U.S. Travel Association

Summary

The Senior Manager, Event Sales and Sponsorship is a key member of U.S. Travel’s Events and Education team, responsible for growing exhibit and sponsorship revenue and ensuring an exceptional experience for exhibitors and sponsors across all association events and meetings. This role is hands-on, focused on achieving or exceeding sales goals for IPW, the industry’s leading international inbound travel trade show, as well as other U.S. Travel events.

The ideal candidate for this role is an organized project manager, proactive salesperson and a confident relationship builder who thrives on solving problems, delivering value to partners and closing deals.

Responsibilities

• Manage exhibit and sponsorship sales for IPW by developing strong relationships with destinations and travel companies. Identify opportunities, proactively sell & upsell and create sponsorship and exhibit packages that meet client goals and increase event revenue.
• Partner with the Senior Director, Business Development to secure sponsorships for all U.S. Travel events and other community meetings (ESTO, Summer Summit and Destination Capitol Hill).
• Follow established sales goals, timelines and performance targets, ensuring plans are executed efficiently and effectively.
• Coordinate with Finance to manage exhibitor collections, cancellations and payments. Track sales and revenue progress and prepare accurate reports on results.
• Work with business development and marketing teams to develop and execute sales and marketing plans, including promotional materials, messaging, and outreach campaigns.
• Support exhibitor and sponsor fulfillment during IPW and other major events, providing on-site assistance and ensuring partners receive excellent service.
• Collaborate across departments to align goals, improve communication and identify ways to enhance partner ROI and event operations.
• Contribute to special projects and initiatives that advance business development.

Key Attributes

• Communicates clearly and persuasively in person, in writing and over the phone.
• Builds and maintains trusted relationships with senior leaders and key decision-makers.
• Demonstrates a sales-driven mindset with a focus on achieving measurable results.
• Manages multiple projects and deadlines with strong organization and reliability.
• Identifies challenges quickly and applies practical, solutions-oriented thinking.
• Collaborates effectively across teams and incorporates feedback to improve outcomes.
• Takes initiative, anticipates needs and drives work forward independently.

Education, Experience and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and a minimum of five to seven years of experience in a sales or business development role with a preference to trade association or travel experience.
• Experience interacting with executive teams, speaking with high-profile stakeholders and offering a high standard of service.
• Experience handling high-volume, production-based projects, including prioritizing, organizing and tracking details, effectively managing deadlines and multiple priorities.
• Intermediate level skill in Microsoft Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint and Word.

Other:

• Position based in Washington, DC. U.S. Travel staff work in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with the option to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.
• Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
• Salary: 100-120K

Benefits:

• Comprehensive healthcare package with fertility coverage
• Generous paid leave including family leave
• Transportation and cell phone benefits
• Robust wellness initiatives and Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
• Snacks, lunches, and many opportunities for social connections
• Education and professional development assistance