Director of Sales & Marketing

Commercial Strategy

• Develop, implement and continuously refine the hotel's integrated commercial strategy, on a total revenue perspective.
• Lead all Sales, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development initiatives.
• Position Kimpton Villa Miramare Taormina as the preferred luxury lifestyle destination in Taormina and the wider Mediterranean market.
• Build commercial strategies aligned with the objectives of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and IHG Hotels & Resorts.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Revenue Management to maximise Occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, Market Share and overall profitability.

Sales Leadership

• Develop annual and long-term sales strategies across all market segments.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with luxury travel advisors, wholesale partners, destination management companies (DMCs), premium tour operators and corporate clients, in accordance with the distribution guidelines of IHG Hotels & Resorts.
• Lead negotiations for corporate agreements, preferred partnerships and RFP submissions.
• Drive leisure, luxury, strategic MICE and group business while optimising business mix.
• Identify new revenue opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Represent the hotel during sales missions and international roadshows.

Marketing & Brand Positioning

• Develop and execute comprehensive marketing and communication strategies.
• Lead brand positioning initiatives that reinforce Kimpton's unique lifestyle identity.
• Manage digital marketing campaigns including SEO, SEM, paid media, content marketing, influencer partnerships and social media strategy.
• Oversee creative content, photography, video production and storytelling initiatives.
• Ensure brand consistency across all communication channels.

Public Relations

• Develop and execute strategic PR plans.
• Build relationships with international media, luxury travel journalists and influencers.
• Coordinate press trips, media events and hotel launch activities.
• Act as a brand ambassador, representing the hotel at national and international events including ILTM, Arabian Travel Market (ATM), WTM London, ITB Berlin and other relevant luxury travel events.

Distribution & Commercial Systems

• Optimise distribution strategies across all sales channels.
• Maintain strong knowledge of luxury booking platforms and preferred distribution channels.
• Drive direct business while optimising OTA performance and cost of acquisition.
• Utilise CRM platforms such as Salesforce, Delphi, Cvent and IHG commercial systems to maximise commercial performance.

Luxury Consortia & Partnerships

Develop and strengthen relationships with leading luxury travel networks including:

• Virtuoso
• Signature Travel Network
• Serandipians
• Internova Travel Group
• Traveller Made
• American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts
• Preferred partner programmes and other strategic luxury distribution channels.

Commercial Performance

Monitor and analyse key commercial performance indicators including:

• Occupancy
• ADR (Average Daily Rate)
• RevPAR
• Market Share
• GOP Contribution
• Channel Mix
• Customer Acquisition Cost
• Brand Awareness
• Digital Performance Metrics
• ROI on Marketing Investments

Develop strategic action plans based on performance analysis and market intelligence.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Build, lead and inspire a high-performing Sales & Marketing team.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation and excellence.
• Manage departmental budget, recruitment and employee engagement initiatives.
• Coach, mentor and develop team members to achieve exceptional performance.
• Promote an environment based on trust, respect and continuous improvement.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will possess:

• Extensive experience as Director of Sales & Marketing, Director of Commercial or Senior Commercial Leader within luxury five-star hotels.
• Previous pre-opening luxury hotel experience is highly desirable.
• Experience with IHG Hotels & Resorts or another international luxury hotel company is considered a strong advantage.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Italian.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Italian luxury hospitality market and international luxury travel segments.
• Excellent understanding of the Taormina destination, Sicily and the wider Mediterranean luxury market.
• Proven success in developing and implementing integrated commercial strategies.
• Strong expertise across Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management collaboration, Digital Marketing and Public Relations.
• Extensive knowledge of luxury distribution channels and sales platforms.
• Strong network within the international luxury travel industry.
• Experience managing CRM systems, commercial technologies and hotel sales platforms;
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret commercial KPIs and convert insights into business results.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively in Italy and internationally
• Eligibility to work in Italy.

Personal Competencies

We are looking for an inspiring leader who demonstrates:

• Exceptional emotional intelligence.
• Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• A naturally engaging, charismatic and outgoing personality.
• Passion for luxury hospitality, lifestyle brands and guest experiences.
• Strong commercial acumen and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Confidence, resilience and sound judgement.
• Professional credibility and integrity.
• The ability to inspire confidence among colleagues, owners, partners and clients.
• Exceptional personal presentation, reflecting the standards of an international luxury lifestyle brand.
• The ability to create a positive, trusting and high-performing workplace culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing or a related discipline are a preferred plus.
• Master's Degree or professional qualifications in Sales, Marketing or Hospitality Management are considered advantageous.

What We Offer

• A unique opportunity to shape the commercial success of one of Sicily's most prestigious luxury hotel openings.
• Membership of the Executive Committee of Kimpton Villa Miramare Taormina.
• The opportunity to work with one of the world's leading luxury lifestyle hospitality brands.
• An annual employment contract commencing in September 2026.
• Following a successful performance assessment, the position can be converted into a permanent employment contract according to obtained results.
• Competitive executive compensation package, performance incentives and benefits.
• International career development opportunities within Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and IHG Hotels & Resorts.