Business Development Lead - Global Partnerships & Convention Sponsorships

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEAD –
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS & CONVENTION SPONSORSHIPS

General Job Description

The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) is seeking a highly motivated, seasoned sales professional to join our team as Business Development Lead for our Global Partners and Convention Sponsors. Candidates should be customer-focused individuals with a proven sales background and the capacity to quickly generate sales in a fast-paced setting. Applicants must also be detail-oriented and possess excellent communication & organizational skills.

This work-from-home position reports to the Vice President–Global Partnerships, is full-time and has the possibility for domestic and international travel, including attending mainstream and LGBTQ+ trade shows & tourism conferences.
IGLTA is an internationally renowned LGBTQ+ travel brand that has been operating continuously since 1983. We are a non-profit organization based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, marketing to LGBTQ+ travelers worldwide and catering to the needs of the tourism companies that welcome them.
We are adding to our operations team to further expand our Global Partner portfolio and increase the number of Convention Sponsors, focusing specifically on non-tourism related economic sectors.
Principal job responsibility is to build an incremental revenue stream outside of non-dues revenue for IGLTA and the IGLTA Convention by identifying leads and developing relationships with businesses not directly related to the tourism industry and encouraging them to support IGLTA either through corporate Global Partnership or sponsorship of our Global Convention. The role will also include support to the Vice President – Global Partnerships.
The ideal candidate must have outstanding sales skills to foster long-standing and successful relationships with key partners/sponsors. They will also need to be able to pivot in order to develop strategic solutions focused on the needs of our partners & sponsors with clear and decisive communication.
Additional responsibilities include: creating sales presentations; developing strategic communications to demonstrate opportunities for brand alignment with IGLTA across multiple verticals; coordination of partner/sponsor benefits fulfillment (including: collecting and reporting information on fulfillment activities; overseeing creation of fulfillment reports; establishing a working relationship with our partners and sponsors by communicating via email or telephone and in-person meetings); establishing a working relationship with the VP- Global Partnerships (based in Paris, France); working with other departments (IGLTA Foundation, social media, marketing, communications, membership, web development, etc.) and outside vendors (e-blasts, display advertising).
Ultimately this role will build an incremental revenue stream for IGLTA, provide service and support to our Global Partners and Convention Sponsors; ensuring they are receiving top value for their investments, while also building a professional working relationship established on trust and respect, ensuring that their LGBTQ+ marketing objectives are met and that their IGLTA partnership or sponsorship benefits have been fulfilled in a timely manner.

Qualifications and Experience

The ideal candidate:

• Is a highly motivated, goal-oriented, seasoned sales professional.
• Has previous experience in corporate sponsorships with a proven sales success record.
• Is at ease with business development: asking for an order and successful in closing sales.
• Has a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration or related field, and preferably 3-5 years of similar sales experience.
• Has an analytical approach and is able to demonstrate why their ideas are analytically sound.
• Can create market development strategies across multiple verticals.
• Possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Is proficient with Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Is comfortable working in the Google Workspace environment.
• Brings to the position excellent time management skills, outstanding organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously while respecting deadlines and meeting sales goals.
• Is innovative and creative, thinks outside of the box and is willing to test new ideas, seek out new solutions, is a fast learner and early adopter. 
• Is proficient with CRM software;
• Is comfortable working virtually and in a small team environment.
• Is able to apply basic mathematics, able to calculate percentages, use and interpret formulas.
• Is eager to meet and exceed objectives and willing to take on more responsibility.
• Is able to clearly communicate results to management in a fast-paced environment.
• Pays attention to details and gets the job done; is able to work autonomously.
• Must have exceptional people skills, an outgoing personality, and a positive attitude, is optimistic, energetic, a self-starter and seen as a “people person”.
• Speaks fluent English plus at least one additional language.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify leads and develop relationships with prospective businesses and corporations not specifically related to the tourism industry and encourage them to support IGLTA either through corporate Global Partnership or sponsorship of our Global Convention
• Work with the support team to oversee the creation and updating of routine Global Partner Fulfillment reports, Convention Sponsorship Fulfillment reports and provide these reports to partners/sponsors on a timely basis
• Coordinate fulfillment of Convention Sponsorships leading up to and during the IGLTA Global Convention, in collaboration with the VP-Global Partnerships and the Meeting Planner
• Create and update communication calendars and timelines for the various IGLTA marketing vehicles used by our partners and sponsors
• Create and monitor IGLTA social media content to promote our partners and sponsors
• Bring value to partnerships and sponsorships by helping to increase partner/sponsor visibility amongst LGBTQ+ travelers and allied travel professionals
• Participate in and contribute to strategic planning conversations that surround our partnership and sponsorship programs.

In addition to the annual salary, this role is also commission eligible. Payout on commission is dependent on reaching quarterly and annual goals as set by IGLTA.

How to apply for this position

IGLTA is an equal opportunity organization and encourages applications from people regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, marital status, immigration status, veteran status, or disability. IGLTA has a Global Operations Team with virtual offices in eight countries. This position is home-based and may include some travel. It is a full-time position in a small staff “hands on” environment. If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit your resume and a cover letter to
iglta@iglta.org