattle

Visit Seattle is a private, non-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) serving Seattle and King County. We exist to responsibly grow the visitor economy for the benefit of the community. 

About the Role

The Vice President of Meetings & Conventions is a strategic, results-driven leader responsible for the implementation, talent and outcomes of Visit Seattle’s meetings and conventions work.  This role oversees four department divisions and collaborates closely with the Seattle Convention Center to provide critical leadership that drives economic impact and elevates Seattle’s position in the meetings and conventions market. This position serves as a sales driver, as well as being a representative of Visit Seattle in key community and industry forums, partnering closely with the Seattle Convention Center, headquarters, city, & regional hotels, plus all hospitality stakeholders, to shape near and long-term sales strategies.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Leadership, Sales, and Operations

• Develop and execute strategic sales plans in conjunction with marketing, communication and membership divisions to promote, position and elevate Seattle and King County as a premier meetings and conventions destination.
• Oversee and be actively engaged in daily operations of the Convention Sales, Services & Events team to maximize productivity and ensure industry leading, collaborative and prompt responses for our clients and hospitality community.
• Manage all administrative areas related to meetings and conventions, including goals and incentives, measurement systems, effective and innovative customer events, CRM, lead distribution, reporting, data integrity, and team compliance.
• Effectively lead and work closely and in tandem with all department leadership for goal setting, incentive programs, training, budgets, team and community meetings, citywide strategies, market and account strategies, site and planning inspections, industry initiatives, attendance building programs, data collection, and approximately 100 customer events throughout the year.
• Support industry partnership agreements and all deliverables.
• Maintain expert-level knowledge of the Seattle Convention Center, hotel inventory, and destination assets.
• Stay informed on local and industry developments, initiatives, data, and trends.
• Proactively identify challenges and ambitiously work to address them.
• Review and approve major bids, proposals, and pricing strategies to ensure competitiveness, creativity and differentiators.
• Analyze all business reports to drive continuous improvement.
• Take on additional strategic projects as needed and as assigned by the EVP, Sales & Marketing.

 Stakeholder and Partner Collaboration

• Lead, in close partnership with all divisions within the Seattle Convention Center, on citywide strategies, planning, implementation and execution on collaborative goals as well as business evaluation, and competitive, compelling bids, plus success measurements.
• Partner closely with hotel and venue sales leaders to understand market needs and drive mutually beneficial outcome.
• Facilitate regular stakeholder meetings to align on strategy, share insights, and identify opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with hotel sales leaders, venues, attractions, and city representatives.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and inspire the sales, services and events team, including four division leaders.
• Conduct regular strategy sessions, one-on-ones, and team meetings.
• Establish clear goals, performance expectations, and incentives aligned with organizational priorities.
• Attract, develop, engage and retain top talent critical to Visit Seattle’s success.
• Role-model Visit Seattle’s core values: Inclusion, Impact, Commitment, and Excellence.
• Foster a positive, high-performance culture focused on service, accountability, innovation, and measurable impact.
• Remove barriers to success, streamline processes, and ensure rapid response to client opportunities.
• Develop and oversee departmental budgets in collaboration with department leaders, ensuring efficient resource allocation and achievement of revenue and engagement targets.

 Client Relations, Industry & Community Representation

• Represent Visit Seattle in professional organizations, partner collaborations, at trade shows, client events, and sales missions as needed.
• Prepare and deliver reports and updates representing the Visit Seattle meetings and conventions divisions at industry and community programs, as well as organizational and Seattle Convention Center board meetings, as directed by EVP, Sales & Marketing.
• Maintain and enhance important relationships with customers in all market segments.
• Conduct and help execute site visits and client meetings to support sales objectives and ensure exceptional experiences.
• Actively promote Seattle as a leading convention destination through advocacy and engagement.

Requirements

Key Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive sales leadership experience in the hospitality industry.
• 5+ years of sales leadership for a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) partnering with convention centers and large hotels in a major market preferred.
• Proven track record in securing national association and corporate convention business.
• Deep knowledge of destination sales strategies.
• Visionary leadership with the strong ability to inspire, motivate, and develop teams.
• A curious leader who displays consistent critical, collaborative, and thoughtful thinking.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including budget management and revenue development.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills; ability to engage effectively with diverse audiences.
• Outstanding leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Collaborative and innovative mindset aligned with Visit Seattle’s core values of Inclusion, Impact, Commitment, and Excellence.
• Willingness to travel and work evenings/weekends as required.
• Experience leading citywide convention sales or large-scale event planning.
• Proficiency in CRM systems and data-driven sales analytics.
• Active participation in organizations such as PCMA, ASAE, or MPI preferred.