A National Sales Specialist for an assisted living or senior living company is a role for the true road-warrior. This position travels from location to location, staying in the local area of a senior living community for up to six months at a time. The National Sales Specialist is an expert in sales strategy, and this role is designed to aid struggling communities or assist in establishing a presence for communities opening in new areas.
The National Sales Specialist is typically provided a housing allowance, and usually flies in for a four-day workweek with the ability to travel back to your home for three days out of the week. The National Sales Specialist must be a flexible professional with the ability to synergize easily with teams. You’ll be working with the local sales and marketing teams at the locations you visit to motivate, train, and empower local Sales and Marketing Directors with key strategies and tactics to drive census growth and solidify the community’s brand and presence in the local region.
National Sales Specialist Job Responsibilities
A National Sales Specialist is a multi-site position, although typically based at one location for a period of several months. The primary responsibility of the National Sales Specialist job position is to generate census growth, lease apartments or units, and/or generate move-ins at an assisted living community, continuing care retirement community, or a similar senior living community.
The National Sales Specialist is often sent to communities struggling to maintain census goals, or to new communities that have not yet established a presence in the local area. For this reason, the National Sales Specialist is considered a sales powerhouse, with exceptional sales and marketing capabilities to transition communities from struggling to thriving within a few months.
Additional Responsibilities of a National Sales Specialist
In addition to the broad responsibility of driving census growth at a senior living community, a National Sales Specialist is typically responsible for:
- Training and motivating local sales and marketing staff, arming teams with strategic sales plans to ensure success both during and after the assignment.
- Serving in a Director of Sales capacity as the primary sales and marketing director for a senior living community to fill an absence.
- Conduct onboarding and training activities with new hires.
- Develop and nurture referral sources, implement public relations activities, and generate brand awareness in the local region.
- Maintain a database of established and potential referral sources.
- Track sales and marketing activities, including referrals and lead sources, move-ins, and other essential referral data to drive decision-making and identify the most effective sales and marketing initiatives.
- Establish efficient and effective sales funnels to engage leads and move prospects through the sales funnel.
- Train sales and marketing staff and ancillary staff to handle inquiries and conduct walk-throughs and tours with prospective residents and families.
- Conduct ongoing competitive and local market analysis to identify and respond proactively to changing market conditions that may impact occupancy.
Typical Background for a National Sales Specialist
The ideal National Sales Director candidate is highly autonomous, with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining accurate and timely reporting to higher-ups. This position involves heavy travel, which is an important consideration for many job-seekers. If constant travel is not right for you or suitable for your lifestyle, consider a locally-based position such as the Director of Sales.
Generally, National Sales Specialist job descriptions outline the following requirements:
- A four-year degree from an accredited educational institution in sales, marketing, business or a related discipline.
- A minimum of five to ten years of relevant sales and marketing experience, preferably in a senior living environment.
- Prior experience in the senior living setting, preferably in a sales, marketing, or public relations capacity.
- Proven ability to meet and exceed expectations, including occupancy, sales, and revenue objectives.
- Proven consultative sales ability.
- Exceptional interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to present effectively to small- to medium-sized audiences and groups.
Do you have what it takes to be the next National Sales Specialist for a leading senior living provider? Send us your resume today.