UK

United Kingdom · Sales · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

Start my Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) plan, free

Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

Keep this job description

Where should we send it?

One email: what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for, where it leads, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

Upskilling a team in this role? Talk to us

  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports5-10 reports
  • Reports toGeneral Manager (for a single property) or Regional VP of Sales (for a cluster)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP of Sales (Cluster) · Head of Commercial (Flagship Property) · Regional Sales & Marketing Director

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

iCQ Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality Management iCan Qualifications Limited · Level 4 · covers 1 of 2 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Manage room availability to maximise revenue potential iCQ Level 4 Diploma in Hospitality Management

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Start my Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) plan, free

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skill this role is being asked for

  • AI-Driven Market & Revenue Strategy
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

Start my Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) plan, free Ready to pay? Subscribe for £70 a month

3What this role really is

A Director of Sales and Marketing leads the commercial strategy for a hotel or small group of properties. The role sets sales and marketing direction to meet revenue targets and grow market share.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Amadeus Sales & Event Management (Delphi.fdc) / Salesforce Hospitality Cloud / Cvent Strategic

Overseeing CRM data governance, making decisions on platform integrations, and using CRM data for enterprise-level forecasting and strategic planning.

Oracle Opera Cloud / Mews / Cloudbeds (PMS) Strategic

Understanding the PMS's impact on overall hotel revenue strategy, its integration with the RMS and CRM, and how it informs sales decisions.

Knowland / Cvent Supplier Network Strategic

Analysing market-level data from these platforms to identify trends, guide territory assignments, and inform overall sales strategy for the cluster/property.

IDeaS G3 / Duetto / LodgIQ (RMS) Strategic

Collaborating with Revenue Management leadership to set group pricing ceilings/floors and long-term strategy, understanding the impact on sales.

PandaDoc / Sertifi / DocuSign Strategic

Selecting and implementing the organisation's preferred platform for proposals and contracts, creating and managing the master library of approved templates and clauses.

MS Teams / Slack / Excel (Advanced: Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, Macros) Expert

Using these tools for leadership communication, budget management, presenting complex performance data to executives, and building sophisticated forecasting models.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Sales & Marketing Budget Allocation N/A (inform) N/A (inform) N/A (recommend)
Major Client Contract Terms (e.g., multi-year corporate accounts) N/A (inform) N/A (inform) N/A (negotiate within guidelines)
New Market Segment Entry / Major Campaign Launch N/A (inform) N/A (inform) N/A (propose)
Hiring & Performance Management for Direct Reports N/A (inform) N/A (inform) N/A (inform)

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Total Revenue Achievement
Exceeding the annual budgeted sales revenue for the property or cluster, encompassing all segments (group, transient, F&B, events).
Target · Achieve 100%+ of annual budgeted revenue (e.g., £15M+).

If the annual budget is £15M, you'd be aiming for £15M or more. Hitting £15.5M means you've exceeded the target by £500K, which is a big win.

RevPAR Index vs. Comp Set
Maintaining or increasing our Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) index compared to our direct competitor set, specifically for group sales.
Target · Maintain a group sales RevPAR index of 115 or higher.

If our RevPAR is £100 and the comp set average is £90, our index is 111. You'd be pushing to get that to 115 or above, showing we're capturing more than our fair share of the market.

Sales Acquisition Cost (SAC)
Reducing the cost associated with acquiring new sales, optimising channels and improving sales team efficiency.
Target · Reduce the cost of sales by 5% year-on-year through efficiency and channel optimisation.

If our sales and marketing spend was £1M to generate £15M in revenue last year, you'd aim to spend £950K this year to generate the same or more, improving our profitability.

Market Share Growth
Increasing the portfolio's market share within key segments (e.g., corporate groups, luxury leisure) relative to the competition.
Target · Increase the portfolio's market share within key segments by 2% annually.

If we currently hold 10% of the corporate group market in our city, you'd be looking to grow that to 12% by the end of the year, taking business from our rivals.

Strategic Influence & Leadership
Your ability to shape the overall commercial strategy, inspire your team, and gain buy-in from senior leadership and owners.
  • You're regularly consulted by the General Manager and owners on strategic decisions. Your team consistently meets or exceeds targets, and there's a clear development path for your managers. You're seen as a thought leader in industry forums.
Team Development & Retention
Building a high-performing, motivated sales and marketing team with low turnover and strong internal progression.
  • Your direct reports are progressing in their careers, and you have a clear succession plan for key roles. Team morale surveys are consistently positive, and you're known for fostering a supportive yet results-driven culture. New hires are onboarded effectively and quickly become productive.
Brand Reputation & Market Perception
Enhancing the property's reputation and perception within the market, leading to increased inbound enquiries and client loyalty.
  • Our property is consistently mentioned positively in industry publications and social media. We're winning industry awards. Key clients are giving us repeat business and referring new clients without prompting. We're seen as an innovator in our local market.
Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Ensuring seamless working relationships between sales, marketing, revenue management, and operations to deliver exceptional client experiences and maximise profitability.
  • Operations proactively seeks your input on new service offerings. Revenue Management works hand-in-hand with your team on pricing strategies, and there are no 'us vs. them' mentalities. Client feedback consistently praises the smooth coordination across departments.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Driving Business Growth & Market Leadership

You're constantly looking at market trends, competitor moves, and internal data to find the next big opportunity. You love the challenge of taking market share and seeing your property or cluster become the go-to choice in its segment. It's about winning, plain and simple.

You'll be the one pushing for new market segments, like expanding into the medical conference business, or launching a bold new marketing campaign that positions us as the leader in sustainable events.

Building & Mentoring High-Performing Teams

You get a real buzz from seeing your team members develop, hit their targets, and grow into leadership roles themselves. You're invested in their success, providing coaching, feedback, and opportunities for them to shine. Their wins are your wins.

You'll spend time in one-on-ones, doing joint sales calls, and running training sessions, all aimed at elevating your managers and their teams. You'll celebrate their successes loudly.

Strategic Impact & P&L Ownership

You love the accountability that comes with owning a significant P&L. You're constantly thinking about the big picture, how different sales and marketing initiatives contribute to the bottom line, and making decisions that directly impact the financial health of the business unit.

You'll be presenting quarterly performance reviews to the General Manager and owners, explaining the 'why' behind the numbers and outlining your strategy for the next period. You're the one making the calls on where to invest our marketing budget.

What frustrates people
  • Dealing with legacy systems or processes that slow down innovation and efficiency.
  • Navigating internal politics or resistance to change when trying to implement new strategies.
  • The constant pressure to hit aggressive revenue targets, sometimes at the expense of long-term brand building.
  • Recruiting and retaining top talent in a competitive market.
  • Having to justify significant marketing spend to owners who are purely focused on short-term ROI.
What this role does not give you
  • A purely operational focus; this is very much a strategic leadership role.
  • A predictable, unchanging market; expect constant shifts and new challenges.
  • A small, quiet team; you'll be leading a busy, dynamic department.
  • A 'set it and forget it' approach to sales and marketing; it requires continuous optimisation and innovation.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts the entire business unit's financial performance, market positioning, and long-term brand equity. You're the one driving the top-line revenue, which, let's be honest, is what keeps the lights on and allows us to invest in our people and product. Get it right, and the property's success is undeniable; get it wrong, and it's a tough road for everyone.

Inside the business
  • General Manager and Executive Committee (Revenue Management, Operations, Finance)
  • Regional VP of Sales (if part of a larger group)
  • Marketing & PR teams (corporate or regional)
  • Hotel Owners and Asset Managers
Outside the business
  • Key corporate and leisure clients (decision-makers for major accounts)
  • Event and wedding planners (high-volume agencies)
  • Third-party booking agents and online travel agencies (OTAs)
  • Local tourism boards and industry associations
  • Media and PR contacts

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • A minimum of 16 years of progressive experience in hospitality sales and marketing, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role (e.g., Director of Sales).
  • Proven track record of exceeding multi-million-pound revenue targets for a flagship property or cluster of hotels.
  • Demonstrable experience in managing and developing large, high-performing sales and marketing teams, including managers.
  • Extensive experience in P&L ownership, strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting for a commercial department.
  • Deep expertise in at least two major hospitality CRM/S&C systems (e.g., Amadeus Delphi.fdc, Salesforce Hospitality Cloud) and a strong understanding of RMS platforms (e.g., IDeaS G3).
  • A strong network within the hospitality industry, particularly with key corporate, MICE, and leisure clients.
  • Exceptional presentation skills, with experience presenting complex strategies and financial performance to executive committees and hotel owners.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Integrated Commercial Platform Management

The future is about seamless integration between CRM, PMS, RMS, and marketing automation. You'll need to understand how these systems talk to each other to create a unified view of the customer and optimise the entire commercial funnel. Siloed systems are a thing of the past.

API Integrations & Data Flow · Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) · Marketing Automation & CRM Orchestration · Vendor Management & Platform Selection

  • This quarter: Map out the current data flow between our core commercial systems. Identify bottlenecks or manual processes.
  • Next 6 months: Research leading integrated commercial platforms and attend webinars on their capabilities. Understand what 'best-in-class' looks like.
  • Month 7-12: Lead a project to improve one key integration between your sales and marketing tech stack, aiming for measurable efficiency gains.
  • Ongoing: Challenge your team to think about how they could use integrated data to improve their daily work, fostering a 'connected systems' mindset.

Quick win: Ensure all new sales and marketing tech purchases are vetted for their integration capabilities with existing systems. Push for a single source of truth for customer data.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending and speaking at major industry conferences (e.g., World Travel Market, ITB Berlin, HSMAI events) to stay abreast of trends and expand your network.
  • Participating in executive leadership programmes or an MBA to further hone strategic thinking, financial acumen, and organisational leadership skills.
  • Mentoring junior talent within the industry, which not only gives back but also sharpens your coaching and leadership abilities.
  • Engaging with relevant industry publications and thought leaders to continuously challenge your own assumptions and explore new commercial approaches.
  • Seeking out opportunities to lead cross-functional projects that stretch your influence beyond sales and marketing, such as new product development or major property refurbishments.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Driven Market & Revenue Strategy

AI is rapidly transforming how we understand market demand, predict booking patterns, and optimise pricing. Leaders who can harness these tools will have a significant competitive advantage in identifying opportunities and mitigating risks faster than anyone else.

  • Predictive Analytics for Demand Forecasting
  • Dynamic Pricing Optimisation
  • AI-Enhanced Competitor Intelligence
  • Ethical AI in Sales & Marketing

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Consultative Selling (Strategic Oversight)
  • Pipeline Management & Enterprise Forecasting
  • Territory & Account Planning (Portfolio Level)
  • Group Sales Contracting (Complex Deals)
  • Displacement Analysis & Revenue Strategy
  • RFP Response & Market Positioning Strategy

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Director of Sales (DOS) at a Large Property

    3-5 years as a DOS

    Skills to master

    • Mastering the full sales cycle for all segments, leading a large sales team, managing a significant sales budget, and demonstrating strong results against revenue targets. You'll need to show you can consistently hit numbers and develop your team.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding sales targets by 10% or more over multiple years.
    • Successfully developing and promoting at least two direct reports into more senior sales roles.
    • Leading a major sales initiative that significantly increased market share or penetrated a new segment.
    • Demonstrating strong collaboration with the marketing and revenue management teams, not just sales.
  2. 2

    Regional Sales Manager (for a small cluster of properties)

    4-6 years in this role

    Skills to master

    • Overseeing sales strategy and performance across multiple properties, managing a diverse team of DOSs, and understanding the nuances of different local markets. This path shows you can scale your leadership.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully driving revenue growth across a portfolio of properties, not just one.
    • Implementing standardised sales processes and best practices across multiple locations.
    • Demonstrating strong strategic thinking in allocating resources across different properties to maximise overall cluster performance.
    • Proven ability to influence and lead without direct hierarchical control over all teams.
  3. 3

    Director of Marketing (at a large property or corporate level)

    3-5 years as a Director of Marketing

    Skills to master

    • Developing and executing comprehensive marketing strategies, managing significant marketing budgets, driving brand awareness and digital engagement, and demonstrating clear ROI on marketing spend. This path shows a strong understanding of the 'demand generation' side of the equation.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully launching and optimising multi-channel marketing campaigns that directly contributed to revenue growth.
    • Demonstrating expertise in digital marketing, PR, and brand management.
    • Proven ability to collaborate effectively with sales teams to create integrated commercial strategies.
    • Strong analytical skills in measuring marketing effectiveness and adjusting strategy based on data.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to broader leadership across a larger portfolio, deeper specialisation in commercial strategy, or a move into general management leading an entire property.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • Regional VP of Sales / Regional VP of Sales & Marketing
  • General Manager (GM) of a Property

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Manage room availability to maximise revenue potential, worked against Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM).

Manage room availability to maximise revenue potential Level 4

Applied to your work in Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)

This unit aims to equip learners with the skills and knowledge to effectively monitor and manage room availability in a hospitality setting. Learners will understand how to use data and analytics to inform decisions, implement strategies to maximise revenue potential, and monitor staff performance to ensure optimal room availability.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)
  • Consultative Selling (Strategic Oversight)
  • Pipeline Management & Enterprise Forecasting
  • Territory & Account Planning (Portfolio Level)
  • Group Sales Contracting (Complex Deals)
  • Displacement Analysis & Revenue Strategy
  • RFP Response & Market Positioning Strategy
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Regional VP of Sales / Regional VP of Sales & Marketing

    3-5 years

    Level 7 (C-Suite equivalent for a region)

    • M&A integration (if the company is acquiring new properties).
    • Global market analysis and expansion strategies.
    • High-level negotiation with major global accounts and strategic partners.
    • Driving large-scale commercial transformations across multiple business units.

  2. General Manager (GM) of a Property

    4-6 years

    Level 6/7 (depending on property size)

    • Labour forecasting and management across all departments.
    • Capital expenditure planning and project management for property improvements.
    • Guest experience design and service recovery protocols.
    • Legal and regulatory compliance for hotel operations.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, leading a Sales & Marketing team at this level means your time is precious. You're juggling strategy, team development, owner presentations, and market analysis. What if you could reclaim significant chunks of that time and redirect it to high-impact strategic work? AI isn't just for junior roles; it's a game-changer for executive leadership too.

Imagine having a suite of intelligent assistants working tirelessly in the background, handling the data crunching, the initial drafts, and the market monitoring. This isn't about replacing your strategic brain; it's about augmenting it, giving you better insights faster, and freeing you up to focus on what truly matters: driving growth and inspiring your team.

Automated Market & Competitor Intelligence

Use AI tools to continuously monitor your 'Comp Set's' pricing, promotions, and booking patterns across multiple channels. Get real-time alerts on market shifts, new competitor offerings, and emerging demand trends. This means less time manually digging for data and more time acting on strategic insights.

Predictive Revenue Forecasting & Scenario Planning

Leverage AI-powered RMS and CRM integrations to generate highly accurate revenue forecasts, not just for the next quarter, but for the next 12-24 months. Run 'what-if' scenarios (e.g., 'what if a major corporate client leaves?') to proactively adjust your sales and marketing strategies and mitigate risks before they hit.

Intelligent Marketing Campaign Optimisation

Deploy AI to analyse the performance of your marketing campaigns across digital channels, identifying which messages, visuals, and platforms are driving the best ROI. Get AI-generated recommendations for optimising ad spend, personalising content, and reaching new audiences more effectively. It's like having a super-smart marketing analyst on demand.

Executive Communication & Report Generation

Use generative AI to draft initial versions of complex reports for owners, executive summaries for the GM, or even compelling presentations for board meetings. Feed it your data and key messages, and it'll help structure your arguments, refine your language, and save you hours of drafting time. You'll still add your strategic polish, of course.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)?

Common routes in include Director of Sales (DOS) at a Large Property (3-5 years as a DOS), Regional Sales Manager (for a small cluster of properties) (4-6 years in this role) and Director of Marketing (at a large property or corporate level) (3-5 years as a Director of Marketing). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) progress to?

This role can lead on to Regional VP of Sales / Regional VP of Sales & Marketing (3-5 years) and General Manager (GM) of a Property (4-6 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM)?

Increasingly, AI-Driven Market & Revenue Strategy. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

Or try another one

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in sales

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in commercial leadership, P&L management and team development transfer to other service industries. Similar roles exist in events management, luxury retail and large-scale leisure or entertainment venues, where the same principles of driving revenue and building brands apply.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Director of Sales & Marketing (DOSM) plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.