Vice - President Sales & Marketing, Leisure Cruises Silenseas - Orient Express

ORIENT EXPRESS  

Artisan of Travel since 1883 Orient Express is a legendary brand, steeped in history and loved by past, present and future generations. Representing the pinnacle of ultra-luxury hospitality within Accor Group, this brand is currently going through exciting phases of rebirth and expansion.   

 Orient Express embodies the refined nomadic spirit of travel, inviting each traveler to a place where the journey is the destination. Bringing awe-inspiring travel experiences to a new generation of adventurers, its exceptional portfolio includes The Orient Express, with its original carriages reimagined as the new embassy of French luxury; Orient Express La Dolce Vita, a train embodying the 'Made in Italy' way; Orient Express Silenseas - the world’s largest sailing ship; and hotels coming to Rome and Venice.   

Progressively shaping the future of luxury hospitality, Orient Express is focusing on employee journey and growth.  

Orient Express Silenseas

140 years after the launch of its first luxury trains, the Orient Express legend continues with the launch of the world's largest sailing ships, the Orient Express Silenseas. A revolution in maritime history, and a fabulous project that pushes back the limits of what is possible. The result of a unique French partnership between Accor, the world leader in hospitality, and Chantiers de l'Atlantique, the world's leading cruiseship builder. This extraordinary sailing ship of the future, with its spectacular interiors, will set sail in 2026.

  Shipping HoldCo

For legal matters, the Orient Express Silenseas vessels will belong to the Shipping HoldCo Company, a subsidiary of Accor Luxury & Lifestyle, which owns and is responsible for the Silenseas vessel construction and operation.

The Vice-President Sales and Marketing  is responsible for managing and optimizing the sales and marketing for the Cruises division at Silenseas Orient Express is a strategic leadership role responsible for developing and executing comprehensive sales strategies. This position involves defining and implementing action plans aligned with objectives and strategies, advising on tactical activities, and overseeing various aspects of sales management. 

Work in partnership with Revenue and Brand leads to ensure all relevant properties have robust commercial plans in place to drive top line revenues 

Focus on ensuring robust strategies are in place across all sales managed segments – Chartering, Corporate, MICE, Consortia, TMC & Leisure. 

Conduct regular and collaborative commercial sessions with property teams, including structured commercial reviews. 

Collaborate with Orient Express / Accor Global Sales Teams to ensure commercial strategies align with Silenseas’ strategies. 

Input on sales structure, key sales recruitment and on-boarding e.g., Director of Sales & Marketing, and potentially Assistant Director of Sales, Director of Groups & Events 

Sales and Marketing lead on new openings within the region, recruitment of property Director of Sales, submission of pre-opening budgets, critical path execution and ensuring robust sales plans are in place to drive successful launch of each property. 

Build high value working relationships with internal stakeholders. 

Assist Brands EXCOM leads, when requested, in developing relationships with property owners and assist in owner presentations and regional updates where required. 

Key liaison with Accor Global Sales Teams on specific sales actions and activities relevant to your properties, ensuring deliverables are being met 

Orient Express Silenseas cruises are aimed at the ultra-high-net-worth individual (UHNWI) clientele, therefore, in-depth knowledge of ultra luxury and marketing methods for this type of product is important. 

The Silenseas Orient-Express ships are tailor-made to accommodate the mice and privatizations of large firms and individuals eager to meet in complete privacy in the passageways of the largest sailboats in the world, a contact directory will be an important asset. 

Reporting directly the Chief Strategy Officer at Silenseas Orient Express Cruises, The Vice-President duties will be to : 

Define and Implement Action Plans 

• Develop comprehensive action plans in alignment with defined objectives, sales and marketing strategies.  

• Ensure the execution of plans to achieve long-term objectives while adapting to evolving market conditions. 

Tactical Activities 

• Advise and implement tactical activities to achieve short-term sales objectives. 

• Collaborate closely with internal resources to drive effective and targeted sales campaigns. 

Revenue Monitoring 

• Monitor sales revenue, analyse performance data, and collaborate with revenue management to optimize pricing and revenue strategies. 

• Implement corrective actions based on data insights to enhance revenue performance. 

Professional Events Representation 

• Coordinate and represent the portfolio at professional events to strengthen relationships with key industry stakeholders. 

• Leverage events to identify new business opportunities and enhance brand visibility. 

Account Portfolio Management 

• Manage a portfolio of key accounts, nurturing relationships and maximizing revenue opportunities. 

• Collaborate with global sales teams to identify and pursue new account acquisition opportunities. 

• Develop existing portfolio of the UHNWI’s commercial network 

• Manage and develop the mice and privatizations’ directory 

Guidance and Training 

• Provide guidance and training to Directors of Sales teams, ensuring a consistent approach and understanding of the cruise segment. 

Reporting and Business Intelligence 

• Establish periodic reports and business intelligence to track performance against objectives. 

• Utilize data-driven insights to inform decision-making and optimize sales strategies. 

Budget Management 

• Take responsibility for the budget allocated to the cruise segment, ensuring effective allocation of resources to achieve strategic goals. 

Team Leadership 

• Lead and inspire the sales team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture. 

• Provide direction, mentorship, and support to achieve individual and team targets. 

Typical Backgroung:

•  Master’s degree in business, Marketing, Hospitality, or a related field.  
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in sales and marketing, with experience in a leadership and senior role. Proven track record of success in sales and marketing within the travel and tourism industry. Cruising industry is a plus.  

Competencies:

• In-depth understanding of the travel agencies and tour operating world. Familiarity with luxury travel and cruise segments. Multi-segment and multi market experience essential – we are looking for someone that can guide and manage our future worldwide directors of sales and someone who has experience leading sales teams across multiple key around the world cities 
• An excellent relationship builder, confident in working with other teams and leaders; you’re passionate about what we can achieve together 
•  Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders. 
•  Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to use data-driven insights to inform decision-making. 
• Proven ability to drive sales growth and meet revenue targets. 
• Excellent networking and relationship-building skills within the leisure travel industry in the US, EMEA, APAC, and potentially in the UK and Europe. 
• Strong negotiation skills, particularly in contract negotiations with travel agencies and tour operators. 
• Ability to adapt to changing market conditions and implement effective strategies accordingly. 
• Familiarity with sales and CRM tools. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite 
• Fluent in English and French