ANA-MARIA CONNELLY
Spring Mountain,QLD
Summary
Sales leader with a proven record of achieving 30% revenue growth at Matriarch Consulting through strategic partnerships and innovative pricing strategies. Expertise in business development and stakeholder engagement, utilizing strong negotiation skills to secure high-value contracts and enhance market presence. Skilled in optimizing sales processes and building long-term client relationships.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Sales & Founder
Matriarch Consulting
12.2024 - Current
- Established and scaled sales consultancy, delivering outsourced commercial growth strategies that drove client success across multiple industries.
- Generated 30% revenue growth within 6 months, building a pipeline exceeding $1M+ in opportunities.
- Secured strategic partnerships that expanded market reach by 50% and opened new commercial channels.
- Led end-to-end commercial operations, managing pricing strategy and contract negotiation to strengthen stakeholder relationships and enhance overall performance.
- Optimised processes that reduced operational costs by 35% while increasing sales productivity by 50%.
Business Development Manager – BookDirect Lead
Bookeasy
07.2025 - 11.2025
- Led the national rollout of a digital booking platform across accommodation providers and tour operators, driving six-figure revenue growth across regional markets.
- Secured strategic partnerships with councils, tourism bodies, and regional stakeholders across Australia and New Zealand, enhancing collaborative tourism efforts.
- Built and converted a robust pipeline of new business opportunities across multiple regions and tourism segments, contributing to overall market expansion.
- Managed multi-channel distribution strategies, including third-party channel managers, to optimise occupancy and revenue performance for partners.
- Developed and implemented commercial pricing models, ensuring profitability and long-term contract value.
- Worked closely with accommodation and tour operator partners to streamline booking processes and enhance direct booking capabilities.
Senior Business Development Manager
Vista Cimpress (VistaPrint)
08.2024 - 07.2025
- Executed strategic sales initiatives, expanding market share and securing long-term partnerships.
- Negotiated high-value contracts and corporate pricing models, delivering client value while maintaining profitability.
- Drove revenue growth by acquiring and managing high-value corporate clients and consistently exceeding KPIs.
- Managed key accounts, ensuring strong stakeholder engagement, retention, and repeat business.
- Converted new business opportunities, enhancing presence within Hospitality & Tourism sector.
- Led client onboarding onto ProShop platform, delivering tailored solutions in collaboration with internal teams.
National Business Development & Partnership Manager
Entertainment Group Pty Ltd
03.2022 - 06.2024
- Led national business development strategy and partnership growth across Australia, driving significant revenue uplift.
- Managed high-value commercial relationships, contributing to sustained national revenue growth.
- Identified and converted new market opportunities, presenting initiatives that informed strategic direction to senior leadership.
- Expanded partnership portfolio across national accounts, strengthening long-term commercial outcomes.
- Led and mentored national sales team, enhancing performance and driving pipeline growth to achieve KPIs.
- Implemented scalable lead generation frameworks, facilitating consistent support for ongoing business growth.
Sales Manager – New Business
OrderMate
11.2021 - 04.2022
- Developed new business opportunities and generated pipeline within SaaS hospitality technology sector.
- Utilized consultative sales approach to deliver tailored tech solutions that enhanced client operations.
- Proven ability to identify opportunities and convert prospects into long-term commercial partnerships.
- Advanced negotiation and closing skills, securing high-value SaaS agreements and contracts.
- Strategic sales planning and execution to drive revenue growth and market expansion.
- Managed stakeholder relationships across hospitality, tourism, and corporate sectors to foster collaboration.
- Data-driven pipeline management, forecasting, and KPI performance tracking.
Sales Executive – New Business
Genie Solutions
04.2021 - 10.2021
- Consistently exceeded national sales targets, driving strong revenue growth and contributing to overall business performance.
- Built and maintained a robust pipeline of new business opportunities, consistently converting leads into revenue-generating clients.
- Managed full sales lifecycle, including prospecting, solution demonstrations, negotiation, client onboarding, achieving seamless transitions and client satisfaction.
- Developed strong client relationships, delivering tailored solutions that addressed specific business needs and maximized long-term value.
Membership Officer / Assistant Manager (Accommodation Division)
Queensland Hotels Association
03.2020 - 03.2021
- Drove 40% growth in revenue and membership portfolio through targeted business development and engagement initiatives.
- Strengthened stakeholder relationships across government, industry, and private sectors, fostering collaboration and achieving strategic outcomes.
- Led cross-functional projects with Queensland Government and health authorities, delivering successful outcomes aligned with regulatory frameworks.
- Provided strategic advisory on compliance, regulatory requirements, and operational best practices to support organisational performance.
Education
Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Writing Tenders & Proposals, Training Needs Analysis
Australian Institute of Management
Skills
- Business development and account growth
- Contract negotiation and commercial structuring
- Strategic partnerships and key account management
- Tendering and proposal development
- Pricing strategies and models
- Pipeline development and revenue forecasting
- Stakeholder engagement and market expansion
- Territory growth and CRM systems
- Sales optimization
- Sales forecasting
Earlier Career
Institute of Managers and Leaders / Australian Institute of Management, Progressed into leadership roles across Australia & New Zealand. Developed strong foundations in sales strategy, stakeholder engagement, and commercial operations.
Education And Professional Development
- Leading with Emotional Intelligence
- Writing Tenders & Proposals
- Training Needs Analysis
Key Value Proposition
- Consistent track record of exceeding revenue targets and driving business growth.
- Strong capability in securing and managing long-term commercial contracts.
- Experienced in complex stakeholder environments including government and regional sectors.
- Proven ability to enter new industries and deliver results quickly.
References
Available on request
Relevant Industry Alignment
- Proven experience working with regional operators, councils, and government stakeholders
- Strong background managing long sales cycles and high-value commercial agreements
- Exposure to regulated environments, compliance requirements, and stakeholder frameworks
- Demonstrated ability to enter new markets and scale commercial operations
- Experienced in multi-site client portfolios and national account management
Core Capabilities
- New Business Development & Account Growth
- Contract Negotiation & Commercial Structuring
- Strategic Partnerships & Key Account Management
- Tendering, Proposals & Pricing Models
- Pipeline Development & Revenue Forecasting
- Stakeholder Engagement (Government, Corporate, Regional)
- Market Expansion & Territory Growth
- CRM Systems & Sales Optimisation
Timeline
Business Development Manager – BookDirect Lead
Bookeasy
07.2025 - 11.2025
Director of Sales & Founder
Matriarch Consulting
12.2024 - Current
Senior Business Development Manager
Vista Cimpress (VistaPrint)
08.2024 - 07.2025
National Business Development & Partnership Manager
Entertainment Group Pty Ltd
03.2022 - 06.2024
Sales Manager – New Business
OrderMate
11.2021 - 04.2022
Sales Executive – New Business
Genie Solutions
04.2021 - 10.2021
Membership Officer / Assistant Manager (Accommodation Division)
Queensland Hotels Association
03.2020 - 03.2021
Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Writing Tenders & Proposals, Training Needs Analysis
Australian Institute of Management