Catering and Event Sales Manager

About the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Catering and Event Sales Manager to join our team at 24 Carrot Catering and Events. As a key member of our sales team, you will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to meet and exceed sales goal expectations, servicing social and corporate clients throughout Southern California.

Key Responsibilities

1. Prospect and actively solicit new catering business through various methods, including cold calling, attending industry and community networking events, referrals, office visits, etc.
2. Pursue, develop, and maintain client relationships through networking and prospecting, ensuring that prospects are converted to clients, and clients' expectations are met through effective communication, planning, and customer service.
3. Establish and maintain relationships with industry influencers and key community and strategic partners for maximum exposure.
4. Collaborate with counterpart in production on team sales goal and sales plan development to achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual team sales goal targets.
5. Ensure all inquiries and leads are responded to in an enthusiastic and timely manner.
6. Provide excellent customer service and expertise to clients, supporting them from initial inquiry through menu and event development during the proposal and negotiations stage, ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.
7. Process correspondence (internal and external), proposals, contracts, and BEOs accurately, and in a timely manner.
8. Conduct in-house tastings for social/wedding/corporate events prior to event booking.
9. Conduct off-site tastings/demos for potential new corporate delivery clients.
10. Conduct site tours/visits with potential clients prior to event booking.
11. Attend events day-of as needed to further client relationship and ensure customer satisfaction.
12. Work with a sense of urgency and duty to actively complete work assignments with detail, accuracy, and a focus on the customer experience.
13. Remain current of national trends in the industry and local market changes to best serve clients.
14. Develop and maintain relationships with industry partners and outside vendors.
15. Attend weekly sales team meeting.
16. Handle and resolve customer complaints with the support of upper management.
17. Keep the Director of Sales informed of any issues occurring during the negotiations and sales process for each event.
18. Other duties as assigned by the Director of Sales.

Secondary/Support Duties and Responsibilities

1. Support and assist counterpart in production during the planning and execution process as needed to ensure the highest level of customer service and satisfaction.
2. Work with clients to gather all necessary information to ensure event setup and execution details are accurate and all information is efficiently communicated to the staff.
3. Communicate and distribute all event information to appropriate internal staff and managers, working directly with all other departments to ensure all event details are accounted for.
4. On occasion may need to conduct in-house tastings for social/wedding/corporate events after event booking.
5. On occasion may need to conduct detailing meetings for larger detailed events.
6. On occasion may need to conduct site visits with booked clients, creating space plans/event layouts when necessary.
7. Manage outsourced vendor services for events, including placing/confirming orders, communicating event details, directing on-site as needed, and processing invoices in a timely manner.
8. Attend and manage on-site execution of events from installation, delivery, and setup through dinner service, and on occasion through to event conclusion as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Indirectly supervise onsite staff. Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing onsite work, addressing complaints, and resolving problems.

Qualifications

1. Professional, enthusiastic, responsible, and dependable team player.
2. Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail.
3. Can work well under pressure.
4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to prepare and deliver clear, concise reports and presentations that are understandable by the target audience.
5. Strong management skills and proven project management experience with the ability to manage on-going multiple priorities.
6. Exceptional customer service skills.
7. Results driven.
8. Self-motivated, takes initiative, and willing to acquire new skills.
9. Adept at building teams.
10. Willingness to work in a collaborative environment with co-workers from diverse technical backgrounds.
11. Ability to plan, service, and supervise a variety of events with the assistance and cooperation of other staff members.
12. Ability to anticipate equipment and other logistical needs for individual events.
13. Proven ability to deal in a professional and cordial manner with the public attending events.
14. Ability to quickly identify and resolve problems.
15. Ability to function independently and intuitively in a fast-paced environment.
16. Strong logic and reasoning skills to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions and approaches to issues as they arise.
17. Ability to exercise sound judgment and make proper decisions in handling incidents at all types of events.
18. A basic knowledge of sales and business management practices and procedures.
19. Ability to compile and maintain records pertaining to events.
20. Ability to manage confidential information and maintain its integrity.
21. Strong computer skills that include proficiency with MS Office and Google applications, Catering and CRM software.
22. High level of personal hygiene.
23. Current California Food Handler's card required.
24. Local travel is required.

Education and/or Experience

1. College degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Management, Hospitality, or another business-related field. Bachelor's degree preferred.
2. Minimum 5 years of experience within the hospitality industry that includes quantifiable success in a sales role.
3. Prior experience with reaching sales goals and objectives.
4. Comprehensive knowledge of off-site catering, event production, and operations, including coordinating small and large-scale events, pre-event planning, vendor management, on-site logistics, and event execution.
5. General interest in food, menu design, and creative event development.
6. Experience in working in a computer environment utilizing Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, CRM, and sales/event management programs.
7. Basic knowledge of financial management disciplines, including but not limited to - gross profitability, budget design and management, financial analysis, and return on investment.
8. Reliable transportation and clean driving record required.

Language Skills

1. Ability to speak and understand English.
2. Ability to write routine correspondence.
3. Ability to deal with employees effectively and courteously.
4. Ability to write articles and copy for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.
5. Ability to effectively present information to top management, managers, and/or employees.

Mathematical Skills

1. Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
2. Ability to compute rates and calculate figures such as proportions and percentages.

Reasoning Ability

1. Ability to maintain a calm, composed presence in an often fast-paced environment where multiple tasks, events, and stimulus may occur simultaneously.
2. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
3. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form, dealing with both abstract and concrete variables.

Physical Demands

1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; walk; and talk or hear.
2. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
3. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to climb or balance.
4. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
5. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

1. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
2. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but there will be cases where the noise level is loud to extremely loud.
3. This position occasionally requires work that exceeds 40 hours per week and occasionally requires flexibility to start shift earlier and end shift later with little to no notice.
4. This position occasionally requires work outside of a traditional work week.
5. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to work off-site.

Benefits

Full-time benefits at 24 Carrot Catering and Events include:

• Career growth
• Competitive pay
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Floating holiday
• Group health insurance - medical, vision, and dental
• Bereavement pay
• 401(k) program

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