Catering Sales Manager

About the role

The Catering Sales Manager is responsible for soliciting, negotiating, contracting, detailing, and coordinating catering and banquet business for Colonial Williamsburg Resorts. This position supports all catering market segments but primarily focuses on weddings, including ceremonies, receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridal luncheons, farewell brunches, anniversary celebrations, and other social events. The role involves serving as the primary point of contact, initiating contact up to one year in advance, assisting in event planning, managing contracts, resolving issues, and ensuring quality service and customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Solicits, negotiates, and books new and repeat business through outside sales, sales calls, telemarketing, mailings, networking, and other efforts.
• Serves as the primary contact between clients and Colonial Williamsburg, initiating contact up to one year in advance and assisting in event planning.
• Plans, upsells, and details functions with clients, including space requirements, times, equipment, menus, themes, decorations, etc.
• Completes contracts, prepares paperwork, coordinates with relevant areas, and resolves issues to ensure quality service and customer satisfaction.
• Maintains contracted accommodations and conference function space to maximize profit and efficiency.
• Negotiates related food and beverage business, meeting space rental, audio-visual services, and recreational activities.
• Coordinates all CWC-HG property services including accommodations, meeting rooms, audio-visual, food and beverage, catering, recreational, special tickets, tours and activities, transportation, external support, and external vendor services, package plans, and billing.
• Develops and maintains knowledge of cost factors and labor issues.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of corporate and hotel procedures and products and the competition's strengths and weaknesses to continually improve sales strategies and achieve goals.
• Serves as an on-site CWC-HG representative during event execution, responsible for the successful operation of all activity-related functions.
• Covers for others when needed while meeting individual performance goals.
• Continues professional development through educational offerings from industry trade groups and educational institutions.

Requirements

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite at the intermediate level (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• In-depth knowledge of hotel operations, preferably with a two- or four-year degree in hospitality, business, or a related field, or through two to four years of progressively responsible experience in the hotel or hospitality industry.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays as required.

Qualifications

• Must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite at the intermediate level (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• In-depth knowledge of hotel operations - two- or four-year degree in hospitality, business, or a related field, or through two to four years of progressively responsible experience in the hotel or hospitality industry.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings, weekends, and occasional holidays as required.
• In-depth knowledge of food and beverage preparation, presentation, catering service, and cost.
• General knowledge of Colonial Williamsburg helpful.