Commercial Analyst

Company Description

Discover the warm hospitality of Sofitel Dubai The Palm, a luxurious 5-star beachfront resort nested on the East Crescent of the renowned Palm Jumeirah.

Nestled amongst lush greenery on the idyllic shores of the Arabian Gulf, Sofitel Dubai The Palm offers a tropical and relaxing sanctuary, only a short distance away from the vibrant, buzzing metropolis of Dubai.

With touches of French elegance interlaced throughout the resort, we invite guests to enjoy an environment “Where life lives” and indulge in excellence.

The resort comprises of 360 contemporary guest rooms and suites, 182 serviced apartments, 4 ultra-luxury villas, Sofitel Spa with L’ Occitane, Fitness Centre, Kids Club and offers a large variety of dining options with 7 restaurants, 5 bars, and lounges.

Job Description

The Commercial Analyst applies a logical, structured, and disciplined approach to analyze key financial and commercial data, transforming insights into actionable recommendations. This role requires the ability to interpret and synthesize complex data, exercise professional skepticism, challenge assumptions, and deliver informed strategies that drive business performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Pricing:

• Conduct A/B testing and price elasticity analyses to validate price optimization and promotional simulations.
• Continuously evaluate price positioning against competitors by market segment.
• Monitor IDeaS pricing and forecasting recommendations; propose strategic actions aligned with monthly and annual plans.
• Support pricing strategies across corporate, group, long-stay, and leisure segments, including group and catering pricing tools, displacement analyses for major groups, and leisure pricing for promotions and tactical offers.

Reporting:

• Assist in preparation for weekly revenue meetings.
• Collaborate with the Director of Revenue and Director of Sales & Marketing on weekly and monthly reports, including forecasts for all revenue streams such as F&B and Spa.
• Support the Digital Marketing team by analyzing online campaign performance and identifying optimal periods for digital spend to maximize business mix.

Analysis:

• Execute ad-hoc assignments as directed by senior management to enhance hotel revenue performance.
• Utilize business intelligence tools (e.g., Axis BI, Demand 360, STR, Opera Reporting) to identify trends, risks, and pricing considerations.
• Lead market research and competitor analysis projects.

Data Integrity:

• Work closely with the Reservations Manager to maintain data accuracy, quality assurance, and current rate codes.
• Update and share market segment and demographic analyses using tools such as Opera, IDeaS, InTouchData, and TARS.
• Ensure accuracy of group and catering block data and collaborate with the Events team to resolve discrepancies.
• Conduct OTA audits to maintain rate parity across all online channels.

Revenue Culture & Training:

• Develop and deliver revenue management and Excel training to relevant team members to foster a revenue-focused culture.

Daily Duties:

• Update daily pickup reports and monitor room availability and group blocks.
• Track leisure promotions’ performance, maintain availability charts, and recommend pricing adjustments for 90, 180, and 365 days out.
• Maintain and update reports to measure promotional program impact.
• Ensure daily updates of all third-party websites, GDS via CRS, and Opera systems.
• Oversee IDeaS-related tasks and monitor upselling program eligibility.
• Track partner allocations and report breaches to management.
• Collaborate with Reservations and Rooms departments to monitor and adjust overbooking policies based on market data, daily activity, historical patterns, and lead times.
• Conduct spot checks on reservation and front office data for accuracy, correcting discrepancies and providing targeted training.
• Ensure proper market segmentation and rate code assignment for confirmed business.

Meetings:

• Participate in weekly revenue, reservations, group, leisure, and pricing meetings.
• Support budget and forecasting meetings.
• Attend monthly Revenue Managers conference calls.

Reporting Deliverables:

• Daily and weekly pickup reports
• OTA Insight reports
• Market share and competition analyses
• Demand 360 reports
• Weekly revenue and sales reports (including leisure segment and group & catering pace)
• Key account incentive reward performance tracking
• Month-end reports and detailed day-by-day forecasts (30/60/90 days and year-end)
• Daily, weekly, and annual completion of IDeaS tasks

Occupational Health & Safety:

• Comply with all hotel safety standards and regulations as per the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
• Take reasonable care to avoid risks to self and others in the workplace.

Qualifications

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications
• Previous experience or internship in revenue management preferred
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure and manage multiple priorities
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills