Career Center

The tasks listed below are representative of the time spent working in this class. Management may assign additional tasks related to the class as necessary.

• Represents Hampton to appropriate organizations/groups for the purposes of generating interest in the City as a viable sports destination; develops, coordinates, and implements comprehensive athletic event marketing and sales strategies including but not limited to attending trade shows, trade missions, out-of-market and in-market sales calls, advertising, and direct mail.
• Plans and coordinates the promotion of the Hampton as a major sports destination; works closely with the staff of the Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton Coliseum, Boo Williams Sportsplex and Hampton Virginia Aquaplex to facilitate maximum athletic event bookings; works closely with venues, hotels, attractions, restaurants and retail to generate successful proposals that bring tournament and other event business to Hampton.
• Maintains a working knowledge of all available facilities, sports event amenities,
  attractions, and services in the area, both public and private, to effectively educate
  prospective clients and acts as liaison between these entities and the client. Creates client familiarization trips, as needed, to present Hampton’s sports capabilities; travels to client locations and trade shows to present Hampton as a destination.
• Solicits state, regional, national, and international amateur, collegiate and professional events through prospecting by phone, letter, personal sales calls and bid presentations.
• Develops, implements, and manages comprehensive sales strategies; distributes sales leads to local hotel properties and follows up with booking notices as change of lead status occurs. Prospects accounts within sports market in iDSS to increase the number of potential events in each calendar year, focusing on booking for future years whenever possible.
• Identifies, establishes relationships, encourages, and recruits local citizens affiliated with regional, state, national, and/or international sports organizations to support Hampton as a host site for tournaments, meets, etc. associated with those organizations.
• Identifies potential business prospects and maintains a prospect file system including task management, geographic and alphabetical indexes, and documentation of all account maintenance in the computer sales software system; remains current on all traces and other work with accounts.
• Coordinates group services required for booked business with Sports Event Services Manager. Supports services effort to ensure exceptional outcome and potential for repeat business.
• Is able to competently coordinate and assist with sport court layout in Hampton Roads Convention Center and become knowledgeable of equipment standards for successful troubleshooting during basketball, volleyball, and other events. 
• Maintains weekly and monthly sales productivity statistics and prepares individual reports for the Director of Sales.
• Represents the Department and City in speaking with associations/groups to generate interest in the City as a viable sports destination; represents the City on committees and boards of associations, acting in a leadership role when possible.
• Assists the Director of Sales in the preparation and presentation of the marketing plan and sales budget for Hampton Conventions & Visitor Bureau; facilitates client meetings, project meetings, brainstorming sessions, and sales meetings; develops and implements a variety of special projects as needed.
• Acts as an administrator for the Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau sales software system (iDSS); with the Director of Sales, is responsible for the computerization and maintenance of the sales database and annual audit of sales files; compiles departmental sales statistics and individual monthly reports.
• Develops partnerships with other regional and Virginia destination marketing organizations to promote Hampton to prospective clients as a knowledgeable and capable sports destination, an integral City in the Coastal Virginia region and an active member of Sports Virginia.
• Demonstrates punctuality and regular attendance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements 

• Bachelor's degree in Sports Management, Marketing, Business, Parks & Recreation, or related field from an accredited college or university. 
• Four (4) years of full-time equivalent demonstrated sales performance, preferably with a sports event marketing or destination marketing organization
• Experience in hospitality industry and/or sports event field is preferred.
• A combination of education and experience may be considered for this position.
• Thorough knowledge of athletic event management.
• Must possess, or pursue within six (6) months of employment, the Sports Tourism Strategist (STS) Certification; it is expected that the certification will be completed at first opportunity or within three (3) years of employment.
• Must successfully pass a criminal background check related to this position prior to any offer of employment or promotion.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and must have and maintain a satisfactory driver’s record based on the City of Hampton’s criteria.

Additional Requirements

• The incumbent may be considered “essential personnel” during City emergency situations or at the direction of the City Manager which may include long hours and unusual schedules.