Design & Development Manager

South Miami, FL, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

Salary

Range $65,000.00 - $75,000.00

Work Schedule

Flexible

Weekend Shifts

Benefits

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

Paid holidays

401(k) with employer match

Short term disability insurance

long term disability insurance

Life insurance

Paid certifications

Paid memberships

Job Description

Cohera, a distinguished leader in the destination management industry, emerged from the strategic merger of 360 Destination Group and CSI DMC. This union combines decades of rich destination management expertise under one powerful and innovative brand. As a company deeply committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence, Cohera takes great pride in its personalized approach, crafting unique and unforgettable events that consistently exceed client expectations. Serving a broad client base, Cohera specializes in delivering tailor-made corporate events, incentive programs, conferences, and social gatherings that highlight local culture, creativity, and immersive experiences.

Operating with a talented team of passionate professionals, Cohera has built a reputation for exceptional client service and innovative event design. The company is recognized for its ability to bring vibrant, thematic events to life, ranging from carnival-themed seminars to high-energy Latin nightclub receptions. Each event is curated with precise attention to detail, ensuring every element aligns perfectly with the client's vision, brand identity, and budget.

Cohera is currently seeking a dedicated and hospitality-driven individual to join their South Florida office as the Design and Development Manager. This is a full-time role that offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, along with incentive eligibility tied to program size and profitability. The position is ideal for a creative professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and who possesses a passion for innovative event design and development.

As the Design and Development Manager, you will be entrusted with leading the full proposal process independently, from initial concept through to client delivery. Your responsibilities span ideation, narrative writing, pricing strategies, formatting proposals, and delivering compelling presentations. You will work closely with the sales and strategic teams, maintaining seamless communication while managing logistical aspects such as vendor holds, site inspections, and contract negotiations. This role requires exceptional editorial skills to accurately scope and price all aspects of the program including décor, entertainment, venues, staffing, transportation, and activities.

You will be an instrumental part of the sales and event management handoff process, ensuring clear and comprehensive program documentation for flawless event execution. Collaboration with marketing teams to enhance client-facing materials and keeping abreast of local market trends and opportunities will further elevate your contribution to the company’s innovative spirit.

The work schedule demands flexibility, including availability for late hours and weekends when required to meet tight deadlines and client needs. The role also encourages participation in industry networking events and client meetings to foster growth and connection within the field.

Cohera offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; discretionary paid time off; paid holidays; a 401(k) plan with employer matching; company-paid short and long term disability and life insurance; and support for professional development through paid certifications and industry memberships. This role empowers you to creatively influence event outcomes and deliver memorable experiences to a diverse array of corporate clients, making it a highly rewarding position for a motivated design and development professional.

Job Requirements

Minimum of six years work experience with a minimum of three years in hospitality
At least one year work experience in proposal writing event design creative marketing or destination management
Proficiency in client relations detailed budget management event design contract management and vendor relations
Strong pricing formatting and creative storytelling abilities
Advanced writing and creative storytelling skills
Ability to develop customized client-specific content
Exceptional project management and organizational skills
Excellent verbal and written communications skills
Knowledge of the local destination offerings such as restaurants clubs festivals tours and venues
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word Excel PowerPoint and Canva

Job Qualifications

Minimum of six years work experience with a minimum of three years in hospitality
At least one year work experience in proposal writing event design creative marketing or destination management
Proficiency in client relations detailed budget management event design contract management and vendor relations
Strong pricing formatting and creative storytelling abilities required
Advanced writing and creative storytelling skills
Ability to develop customized client-specific content
Exceptional project management and organizational skills
Excellent verbal and written communications skills
Knowledge of the local destination offerings such as restaurants clubs festivals tours and venues
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word Excel PowerPoint and Canva

Job Duties

Independently lead the full proposal process from concept to delivery for custom high-impact programs ensuring alignment with client goals budget and brand identity
Own all aspects of proposal development including ideation narrative writing pricing formatting and presentation delivery
Accurately scope and price all program components including décor entertainment venues staffing transportation and activities using strong editorial skills
Write and adapt creative descriptions for client-facing materials such as activities tours venues and restaurants customizing standard content when necessary
Conduct initial vendor outreach to confirm availability and collect service information aligned with proposal and contract parameters
Maintain direct communication with Sales team and Strategic team throughout the pre-sale phase including discovery calls meetings site visits and presentations both virtual and in-person
Maintain holds for venues and vendors during the sales process ensuring timely release or confirmation based on program stage
Coordinate site inspections based on Sales team direction including vendor bookings and payment logistics
Proactively manage workload and role responsibilities in order to meet deadlines and stakeholder expectations adjust program details throughout the proposal phase to ensure alignment of scope budget and logistics
Attend and contribute to turnover meetings with the Event Management and Sales teams to ensure seamless handoffs and clear program documentation
Position requires flexibility to work late hours and weekends as needed to meet tight deadlines and ensure timely project completion
Research evaluate and communicate with vendors to obtain accurate and cost-effective quotes that meet program requirements
Introduce vendor vetting process and initiate onboarding through Vendor Manager
Update and maintain an organized tariff by way of archiving newly developed services including décor teambuilding activities entertainment into the company tariff library for future use and executing tariff projects including formatting auditing and the enhancement of category offerings in alignment with departmental direction
Support ECS inventory maintenance and accuracy as directed by management
Build and sustain strong vendor relationships to ensure reliable service pricing transparency and innovative offerings
Align proposal content with client expectations destination opportunities and pricing parameters
Support familiarization tours hotelier events and other sales-related activations by assisting with logistics vendor coordination and on-site presence as needed
Collaborate with Marketing to contribute destination-specific content photos and service descriptions for client-facing materials such as Weekenders Area Guides and Photo Pages
Stay informed on new venues experiences and trends in the local market to help inform proposals and teamwide inspiration
Ensure accuracy in pricing margins timelines and vendor documentation across proposals and internal systems such as ECS
Manage internal paperwork including deposit invoices vendor payments Ramp expense submissions and reconciliation per company procedures for site inspections
Maintain mastery of internal tools formatting standards and proposal processes serve as a resource for department troubleshooting
Proactively manage timelines consistently meet internal and client due dates workload and cross-functional coordination with minimal oversight
Join and actively participate in client meetings calls sites and presentations as needed
Attend networking and industry events based on deadlines and availability subject to change based on destination alignment