Account Director, US Government - [U.S. Region]

As a Government Account Director, this role will drive incremental group and meeting revenue across Federal and State Government segments by managing a portfolio of government agencies, contractors, and intermediaries. The position requires deep expertise in government procurement processes, decentralized buying environments, and complex stakeholder networks, enabling the identification and conversion of mission-driven lodging opportunities. Leveraging public funding insights and strategic account planning, the role partners across internal teams and hotel stakeholders to deliver compliant, scalable solutions that maximize revenue and market share within the government segment.

Your day to day 

Strategic Account Management

• Understand Key Account(s) drivers, behaviors, values & opportunities
• Maintain relationships with multiple key contacts within all subsidiaries and/or business units to maximize revenue delivery
• Explore unique ways to drive returns (share shift, Mutual Value, partnerships, etc.)
• Anticipate & overcome objections through thoughtful research & consideration of potential solutions, impactful negotiation skills and creative problem-solving
• Prioritize time to think & strategize; create & execute a Strategic Account Plan
• Be a strategic leader of account team(s) as applicable
• Ensure all managed accounts have thoughtful account plans, strategies & actions to support maximizing market share opportunities for IHG; engage with customers as appropriate

Work Collaboratively

• Appropriately share information & ideas across stakeholder groups & IHG tools & resources to advance sales efforts
• Be a valued advisor sought out by others for guidance
• Exhibit the ability to influence without authority & successfully navigate a highly-matrixed organization
• Encourage & participate in open & honest dialogue amongst account teams, peers & leaders
• Champion interdependency & act as a liaison for Global Sales in cross-functional working groups

Sales & Business Acumen

• Possess end-to-end critical thinking skills: the ability to interpret & action data, articulate a business case, and evaluate ROI/financial impact of potential actions
• Has command, drives usage, and ensures team subject-matter expertise of all IHG sales tools & methodologies; leverages people & team resources to optimize revenue opportunities
• Research & action calculated risks to enhance our ability to close revenue & shift market share amongst key accounts
• Ensure team achieves yearly financial targets & business goals 
• Embody a seeker mentality; always look for the next revenue opportunity within your  accounts
• Owns and champions the vision and strategy of the specific industry grouping for which you are responsible, executing through a sound market business plan

What we need from you

• Bachelor’s or Master's Degree in Marketing, Management, Business, Hospitality or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience supporting the Government segment – on or above property
• Demonstrated experience with a deep understanding working with government customers. Understanding the nuances of government procurement
• Working with global companies with multiple stakeholders, cultural teams and complex buying processes.
• Demonstrated expertise in U.S. Federal and State government travel procurement processes, including RFP cycles, contract compliance, and government rate structures (e.g., per diem, ceiling rates), with the ability to align hotel offerings to regulatory requirements
• Deep understanding of government group and meeting demand drivers, including TDY travel, training exercises, mission-driven gatherings, and emergency response lodging, across military, federal agencies, and state