Job Description

Department: Southwest Business

Our Company Promise

We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.

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Job Summary

• The People of Southwest Airlines come together to deliver on our Purpose, which is to connect People to what\xe2\x80\x99s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. The Manager State & Higher Education invests in the future of Southwest\xe2\x80\x99s People as they execute strategic direction of the State, Local, and Higher Education (SLED) managed travel accounts. This Manager joins the Southwest Business Department, where they\xe2\x80\x99ll coach and help to professionally develop the Field Government Account Managers and designated portfolio management. The Southwest Business Vision is to be the preferred airline for business travel and to carry the most Business Customers. This Leader and their Team are responsible for increasing sales, establishing formal partnerships, and broadening awareness of Southwest Airlines corporate travel programs and services to State, Local, and Higher Education managed travel accounts. This Leader and fellow Leaders in this space are responsible for identifying Candidates, hiring, onboarding, and training a sales organization of trusted Advisors in the managed travel industry. The Manager State & Higher Education is excited to join this innovative and growing space, where they\xe2\x80\x99ll have the opportunity to learn, grow, and help pilot the future of Southwest Airlines each day.

Additional details:

• This role is offered as a remote workplace position, which may require travel for training, meetings, conferences, etc. Outside of those required visits, the majority of your working time may be spent in a remote location, away from our Corporate Campus. Please note, while this is a remote position, there is a limited group of states or localities ineligible for Employees to regularly perform their work. Those ineligible locations are: Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Washington and Wyoming
• U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. is required, and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We continue to look for opportunities to reflect the communities we serve, and welcome applicants with diverse thoughts, backgrounds, and experiences.

• Responsibilities

• Must be able to meet any physical ability requirements listed on this description.
• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee\'s Leaders.
• Responsible for executing the sales strategy developed by the Senior Leadership Team to exceed a revenue quota.
• Leads Field Government Account Managers with all State, Local, and Higher Education (SLED) managed travel accounts that focus on growing Southwest Airlines corporate account base through effective account management and consultative sales techniques.
• Grows Southwest Airlines market-share and incremental business with SLED accounts with large managed travel, establishes Southwest as a preferred carrier through formal agreements (RFP\'s, negotiations, long term contracts), produces high revenue-high yield business for Southwest Airlines, and offers Southwest fares and schedules through all channels of distribution, including SWABIZ, SGS, GDS, and other unconventional distribution tools that are in place.
• Responsible for building collaborative cross-functional relationships with Senior Management Team, Team Selling Leaders, and Commercial/Operational Teams to deliver expected sales results.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on all corporate sales programs, tools, policies, and channels.
• Serves as a Corporate Sales spokesperson on business travel initiatives at industry events.
• This position will require weekly national travel with the Team and to Southwest Airlines headquarters, up to 50%, including overnight trips.
• These positions are virtual positions, requiring the manager to home office. The manager will be supplied with the proper resources, i.e. sales training, promotional offers, computer, etc., to allow them to successfully perform their duties.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficient - Work directly with Director to execute the sales strategy developed by the Senior Leadership Team through weekly 1:1 calls and monthly in-person meetingsProficient - Must possess excellent organizational skills and strong Leadership skillsProficient - Must be able to manage a budget that supports exceeding a revenue quota while ensuring low cost effectivenessProficient - Ability to build regional portfolios that include approaches to expand Customer base, increase market share, and build competitive barrierProficient - Ability to develop and implement strategic plans to measurably increase presence and influence decision-making in the account, elevate competitive position, create leveraged Customer results, and generate profitable revenue to achieve AOP revenue targetsProficient - Corporate Sales, Government, Higher Education, and Airline industry subject matter expertProficient - Self-directed, self-motivated, and demonstrated experience providing ideas and solutions to further business understandingProficient - Must have thorough knowledge of all Southwest Airlines distribution tools and multi-channel distribution strategy (i.e. SWABIZ, Southwest Partner Services (SPS), Global Distribution Systems (GDS), and other unconventional distribution tools), as well as the suite of business travel products and servicesProficient - Must demonstrate the ability to analyze data to identify value creating opportunities and developing trends to meet sales objectives and department goalsProficient - Ability to teach sales processes and techniques to identifying needs and insightsProficient - Industry subject matter expert and proactively socializes industry best practices, competing products, tools, networks distribution channels, economic trends and environmentProficient - Efficient facilitation of cross-functional, Team, department, and Senior Leader meetingsProficient - Responsible for Team training, to include, but not limited to, sales and negotiation skills, territory planning, Southwest products/services, and the latest industry trends, via weekly 1:1 coaching, joint sales calls, formalized quarterly training, etc.Proficient - Responsible for the professional development and individual performance plan for each Team memberProficient - Collaborate cross functionally with team selling partners (CSI, ISAM, Ops) on sales plans, contracts, contract performance, account prioritization, goal setting/achievement, ongoing process improvement, communication, etc.Proficient - Assumes Leadership role for the Team\xef\xbf\xbds projects/scope of work and drives Team to achieve revenue goalsProficient - Must demonstrate the ability to think strategically and identify and communicate opportunities and barriers with proposed recommendations and/or solutionsProficient - Must have a proven track record of successful networking, negotiation, and long term relationship building resulting in achievement of sales goals with global and large brand name accountsProficient - Must be able to confidently present before the public and C-level executives, including but not limited to formal sales presentations and negotiationsProficient - Must be able to handle multiple situations simultaneouslyProficient - Must possess excellent leadership skills, specifically the ability to lead sales Team and collaborate with corporate travel decision makers to meet goals as well as lead travel forums, roundtables, business travel association events, etc.Proficient - Must be able to communicate effectively and professionally both verbally and in writingProficient - Must have judgment sufficient to handle and solve complex challenges independently and work under stressful situationsProficient - Must be proficient with MS Office Suite computer applications, specifically Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook and a CRM tool, preferably Salesforce.comProficient - Must be able to comprehend and execute complex documents like RFP\'s, legal agreements, proposals, etc. with a high degree of accuracyProficient - Must be proficient in Southwest Airlines business travel products/services, distribution portfolio, and specific territory serviceProficient - Ability to grow the breadth and depth of relationships across organizations both internally and externallyProficient - Demonstrates strategic influence and leverages partnerships to deliver solutions -

• Education

• Required - High School Diploma or GED -
• Required - Bachelor\'s Degree or equivalent work experience
• Experience

• Required - 5 Years - Present and/or past success in selling or leading sales organization to Government, Higher Education, or other Large corporations (with an emphasis on F1000 and top privately held) and/or equivalent airline/travel/hospitality/marketing/sales/leadership experience.
• Required - - Present and/or past success of increasing market-share and product utilization through effective sales or marketing strategies and account management.
• Required - 2 Years - Leading partnerships, People, and/or projects

• Preferred: Experience utilizing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools and Microsoft Office suite
• Licensing/Certification
• Physical Abilities

• Ability to perform work duties from desk for extended periods of time
• Ability to use a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to meet the demands of the job
• Ability to bend, stand, and sit for extended periods of time
• Ability to communicate and interact with others in the English language to meet the demands of the job
• Ability to travel long hallways in large buildings and in between campus buildings
• Other Qualifications

• Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines.
• Must possess a valid state motor vehicle operator\'s license.
• Must have flexibility to work long hours, including weekends, and travel up to 50% of the time, including some overnight stays.

Pay & Benefits:

Competitive market salary from $112,950.00 per year to $125,500.00 per year* depending on qualifications and experience**. For eligible Leadership and individual contributor roles, additional bonus opportunities are available and awarded at the discretion of the Company.

Benefits you\xe2\x80\x99ll love:

• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)

• Up to a 9.3% 401(k) Company match, dollar for dollar, of your eligible pay, per paycheck***

• Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution toward retirement - when Southwest profits, you profit****

• Explore more Benefits you\xe2\x80\x99ll love:

*Pay amount does not guarantee employment for any particular period of time. **401(k) match contributions are subject to the plan\xe2\x80\x99s vesting schedule and applicable IRS limits ***ProfitSharing contributions are subject to plan\xe2\x80\x99s vesting schedule and are made at the discretion of the Company.

Southwest Airlines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Southwest Airlines