Executive Vice President

Visit Raleigh; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

The Executive Vice President (EVP) at the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau (GRCVB) leads the organization’s sales, marketing, data and technology strategy from Raleigh, NC.

You will oversee conventions, sports and leisure sales, brand evolution, and partnerships, guiding the Destination Strategic Plan 2028 and driving measurable economic impact through public-private collaboration and innovative campaigns.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in relevant field.
• Minimum 10+ years of supervisory management experience in convention, sports, or destination marketing.
• Proven ability to lead large teams and manage complex programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage internal departments to drive KPI performance.
• Translate strategic plans into actionable annual goals and budgets.
• Direct innovative tourism initiatives and market entry strategies.
• Build executive relationships with public officials and stakeholders.
• Represent GRCVB in national and international industry forums.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Digital marketing

Data-driven decision making

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Tourism or related field

Tools

CRM/CMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

Executive Vice President (EVP)

Organization: Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau (GRCVB)
Reports To: President & CEO
Location: Raleigh, NC
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

About the City and the County

Consisting of 835 square miles, with a growing population of 1.2+ million and annual visitor arrivals of 19.1 million, Wake County is a thriving place. In addition to the county government and unincorporated areas of Wake County, there are 12 cities and towns, the largest of which by population size are Raleigh, Cary, Apex and Wake Forest; learn more at https://www.visitRaleigh.com/plan-a-trip/cities-and-towns/. Wake County is also home to the state’s largest university, North Carolina State, and nine other traditional colleges or universities; see list at https://www.visitRaleigh.com/plan-a-trip/colleges-anduniversities/. Raleigh’s convention center (completed in 2008) has announced a significant expansion bookable for 2030, and the county’s largest convention hotel (Omni Raleigh-600 rooms, due in 2028) is currently under construction; read more here: https://www.atlanticunionbankconventioncenter.com/expansion.

About the GRCVB

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (GRCVB) is the officialdestination marketing organization (DMO) for all of Wake County.

The GRCVB is governed by a 12-memberBoard of Directorsand funded by an approximately 25-percent share of the six-percent Wake County Hotel Occupancy Tax and a capped $675,000 share of the one-percent Prepared Food and Beverage Tax. The GRCVB currently has 35 full-time team members and an operating budget of $12.3M in fiscal year 2027.

Our vision is to be the prime visitor advocate and regional leader of destination marketing and product development in Wake County. Raleigh, N.C. As our vibrant county continues to grow, strong alliances and seamless cooperation among local partners will be the hallmark of our future.

Brand Promise

Raleigh stands as the intellectual, cultural, culinary and innovation hub of North Carolina. It’s a cool capital city with diverse offerings spanning food, live music, sports, arts and the scenic outdoors. Visitors will be met with Raleigh’s kindness, charm and local flair—a unique take on Southern hospitality that promises elevated experiences.

Vision

To be the prime visitor advocate and regional leader of destination marketing and product development

Mission

The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, as the official destination marketing organization of Raleigh and Wake County, accelerates sustainable economic growth and development by increasing visitor and convention business.

Performance Goals

The Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau (GRCVB) is a performance based, instrumentality of the City of Raleigh and Wake County Governments. All initiatives are measured against annual performance goals, which are implemented by staff and monitored by the GRCVB Board of Directors.

About the Role

The Executive Vice President (EVP) serves as the strategic architect of the GRCVB’s comprehensive, integrated sales and marketing ecosystem. Reporting directly to the President & CEO, you will navigate a rapidly evolving competitive landscape to drive regional growth.

In this role, you will oversee all conventions, sports and leisure sales and service initiatives, brand evolution, data and technology strategies, community engagement, and media relations. You will have direct leadership for transforming the long-term Destination Strategic Plan 2028 into measurable economic victories for our community, leveraging both organizational talent, public sentiment, public-private funding and next-generation technologies to maximize direct economic impact to our community.

Direct Reports

• Vice President of Marketing and Communications
• Vice President, Destination Data, Technology and AI
• Executive Director of Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance
• Director of Sales
• Director of Destination Services
• Director of Public Relations and International Tourism

Core Priorities & Impact Metrics

• Economic Engine: Drive regional prosperity by overseeing departmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), focusing heavily on hotel room night generation, direct economic impact, destination market share, social media, meta data, earned media and groups serviced.
• Growth & Scale: Accelerate and sustain performance across both the Convention, Sports and Leisure sales segments as outlined in the 10-year Destination Strategic Plan (DSP) and the forthcoming JLL Convention Center Expansion study.
• Strategic & Tech Leadership: Champion data-driven planning and the integration of emerging marketing technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data engine analytics to maintain a competitive edge.
• Key Alliances: Deepen the strategic selling and marketing relationship with Atlantic Union Bank Convention Center, Lenovo Center, attractions, restaurants and hotel leadership partners.
• Bureau Excellence: Continuously elevate GRCVB service levels, sales and marketing execution, industry partnerships and strong community sentiment for visitation.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Departmental Oversight: Lead, mentor, and manage most internal GRCVB departments, establishing rigorous KPI frameworks anchored in performance tracking, measurement and execution tied to GRCVB Annual Business Plan.
• Strategic Execution: Translate the CVB’s long-term (DSP) into actionable annual goals, ensuring the efficient deployment of budget, assets, and manpower to achieve 2028-2029 target visitation goals.
• Innovation & Market Entry: Direct innovative tourism initiatives and entry into new market segments, including developing next-generation tradeshows, esports and high-demand visitor festivals and events.
• Executive & Stakeholder Relations: Work in sync with the CEO to achieve strategic plan objectives; provide data-backed counsel to direct reports and GRCVB Board of Directors.
• Community Relations: With the direction of the President & CEO, represent GRCVB at community events and activities to help build relationships and understanding of the importance of the CVB and tourism among key stakeholders, partners, and residents.
• Culture & Compliance: Champion the CVB’s mission, vision, ethical codes, and confidentiality standards, fostering an inclusive, high-performance work environment.

Ideal Background & Skill Set

• Destination Sales Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of the convention group, sports and leisure markets, including customer segmentation, distribution networks, and strategic planning and negotiating.
• Digital & AI Fluency: Deep understanding of current digital marketing trends, web and marketing automation, emerging AI-driven data tools, and predictive data modeling to optimize audience targeting and campaign ROI.
• Destination Development: Solid operational understanding of hotels, convention center, sports and attraction facilities. Understanding booking cycles, yield management, and partner objectives. Additional knowledge in proposed facility modeling, feasibility and objective economic impact measurement.
• Financial & Resource Acumen: Strong command of budgeting, resource allocation, ROI measurement and complex financial problem-solving.
• Executive Communications: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with a proven ability to deliver persuasive, high-impact presentations to public officials, municipal management teams, industry stakeholders and GRCVB BOD.
• Agility: Ability to thrive under shifting priorities, with the flexibility to absorb a demanding workload that includes irregular evening/weekend hours and frequent travel.

Position Requirements

Minimum Experience and Education

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Marketing, Tourism or a related field required.
• Experience: Minimum of 10+ years of supervisory management experience with a proven track record of hands‑on leadership in:
  • Convention Group Sales, Sports and Services
  • Destination Marketing & Brand Management
  • Omnichannel Media Relations & Public Affairs
  • Tradeshow and Client Event Development & Budgeting
  • Automated Account Management Systems (CRM/CMS)
  • Microsoft Office Suite and CRM proficiency.

Required Qualifications

• Industry Leadership: An established, visible national profile within the hospitality, tourism, or destination marketing industry. Represent (GRCVB) at national and international industry meetings, tradeshows and professional organizations.
• Advanced Leadership: Over 10+ successful years influencing convention, sports and consumer markets, with specific experience leading large teams in the hospitality space. Build strong intradepartmental partnerships for organizational alignment, forecasting, goal achievement and staff accountability.
• Strategic Planning: A strategist mindset; someone who can synthesize complex market information into actionable destination strategies across multiple visitation segments.
• Contractual & Analytical Expertise: Strong quantitative analysis skills and direct experience navigating complex, multi-party contractual negotiations.
• Financial Management: Ensure fiscal responsibility of organizational resources.
  Evaluate return on investment for departmental initiatives and organizational grant programs for meetings, sports and festivals.
• Global & Digital Reach: Direct experience leveraging advanced digital marketing applications and navigating key customer markets within the US and abroad.
• Executive Communications and Board Relations: Serve as principal advisor to the President & CEO on all matters related to organizational
  structure, process, strategic planning, market conditions, risks and competitive positioning.
  Prepare and present executive level reports, forecasts and strategic analyses for GRCVB leadership, Board of Directors and hospitality stakeholders as requested by the President & CEO.
• Communication: Absolute clarity in expressing complex strategic, financial, and statistical concepts in written and spoken language.

Core Characteristics

• Integrity: Uncompromising ethical standards, transparency, and commitment to the public trust.
• Open Communicator: An accessible, collaborative communication style that inspires confidence and builds trust across diverse teams.
• Mentor Mindset: A dedicated passion for cultivating talent, fostering professional growth, building organizational leaders and building cohesive, high-performing teams.
• Innovator: A strategic thinker that encourages and adopts new ideas and strategies in achieving goals and objectives and seeks ways to streamline processes and procedures to maximize efficiency and interdepartmental collaboration.
• Community Advocate: Demonstrates ability to build strong relationships with municipal officials, civic leaders, tourism partners and community stakeholders in a collaborative, supporting and stewardship mindset.

Additional Details: Salary commensurate with experience.