Director of Sales, Travel Trade
New York, New York, United States
Observatory – Sales /
Full Time /
Hybrid
COMPANY SUMMARY
The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience created an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and is ranked the #1 Top Attraction in New York City for the fourth consecutive year in Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do, "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.
Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.
The ESBO has recently undergone a top-to-bottom renovation that includes a dedicated Guest entrance, an immersive, tactile, and digital museum that celebrates our icon from the moment it was conceived to its place today in pop-culture, and a completely re-imagined 102nd floor viewing experience (www.esbnyc.com). Within the museum’s more than one dozen memorable moments, we could not resist but sprinkle a little extra fun with the inclusion of our Kong exhibit where visitors walk through an office from the 1930’s complete with the famous, giant ape's fingers pierce the walls as he dangles from the building and dodges vintage fighter planes. Those brave enough can even step into Kong's hands – but beware, you might feel the power of this fearsome ape firsthand!
The renovations also include industry-leading Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) improvements such as bi-polar ionization, MERV 13 filters, and increased ventilation that led to the building’s achievement as the first building in the Americas to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating.
Overall, the Guest feedback has been stellar! New York Times’ quote: “…exhilarating and intimate.”
Are you a driven, self-motivated and results oriented professional who thrives on building a winning team? Do you define success as the ability to drive revenue, EBIDTA, and deliver an exceptional experience? Then join our team and experience the rewards of hard work, teamwork, learning, and dedication to create a “best-in-class” attraction that requires excellence in all that we undertake.
ABOUT EMPIRE STATE REALTY TRUST
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) is a NYC-focused REIT that owns and operates a portfolio of well-leased, top of tier, modernized, amenitized, and well-located office, retail, and multifamily assets. ESRT’s flagship Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building,” features its iconic Observatory, ranked the #1 Top Attraction in New York City for the fourth consecutive year in Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do. The Company is a recognized leader in energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As of June 30, 2025, ESRT’s portfolio is comprised of approximately 7.8 million rentable square feet of office space, 0.8 million rentable square feet of retail space and 743 residential units. More information about Empire State Realty Trust can be found at esrtreit.com and by following ESRT on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn.
The dedicated team at ESRT is a collection of diverse individuals with a shared passion for excellence and a keen eye toward future growth. Headquartered in New York City, we harness the energy of the city in everything we do. We care for one another, work hard, and have a lot of fun doing it! We are Certified™ as a Great Place to Work® by the global authority, Great Place to Work®, on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors. We prioritize and invest in the health and wellness of employees to attract, develop, and retain top-tier talent. ESRT values continuous employee development and encourages colleagues to excel in their roles and adapt to emerging business needs. From our crown jewel, The Empire State Building, to incredible buildings modernized for the 21st century, to outstanding customer service, and our decade-long leadership position in sustainability and energy efficient portfolio that is 100% fully powered by renewable wind electricity, we take pride in our work. ESRT seeks an equally passionate colleague to join the team, understand the vision and help achieve that vision.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Sales, Travel Trade will report to the SVP, General Manager and oversee a team of four sales professionals to ensure that sales targets for the Empire State Building Observatory (ESBO) are met. The Director will implement travel trade sales and marketing plans, lead, train, and coach a diverse team, achieve sales targets, and analyze sales data to identify opportunities for improvement. The Director will manage daily sales operations, track sales performance, and implement data reporting in a digestible and trend-able way to share upwards for departmental status updates.
The ideal candidate possesses forward thinking, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to effectively lead and motivate the team, as well as build strong relationships with internal and external key stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the NYC tourism market and competitive landscape to successfully identify new business opportunities and support the development of innovative sales strategies.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Observatory’s sales team
- Manage a team of three Sales Account Managers and one Sales Coordinator to ensure they meet their individual sales targets for ticket sales, revenue and per caps
- Track, monitor, and analyze sales team performance data to identify areas for improvement
- Directs the implementation and manage the execution of the sales & marketing plan to include account development activities for key customers, prospects and segments
- Oversee sales operations, such as contract management, rate distribution, price setting, ticket issuance, group sales reservations, and content provision to reseller clients
- Produce sales collateral, hosting familiarization tours, and coordinating trade shows, sales missions, and client events
- Work with revenue team to optimize per caps and capacity utilization
- Collaborate with Operations, Accounting, Revenue, and Ticketing departments to streamline sales processes and ensure that sales strategies are aligned with overall business goals
- Collaborate with the Marketing team to ensure brand consistency across all printed materials, client websites, the Travel Trade Resource Center, and the OTA Toolkit
- Ensure the harmonization of sales operation procedures and update the department's SOP manual to guarantee the smooth execution of daily activities with the sales team, maintaining consistency and uniformity in all processes
- Represent the Sales Team on cross-department projects
- Oversee back office and group sales reservations, ensuring prompt responses to all general customer service and sales inquiries via website, email, phone, and chatbot
- Coordinate weekly sales meetings and agendas
- Assist in generating reports on sales performance and key activities
- Utilize knowledge of market trends and business practices to recommend decisions that enhance the sales process
- Identify emerging market trends to proactively adjust or modify sales strategies accordingly
- Provide coaching and support including sales training sessions to keep the sales team up to date on sales techniques and customer service skills
- Provide daily operational support, overseeing the training and adoption of Salesforce, Ventrata, Monday.com, and Satisfi Labs chatbot by the Sales Team, including system updates
- Proactively identify holdups in the sales process and find ways to reduce them
- Maintain strong knowledge of the Observatory’s products and services as well as the tour and travel industry
- Remain knowledgeable of key processes and business initiatives to assist the Sales team in accomplishing department goals
- Stay on top of what our competition is doing. Understand what they do that makes them stronger
- Establish processes to audit all travel trade accounts for content and images to ensure premium placement
- Use of emerging technologies and AI to prospect and source new clients and to streamline reporting and departmental functions
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
- The team is productive, motivated, delivers its work product transparently, and tracks its goals as set by Observatory leadership. The candidate’s bonus will be calculated against performance as listed below.
- Financial Targets:
- NOI = 15%
- Reseller Admissions = 45%
- Reseller Per Cap = 15%
- Subjective = 25%
- Accountability:
- Sets clear goals, monitors performance, and holds team accountable through strong collaboration, effective communication, and high morale
- Builds and leverages strong industry connections to drive success
- Works effectively with others, prioritizes tasks, and communicates goals and plans clearly to ensure the achievement of admissions and revenue targets
- Receives positive feedback from clients and stakeholders, which indicates high levels of satisfaction with the services provided
- Seeks innovative solutions and improvements, which shows a proactive approach to problem-solving and process enhancement
- Knowledge:
- Possesses in-depth knowledge of the tourism industry, including its key players, market dynamics, emerging trends, potential risks, and opportunities
- Actively engages in professional development opportunities, demonstrates growth in their skills and knowledge
- Effectively leads the team and fosters a culture of continuous learning and development
TEAM GOALS:
QUALITATIVE INDICATORS:
REQUIRED SKILLS / ABILITIES
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Knowledge of sales techniques and customer service best practices.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Strong proficiency in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
- Proficient in Salesforce (or other CRM system), Ventrata ticketing (or other ticketing system) and Monday.com (or other work management platform).
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor’s degree in related field
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in sales, with at least 2 years in a leadership role and 5 years managing a team
- 5 years sales experience within the hospitality or travel and tourism industry preferred
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
- At ESRT, like our tenants, our employees come from everywhere. We foster a collaborative work environment that captures top talent and cultivates the best ideas. As a Great Place to Work® Certified employer, we are committed to maintaining our positive work culture where employees are engaged and can grow and develop. In addition, ESRT employees embody our Company Culture & Success Factors -
- Adaptable – you are a self-starter who’s able to quickly digest and execute new processes to work both collaboratively and independently
- Dynamic – you are solutions-oriented, aim to improve processes and implement efficiency, and offer insightful feedback to improve ESRT
- Dependable – you take a strong sense of ownership and accountability over your work
- Passionate – you keep up with industry trends and are excited about the potential to propel the industry forward with a “roll-up-your-sleeves” attitude
- Curious – you consistently look for new ways to work smarter, not just harder
- Ethical – you treat others with respect, act with integrity in how you perform your work, and embrace our collaborative culture
- Positive – you possess a service-oriented attitude with excellent follow through
BENEFITS
- Competitive base salary and bonus
- Health/Dental/Vision insurance
- Company sponsored Life, AD&D, STD (with Salary Continuation), and LTD Insurance
- Voluntary Enhanced LTD Program
- Voluntary Hospital, Accident, and Cancer Programs
- 401(k) with 100% match up to 5%
- Paid parental leave
- Pre-tax transit accounts
- Employee Assistance Program for emotional, financial, and legal support
WELL-BEING
- Generous paid time off
- Flex Summer Fridays
- Employee engagement programs
- Volunteer time off
- Continuing education
- Complimentary Empire State Building Observatory access
- Complimentary gym membership and other wellness benefits
- Employee Discount Programs
$125,000 - $140,000 a year
Salary is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, job location, size of property where applicable, and/or certifications. In addition to your base salary, ESRT provides discretionary annual bonuses.
ESRT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. We celebrate the unique differences of our employees because they drive curiosity, innovation, and the success of our business. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, reproductive choices, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, pregnancy, parental status, caregiver status, genetic information, political affiliation, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, training, working conditions, transfer, job assignments, benefits, layoff, and termination. Reasonable accommodations that do not create an undue hardship for the Company are available for applicants and employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs.
