Virginia Beach is a diverse, vibrant, appealing community with a dynamic year-round tourism economy that serves the needs of local residents and visitors alike. The Virginia Beach Convention & Visitor’s Bureau develops and promotes Virginia Beach as a first-class, year-round destination that contributes to the quality of life and a diverse local economy. The Sales & Services Division’s mission is to drive new & incremental meeting and event opportunities of all sizes to the destination to maximize our hotel, convention center and City venues by creating compression in the marketplace; partner with local stakeholders to create positive guest experiences and loyal repeat and referral business for the City of Virginia Beach.
The Director of Destination Services is responsible for organizing, coordinating, and directing all operations within the Destination Services Department. Oversee both group and leisure visitors’ experience and services deliverables. Works with meeting planners to determine servicing requirements, marketing and on-site support, as well as employs tactics to help increase attendee engagement, both prior to arrival and while on site. Oversee all aspects of visitor experiences, ensuring positive interactions and promoting the destination. Serves as a liaison between the CVB, assigned groups and Bureau partners.
Job duties for the Director of Destination Services include the following:
- Responsible for the overall operation of the Destination Services department within the Convention & Visitors Bureau.
- Manage department budget and action plans.
- Establish objectives and incentives for employees within the Destination Service department.
- Communicates convention calendar/resumes to community regarding dates, plans and attendance.
- Develop service promotion package to be sent to meeting planners of upcoming conventions, meetings and events.
- • Responsible for providing services to city-wide, multiple facilities and single property events
- Assigns all departmental workflow and activities
- Delegate and direct destination service support staff to maximize productivity
- Ensures Destination Services departments’ timely response to service requests for small groups who may not come through the sales channel
- Develop others by mentoring, delegating responsibility and providing feedback
- Maintain knowledge and status of each group’s needs, commitments, housing requirements, transportation needs, etc.
- Client liaison to Marketing and Communications team, helping to promote meetings through attendance building.
- Assist the Destination Services team by checking in on groups when they are in town and following through the entire event to include weekends and evenings as necessary
- Coordinates the banner and signage program for citywide and other events as needed
- Maintain continual communication with Sales Managers as to the status of each booking.
- Maintain knowledge of present and future event facilities, hotels, event venues and the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
- Maintain positive relationship with VBCVB Partners and be familiar with services available. Send leads and referrals to assist partners/clients as needed.
- Act as extension of sales team to assist with the booking and re-booking process
- Attend out-of-town promotion trips for upcoming contracted groups as needed
- Oversee survey program to ensure client satisfaction with the Bureau as well as the community.
- Works with housing and transportation vendors. Maintain knowledge of transportation and housing procedures and guidelines.
- Troubleshoots problems and emergencies for confirmed clients and determines appropriate responses.
- Meet with potential clients during pre-planning site visits to assist in the success of their event booking in Virginia Beach.
- Ensure timely reporting in resources such as Simpleview and MINT databases.
- Lead cross-team meetings to maintain communication and ensure proper convention support and customer service is provided
- Oversee the promotional item inventory and distribution for all CVB departments
- Provide continuous training in all aspects of the Destination Services department to support conventions, meetings, events, and visitor services needs to both internal and external clients
- Oversees Visitor Center Manager to ensure they understand the organizations mission to be successful when assisting both leisure, convention, and sports visitors.
- Work with the Visitor Center Manager to build a volunteer database for destination services support.
- Coordinate city information desk for qualified groups with Visitor Services Manager. Determine which materials most closely suit the customer’s needs.
- Oversee the Mobile Visitor Center vans deployment throughout Virginia Beach with the Visitor Services Manager.
- Works with the Visitor Services Manager to ensure all Visitor Services employees, temp staff and volunteers a fully trained on all types of services offered and can carry out the duties assigned to them.
- Willing and able to drive the Mobile Visitors Center vans and able to work shifts if needed.
- Work collaboratively with other senior leaders and departments to support their efforts in
- Maintains departmental reporting for both destination & visitor services
- Assist in the hiring, orientation, and performance review of all employees within the Destination Service departments.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
As a City employee, you will enjoy a generous benefits package that includes paid time off, paid holidays, health, dental and vision insurance options, a wellness program, retirement, tuition reimbursement and more.
The City of Virginia Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
