Destination Development Officer

Waco, TX
Full Time
Economic Development
Executive
The City of Waco has retained Mackenzie Eason & Associates to help recruit a Destination Development Officer to lead the strategic growth and enhancement of Waco's tourism, sports, and events sectors. This new role is pivotal in positioning Waco as a premier destination for visitors, conferences, and revenue-generating events.

This new role is the culmination of a reorganization that combined economic development and the Convention & Visitors Bureau under one department to align economic development and tourism with the City’s goals and initiatives. The combination of these two departments will utilize our community strengths in those two departments to build an effective lifestyle & corporate investment marketing strategy to drive growth across the City.

At the City of Waco, we are committed to a lifetime of learning and growth as part of our goal to provide the highest quality service to our residents and visitors. As you can see from the tenure of many of our leaders, Waco is a place where management professionals come to build a career with continued opportunities for professional growth. Our vision is to make Waco a home where everyone belongs and thrives while moving forward together. Each member of this
organization has a vital role in helping us work.

City Manager- Bradley Ford
 
Our Strategic Goals
  • Facilitate Economic Development
  • Create a Culture of Equity and Inclusion
  • Provide a Safe and Resilient City
  • Improve Infrastructure
  • Build a High Performing City Government
  • Enhance Quality of Life
  • Support Sustainability
The Opportunity
The City of Waco offers an exceptional opportunity for a dynamic and visionary leader to become our new Destination Development Officer. This pivotal role is central to elevating Waco's profile as a premier destination that is conveniently located between Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin and in the middle of Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and San Antonio.  The new role will focus on strategic initiatives that will significantly impact the city's tourism and economic landscape. You will lead a dedicated team specializing in sports, tourism, and events recruitment, with the goal of attracting high-profile conferences and revenue-generating events that stimulate economic growth. The new economic development and tourism department will include the conference sales team, Welcome Center team, and a new sports experiences manager.

In collaboration with senior leadership and the City Manager Office, you will engage in substantial strategic planning, including relocating the Welcome Center to a high-traffic area to serve as the vibrant front door to the Waco experience. Your role involves developing innovative incentive programs for employees, effectively managing and transitioning the current team, and fostering a culture of creativity and excellence. A key focus will be on enhancing hotel revenue by tracking sales and hotel taxes through asset mapping and strategic sales efforts. You will spearhead marketing and community engagement initiatives with an emphasis on lifestyle and corporate investment marketing, working closely with professional sports teams and organizing film festivals to bolster Waco's reputation and attract more visitors.

As the Destination Development Officer, you will manage critical contracts with partners like ASM Global, which operates the convention center, and our advertising firm, Madden, for marketing, ensuring that quality standards are met and services are delivered effectively. Developing a robust Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system to track revenue growth will be essential to measure the success of your strategies. Your strong people management skills and ability to provide leadership, direction, and guidance in operational strategies will be crucial as you oversee staff, consultants, and contractors. This role is a unique chance to significantly impact Waco's tourism and economic development, driving forward initiatives that will shape the city's future and enhance its appeal to visitors and residents.


Strategic Priorities
  • Sports, Tourism & Events Recruitment: Actively attracting and securing high-profile sports events, conferences, and festivals to boost the city's economic growth.
  • Hotel & Facility Asset Marketing: Promoting Waco's hospitality assets to increase hotel revenue and occupancy rates through strategic sales efforts and asset mapping.
  • Lifestyle Marketing: Enhancing community engagement by showcasing Waco's lifestyle offerings to attract both visitors and potential corporate investments.
  • Front Door to the Waco Experience: Relocating the Welcome Center to a high-traffic area to serve as the gateway for visitors, ensuring they receive a memorable first impression of the city.
Job Duties

Key Responsibilities
  • Strategic Planning & Leadership: Develop and execute strategies to grow conferences and revenue-producing events, working closely with professional sports teams and organizing film festivals to enhance Waco's reputation.
  • People Management: Effectively manage and transition the current team, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. Develop new incentive programs to motivate staff and drive performance.
  • Contract Management: Oversee and manage contracts with key partners, including ASM Global for the convention center and Madden for marketing services.
  • KPI Development & Tracking: Establish a robust system to monitor hotel revenue growth, sales tax, and hotel tax through detailed asset mapping and strategic sales efforts.
  • Community Engagement & Marketing: Lead lifestyle and corporate investment marketing initiatives to boost community engagement and attract new business opportunities.
  • Advisor & Technical Expertise: Serve as the principal advisor on destination marketing programs and technical issues, providing leadership and guidance on operational strategies and priorities.
  • Operational Oversight: Review and approve contracts, agreements, plans, and reports. Manage the collection, analysis, and reporting of operational data to ensure quality standards are met and appropriate services are provided.
Essential Functions
  • Team Leadership: Provide oversight, strategy, and leadership to staff within the assigned division. Monitor the work of and provide direction to professional and technical consultants, contractors, and other City staff assigned to teams and projects.
  • Collaboration: Work closely with the senior leadership team and the City Manager to align strategies with the city's overall goals.
  • Innovation: Be creative in developing new programs and events that enhance Waco's tourism and economic development.
  • Communication: Effectively communicate plans and initiatives to stakeholders, including city residents, businesses, and potential investors.
  • Compliance: Ensure all activities comply with city policies and standards, maintaining the confidentiality of work-related issues and city information.
The ideal candidate is a seasoned professional with substantial experience in the tourism or convention and visitors sector. They have a clear vision of Waco's potential and are passionate about leveraging the city's strategic location to make that vision a reality. This individual excels in leading teams, fostering an environment where innovative ideas are encouraged and developed. They are results-oriented and focused on "moving the needle" by implementing strategies that drive tangible growth and enhance Waco's reputation as a premier destination. Their leadership combines creativity with strategic planning, enabling them to motivate their team effectively while delivering ambitious goals.
They possess:
  • Strategic Mindset: Ability to develop and implement long-term plans that drive economic growth and enhance Waco's reputation as a premier destination.
  • People Management Skills: Proven experience in managing teams, with a focus on motivation, development, and effective transition management.
  • Marketing Expertise: Deep understanding of lifestyle and corporate investment marketing, with a knack for creating campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences.
  • Analytical Skills: Proficiency in developing KPIs and using data to drive decision-making and measure success.
  • Collaboration Abilities: Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with city leadership, staff, partners, and the community.
  • Innovative Approach: Creativity in developing unique programs and events that set Waco apart from other destinations.
  • Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of articulating complex ideas in an accessible manner.
  • Customer-Centric Mindset: Guest experience focused with empathy and understanding.
  • Hospitality and Service Excellence: Commitment to service, ensuring alignment around a culture of hospitality and service excellence, with attention to detail meeting high standard levels.
  • Data-Driven Decision Maker: Using data and feedback to measure and adjust strategies accordingly, tracking trends and economic impact to guide efforts and demonstrate value to stakeholders.
In summary, the Destination Development Officer will play a crucial role in elevating Waco's profile as a dynamic and vibrant destination. They will be accountable for fostering economic growth through strategic planning, innovative marketing, and effective management of the city's tourism assets. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate professional to make a significant impact on the community and drive Waco's future success.
We realize your time is valuable, so please do not apply if you do not have at least the following required minimum qualifications:
  • Education: Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business, Political Science, Public Relations, Economics, or related field
  • More than seven years of experience in community development, marketing, sports marketing, tourism, economic development, journalism, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
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