Catering Sales Manager

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE POSITION: The Catering Sales Manager is responsible for directing, coordinating, training, and supervising the Banquet and Catering Support staff. The Catering Sales Manager is also responsible for developing existing accounts and obtaining new accounts in order to maximize hotel revenue, as well as analyzing and reviewing methods for increasing sales through marketing efforts.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (This list of essential functions is not exhaustive and may be supplemented and changed as necessary.)

• * Develop a complete knowledge of company banquet food service standards and techniques, maintain best practices, policies and service initiatives and ensure knowledge of and adherence to those policies by the Banquet team to achieve optimal sales service and client retention.
• * Develop and maintain market awareness to ensure ability to predict revenue opportunities and set proactive strategies.
• * Establish individual sales plans and goals for corporate and social catering.
• * Monitor and analyze production of all top accounts and evaluate trends within your market, maintain prospect, independently solicit and book business.
• * Develop strategies to increase share from competitors when the hotel revenue penetration goals are not being met.
• * Review and analyze market analyses to determine customer needs, volume potential, price schedules, and discount rates, and develops catering sales campaigns to accommodate goals of company.
• * Analyze and controls expenditures of division to conform to budgetary requirements.
• * Focus on sales plan and strategy, client development, managing key relationships, identifying new target markets and sales product with the goal of meeting and exceeding revenue goals.
• * Understand the competitive landscape and how to maintain leadership position given to market and economic changes. Adjust sales plan and strategies accordingly.
• * Coordinate with F&B and hotel staff as needed to insure proper execution of catered functions.
• * Conduct regular client visits and participate in industry events with other sales managers
• * Use creative planning in the design and structure of catered events.
• * Supervises and develops contracts, proposals, and customized menus to meet client needs, as well as financial goals.
• * Conduct site inspections and tastings for clients as necessary to secure business.
• * Greet client prior to functions/events as needed.
• * Conduct daily inspection of meeting rooms to ensure set-ups are correct.
• * Maintain daily communication and/or weekly reporting with management in regards to potential new business, lost business, customer and operational issues, discounted events, specialized room set, etc.
• * Attend and participate in regular BEO meetings.
• * Responsible for generating the 30-60-90- day forecasting for banquet and catering revenue.
• * Leads pre-event and post-event meetings for assigned groups.
• * Identifies operational challenges associated with his/her group and works with the property staff and customer to solve these challenges and/or develop alternative solutions.
• * Manages customer budgets to maximize revenue and meet customer needs.
• * Oversees his/her customer experiences from file turnover through the post event phase until turnover back to sales.
• * Conducts pre- and post-event meetings as required to review/communicate group needs and feedback.
• * Manages group room blocks and meeting space for assigned groups.
• * Manages revenue and profitability associated with events.

  SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

  Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.

  QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.
• * Ability to handle sensitive, confidential information discreetly and professionally
• * Ability to identify sales opportunities.
• * Excellent problem-solving and customer service skills, including the ability to problem solve without direct supervision
• * Excellent time management and organizational skills
• * Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• * Strong ability to track actions and follow through on processes
• * Strong computer skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• * Strong detail orientation; ability to set priorities, multi-task and meet deadlines
• * Understand the competitive landscape and how to maintain leadership position given to market and economic changes. Adjust sales plan and strategies accordingly
• * Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact, and diplomacy to defuse anger.

  EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: Post high school education required; or one to two years related experience and/or training in hotel sales or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, Business Administration, Marketing or Communication preferred.

• * Previous experience in a 4 to 5 star, boutique hotel (and the quality and services expectations associated therewith) preferred.
• * Requires highly developed customer service skills.
• * Delphi experience preferred.

  TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

  Position may require some travel.

• Must have own reliable transportation and possess a valid state driver’s license and a good driving record in order to make sales calls.

  LANGUAGE SKILLS:

  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common journals, financial reports, and sales & catering agreements/contracts. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present information to public groups and/or individual accounts.

  MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

  Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.

  REASONING ABILITY:

  Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

  PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, and reach with hands and arms.

  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to adjust focus.

  WORK ENVIRONMENT:

  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions when making sales calls on customers. They may be required to travel to an out-of-town destination through airline travel. Also, travel will be required by automobile to call on customers and service accounts.

  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

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