Job description

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: hr.cornell.edu . • Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: hr.cornell.edu . • 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. NOTE: Cornell employees must apply through the Internal Cornell Career site.   • Relocation assistance is not available for this position. • No visa sponsorship is available for this position. • This is a full-time, hybrid position based in Ithaca, NY. University Job Title: Sales Specialist II Job Family: Administration Level: E Pay Rate Type: Salary Pay Range: $65,447.00 - $75,632.00 Remote Option Availability: Hybrid Company: Endowed Contact Name: Lisa Rhoads Contact Email: ljr7@cornell.edu Job Titles and Pay Ranges: Non-Union Positions Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria: • Prior relevant work or industry experience • Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position • Unique applicable skills • Academic Discipline To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator . Union Positions The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement . To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates . Current Employees: If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell. Online Submission Guidelines : Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter. You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website. Employment Assistance: For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu . If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at accommodations@cornell.edu . Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing mycareer@cornell.edu . Notice to Applicants: Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here . This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant. EEO Statement: Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law. 2026-07-21

Requirements

Must-haves

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.
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.

Nice-to-haves

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.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

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Vision

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