CATERING SALES MANAGER

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Solicits and responds to sales inquiries from potential clients and customers seeking sleeping rooms, meeting space, food and beverage services, etc.
• Identifies, solicits and develops new business through obtaining accounts from reader board service, direct sales from existing accounts and contact new customers in the market.
• Solicitation of new and of existing business should be through a combination of outside sales calls, appointments, telemarketing, social media, site tours, constant prospecting and networking.
• Serves as primary contact for meeting and banquet functions to ensure all preparations have been made as detailed on Banquet Event Orders (BEO), last minute needs and changes are responded to expediently.
• The Catering Manager handles all details of definite groups including menu planning, AV requirements, process Banquet Event Orders, and obtain guarantees, distribution of group resumes, VIP’s, rooming lists and billing.
• Secures new accounts in the assigned market segment to contribute to enhancing, maximizing and maintaining a healthy portfolio of accounts.
• Attends and facilitates weekly BEO meetings with Food and Beverage staff.
• Participate in industry events, trade shows and promotional events with the target market.
• Maintains relationships with assigned accounts through regular sales calls, client entertainment, site inspections and consistent follow-up.
• Understand the competitive landscape and do what it takes to secure business that meets or exceeds revenue expectations and profit goals.
• Responsible for and implementation of a sales action plan for the development of a market segment which includes room blocks, telephone/direct mail solicitation, trade show participation and property tours.
• Proactively pursues sales activities on a weekly basis to align with achieving monthly budget, individual and team goals.
• Mets or exceeds established monthly, quarterly, annual targeted revenue and monthly solicitation goals.
• Attends weekly staff meeting to review group resumes. Communicating all pertinent information on upcoming group needs, VIP clients, meeting functions to hotel department staff.
• Reconcile group bills with clients for approval.

Job Requirements

• Due to the cyclical nature of the hospitality industry, employees may be required to work varying schedules (including Holidays and weekends) to reflect the business needs of the hotel.
• In addition, attendance at all scheduled training sessions and meetings is required.

Competencies

• Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Communications: Expresses ideas and thoughts verbally; expresses ideas and thoughts in written form; exhibits good listening and comprehension; keeps others adequately informed; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
• Managing Customer Focus: Promotes customer focus; establishes customer service standards; monitors customer satisfaction; develops new approaches to meeting customer needs. Strong ability to deal with internal and external customers, some of whom require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy identifies need and appropriate catering and event accommodations.
• Business Acumen: Understands business implications of decisions; displays orientation to profitability; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals.
• Sales Skills: Achieves sales goals; overcomes objections with persuasion and persistence; initiates new contacts; maintains customer satisfaction; maintains records and promptly submits information.
• Planning/Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; develops realistic action plans.

Education and/or Experience

• One or two years hotel sales and or catering sales experience and/or training in a hotel/resort sales environment; or equivalent combination of education and experience.