Catering & Convention Services Sales Manager

POSITION SUMMARY:

Catering & Convention Services Sales Manager is responsible for finalizing group business while maximizing the event space to meet/exceed sales goals. As a Catering & Convention Services Sales Manager, one solicits, negotiates and books new/repeat business by via outside sales calls, mailings, networking, etc. Requirements of the position include: a thorough knowledge of the practices and procedures of the catering, food & beverage and hospitality professions; effective communication skills, and the ability to negotiate, influence and sell professionals and/or prospective hotel guests.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing group/catering related opportunities with significant revenue potential. Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity. Achieves personal and team related revenue goals. Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery. Responsible for driving customer/guest loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer/guest experience. Provides service to customers in order to grow the account on behalf of the company.
• Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.
• Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the property
• Identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and each property's revenue goals.
• Focuses efforts on group/catering accounts with significant potential sales revenue.
• Develops effective group/catering sales plans and actions.
• Maximizes revenue by upselling packages and creative food and beverage.
• Understands the overall market - competitors' strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• Closes the best opportunities for property based on market conditions and individual property needs.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.
• Develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations
• Organize meeting room bookings
• Handles group bookings – to include but not limited to point of inquiry, quoting rates, contract development, detailing of needs, communication of group requirements to hotel staff, management of group on day of event, and follow up.
• Develop an effective communication and information system with the hotel team to disseminate details of upcoming group, meeting events and special events in the primary marketing area.
• Solicit new business to ensure all revenue goals are achieved or exceeded within all market segments, as well as Catering/Banquet sales. Identify business opportunities, and proactively research, analyze, and tele-market prospective clients
• Develop/maintain knowledge of market trends, competition and customers
• Assist with completing any required sales reports.
• Responsible for internet prospecting. Dedicates time each day to researching the internet for meetings, conferences, events and sports groups coming to area, uses this information to solicit possible future business.
• Solicitation of new and existing accounts to meet/exceed revenue goals. This involves making cold calls, direct sales calls, sales blitzes, and hotel tours. In addition, maintaining good working relationships with existing clients while exploring ways to increase revenue.
• Preparing contracts, reports, and other paperwork related to the sales department.
• Any other duties assigned by Management

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Excellent time management skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong customer service orientation and skills
• Must be self-motivated and results oriented.
• Creative problem solving skills
• Must have catering and/or hotel experience

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55, $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person