Director of Sales & Marketing

Kimpton; Italia; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive leadership role

International career development

Permanent contract possibility

Job summary

Kimpton Villa Miramare Taormina seeks a Commercial Strategy leader to shape the hotel’s revenue-driven plan in a luxury market. You will oversee Sales, Marketing, Digital, Public Relations and Business Development while collaborating with Revenue Management to maximise occupancy and profitability.

The role requires extensive luxury hotel leadership experience, fluency in English and Italian, and a proven track record across branding, distribution, partnerships and strategic negotiations in Italy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management or Business preferred.
• Extensive leadership experience in luxury hotel sales and marketing.
• Strong knowledge of luxury distribution channels and partnerships.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Italian.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and refine the hotel's integrated commercial strategy from a total revenue perspective.
• Lead Sales, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development initiatives.
• Position Kimpton Villa Miramare Taormina as a premier luxury destination in Taormina and the Mediterranean.
• Collaborate with Revenue Management to maximise occupancy, ADR, RevPAR and market share.
• Build strategic partnerships and negotiate corporate agreements and RFPs.
• Drive direct business while optimising OTA performance and CRM usage.

Skills

Luxury hospitality experience

Sales leadership

Marketing leadership

English and Italian proficiency

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management or Business

Tools

Salesforce

Delphi

Cvent

IHG commercial systems

Job description

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.