Group Sales Manager, The Statler Hotel

The SC Johnson College of Business unites three top‑ranked schools to deliver a comprehensive, interdisciplinary business education. Its mission is to transcend traditional business boundaries, transforming critical thinking into practical, real‑world solutions. The college’s vision—to inspire leaders who build sustainable, shared prosperity - is supported by core values of excellence, inclusion, engagement, community, and impact. These principles guide every program and initiative, fostering a collaborative environment dedicated to positive societal influence.

The Peter and Stephanie Nolan College of Hotel Administration at Cornell University is renowned for its pioneering hospitality education. Its mission is to cultivate leaders who excel in the hospitality industry through a blend of business acumen and innovative thinking. The college values excellence, community, and a commitment to shaping the future of hospitality.

As part of the SC Johnson College of Business and proudly affiliated with the Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration—the world’s premier hotel school— The Statler Hotel stands as Cornell University’s living laboratory for hospitality excellence. Known as “the premier hotel that teaches,” The Statler Hotel blends modern elegance with the vibrant energy of campus life, offering guests an immersive experience while serving as the operational training ground for future leaders of the global hospitality industry.

With more than 150 guest rooms, award‑winning service, and state‑of‑the‑art conference and event facilities, The Statler Hotel hosts many of Cornell’s most important gatherings. Its mission is rooted in delivering exceptional guest experiences while advancing hospitality education through hands‑on learning, innovation, and a deep commitment to service. As a cornerstone of Cornell’s hospitality ecosystem, the hotel plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of industry professionals.

Position Summary:

The Group Sales Manager is responsible for generating group business and maximizing revenue within assigned market segments through proactive prospecting, account development, relationship management, and the rebooking of past events. This position develops new business while building strong, long-term relationships with existing clients and Cornell partners.

Working closely with the Director of Sales & Marketing, the Group Sales Manager develops and executes sales strategies designed to achieve the hotel's revenue and market-share goals. The position also partners with the hotel's Strategy Team to evaluate group opportunities in the context of transient demand, need periods, displacement considerations, and overall hotel performance to ensure the optimal mix of business.

The Group Sales Manager manages the sales process from prospecting and lead qualification through proposal, negotiation, contracting, and turnover to the event team. The successful candidate will be highly organized, responsive, relationship-focused, and comfortable balancing multiple priorities in a fast-paced hospitality environment.

This position requires regular travel within the assigned market and occasional overnight travel to attend sales calls, client meetings, trade shows, conferences, and other business-development events. A valid driver's license and reliable transportation are required for local and regional travel.

This position offers a base salary plus eligibility to participate in the Statler’s Sales Incentive Plan. Participation and payout are not guaranteed and are subject to plan terms and eligibility criteria.

As a leader within The Statler Hotel, the Group Sales Manager also contributes to our unique educational mission, modeling hospitality leadership and supporting the development of the next generation of industry professionals.

• •Proactively prospect and develop new group accounts within assigned market segments.
• •Manage and grow existing accounts and pursue repeat/rebook opportunities.
• •Respond to leads and prepare proposals within established response-time standards.
• •Conduct site tours and client presentations.
• •Negotiate rates, concessions, and contract terms within established guidelines.
• •Maintain accurate account, activity, and opportunity information in Delphi.
• •Participate in sales calls, networking events, trade shows, and other business-development activities.
• •Partner with Revenue/Strategy to evaluate group opportunities, displacement, and need periods.
• •Meet or exceed established room-night, revenue, activity, and/or conversion goals.

Required Qualifications:

• •Bachelor's degree in hospitality, business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• •Minimum of three years of relevant hospitality sales, corporate sales, conference/convention sales, or comparable experience.
• •Demonstrated success meeting or exceeding revenue, sales activity, and client retention goals.
• •Strong relationship-building, negotiation, and consultative selling skills.
• •Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• •Proficiency with CRM, sales management, and business productivity platforms.
• •Ability to analyze sales data, forecast opportunities, and make data-informed decisions.
• •Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• •Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• •Commitment to inclusion, customer service excellence, and professional integrity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• •Hospitality, hotel, conference center, destination marketing, or higher education sales experience.
• •Experience with Delphi or a comparable hotel sales and catering system preferred
• •Knowledge of hotel revenue management principles, group displacement analysis, and strategic pricing.
• •Experience utilizing data visualization, reporting tools, or business intelligence platforms.
• •Familiarity with digital prospecting, social selling, and virtual client engagement strategies.
• •Experience working in a teaching hotel, higher education, or mission-driven organization.

This is a full-time, hybrid position based in Ithaca, NY. Salary to commensurate with education and experience.

Rewards and Benefits:

Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay .

Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards .

Our leave provisions include three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell

Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Education Benefits | Working at Cornell

Application Procedure:

When applying through our system, please remember to attach your application materials (Resume and Cover Letter) in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. In the Experience Section of your application, use the "Drop Files Here" box to manually drag document(s) into your application. For a more detailed description and instructions on how to apply online, please click here as an external candidate