Commercial Strategy
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Develop, implement and continuously refine the hotel's integrated commercial strategy, on a total revenue perspective.
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Lead all Sales, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Public Relations and Business Development initiatives.
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Position Kimpton Villa Miramare Taormina as the preferred luxury lifestyle destination in Taormina and the wider Mediterranean market.
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Build commercial strategies aligned with the objectives of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and IHG Hotels & Resorts.
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Collaborate closely with the Director of Revenue Management to maximise Occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, Market Share and overall profitability.
Sales Leadership
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Develop annual and long-term sales strategies across all market segments.
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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.
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Lead negotiations for corporate agreements, preferred partnerships and RFP submissions.
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Drive leisure, luxury, strategic MICE and group business while optimising business mix.
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Identify new revenue opportunities and strategic partnerships.
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Represent the hotel during sales missions and international roadshows.
Marketing & Brand Positioning
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Develop and execute comprehensive marketing and communication strategies.
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Lead brand positioning initiatives that reinforce Kimpton's unique lifestyle identity.
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Manage digital marketing campaigns including SEO, SEM, paid media, content marketing, influencer partnerships and social media strategy.
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Oversee creative content, photography, video production and storytelling initiatives.
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Ensure brand consistency across all communication channels.
Public Relations
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Develop and execute strategic PR plans.
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Build relationships with international media, luxury travel journalists and influencers.
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Coordinate press trips, media events and hotel launch activities.
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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
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Optimise distribution strategies across all sales channels.
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Maintain strong knowledge of luxury booking platforms and preferred distribution channels.
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Drive direct business while optimising OTA performance and cost of acquisition.
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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:
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Virtuoso
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Signature Travel Network
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Serandipians
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Internova Travel Group
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Traveller Made
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American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts
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Preferred partner programmes and other strategic luxury distribution channels.
Commercial Performance
Monitor and analyse key commercial performance indicators including:
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Occupancy
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ADR (Average Daily Rate)
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RevPAR
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Market Share
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GOP Contribution
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Channel Mix
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Customer Acquisition Cost
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Brand Awareness
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Digital Performance Metrics
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ROI on Marketing Investments
Develop strategic action plans based on performance analysis and market intelligence.
Leadership Responsibilities
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Build, lead and inspire a high-performing Sales & Marketing team.
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Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation and excellence.
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Manage departmental budget, recruitment and employee engagement initiatives.
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Coach, mentor and develop team members to achieve exceptional performance.
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Promote an environment based on trust, respect and continuous improvement.
Candidate Profile
The successful candidate will possess:
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Extensive experience as Director of Sales & Marketing, Director of Commercial or Senior Commercial Leader within luxury five-star hotels.
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Previous pre-opening luxury hotel experience is highly desirable.
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Experience with IHG Hotels & Resorts or another international luxury hotel company is considered a strong advantage.
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Excellent written and spoken English and Italian.
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Comprehensive knowledge of the Italian luxury hospitality market and international luxury travel segments.
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Excellent understanding of the Taormina destination, Sicily and the wider Mediterranean luxury market.
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Proven success in developing and implementing integrated commercial strategies.
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Strong expertise across Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management collaboration, Digital Marketing and Public Relations.
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Extensive knowledge of luxury distribution channels and sales platforms.
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Strong network within the international luxury travel industry.
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Experience managing CRM systems, commercial technologies and hotel sales platforms;
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Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret commercial KPIs and convert insights into business results.
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Excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills.
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Willingness to travel extensively in Italy and internationally
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Eligibility to work in Italy.
Personal Competencies
We are looking for an inspiring leader who demonstrates:
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Exceptional emotional intelligence.
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Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
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A naturally engaging, charismatic and outgoing personality.
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Passion for luxury hospitality, lifestyle brands and guest experiences.
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Strong commercial acumen and entrepreneurial thinking.
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Confidence, resilience and sound judgement.
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Professional credibility and integrity.
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The ability to inspire confidence among colleagues, owners, partners and clients.
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Exceptional personal presentation, reflecting the standards of an international luxury lifestyle brand.
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The ability to create a positive, trusting and high-performing workplace culture.
Qualifications
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Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing or a related discipline are a preferred plus.
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Master's Degree or professional qualifications in Sales, Marketing or Hospitality Management are considered advantageous.
What We Offer
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A unique opportunity to shape the commercial success of one of Sicily's most prestigious luxury hotel openings.
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Membership of the Executive Committee of Kimpton Villa Miramare Taormina.
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The opportunity to work with one of the world's leading luxury lifestyle hospitality brands.
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An annual employment contract commencing in September 2026.
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Following a successful performance assessment, the position can be converted into a permanent employment contract according to obtained results.
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Competitive executive compensation package, performance incentives and benefits.
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International career development opportunities within Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants and IHG Hotels & Resorts.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants crafts unique destinations that kindle heartfelt human connections. Our bespoke spaces blend spirit, style and delight to create an addictive culture of refined irreverence where locals, visitors & colleagues seamlessly connect.
Don't quite meet every single requirement, but still believe you'd be a great fit for the job? We'll never know unless you hit the 'Apply' button. Start your journey with us today.
