Senior Account Director of Catering Sales
About the role
We’re Sonesta International Hotels—a rapidly growing hotel company with a diverse portfolio of properties across the U.S. and beyond. Our Catering Sales team is responsible for bringing visionary events to life, driving revenue growth, and creating memorable experiences for our guests.
Responsibilities
Develop and lead the hotel’s catering sales strategy, driving revenue growth across corporate meetings, weddings, social events, conferences, and special events.
Own catering revenue goals, booking pace, forecasting, conversion, and profitability, identifying opportunities to strengthen performance.
Manage the full catering sales cycle for the hotel, from prospecting and relationship development through negotiation, contracting, event planning, and post-event follow-up.
Partner closely with Banquets, Culinary, Operations, Revenue Management, and the wider Sales team to build a strong pipeline, maximize event profitability, and ensure seamless event execution and exceptional guest experiences.
Establish pricing strategies, catering packages, promotions, and upselling opportunities that maximize food and beverage revenue, audiovisual services, event enhancements, and hotel accommodations.
Review banquet event orders (BEOs), event timelines, room setups, catering menus, and operational details to ensure accuracy and alignment across teams.
Lead catering sales meetings, pipeline reviews, forecasting discussions, and strategy sessions, providing clear updates and recommendations to hotel leadership.
Maintain accurate sales activity, contracts, account information, event details, and reporting within CRM and hotel sales systems.
Coach and develop the F&B Operations Management team to drive catering leads for private dining in the restaurant and event spaces.
Ensure catering sales practices, contracts, pricing, and event commitments align with hotel standards, policies, and revenue objectives.
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Event Management, Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred.
5+ years of progressive experience in Catering Sales, Hotel Sales, Event Management, Banquet Sales, or Hospitality Sales, including leadership experience.
A strong track record of delivering catering revenue growth, achieving sales targets, and building long-term client relationships.
Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing successful sales teams.
Strong knowledge of catering operations, banquet services, food and beverage planning, pricing strategy, forecasting, and event management processes.
Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage senior clients and hotel leaders.
Commercially focused, with the ability to interpret sales data, booking pace, market trends, and profitability to inform strategy.
Highly organized, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to oversee multiple events, priorities, and client relationships simultaneously.
Experience working with hotel sales systems, CRM platforms, event management software, and banquet event orders (BEOs).
The ability to thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment while maintaining professionalism, flexibility, and a solutions-focused mindset.
Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to build trusted partnerships across Operations, Culinary, Banquets, Revenue Management, and Sales teams.
A genuine passion for hospitality, events, food and beverage experiences, and creating memorable moments for guests and clients.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Event Management, Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred.
5+ years of progressive experience in Catering Sales, Hotel Sales, Event Management, Banquet Sales, or Hospitality Sales, including leadership experience.
A strong track record of delivering catering revenue growth, achieving sales targets, and building long-term client relationships.
Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, and developing successful sales teams.
Strong knowledge of catering operations, banquet services, food and beverage planning, pricing strategy, forecasting, and event management processes.
Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to engage senior clients and hotel leaders.
Commercially focused, with the ability to interpret sales data, booking pace, market trends, and profitability to inform strategy.
Highly organized, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to oversee multiple events, priorities, and client relationships simultaneously.
Experience working with hotel sales systems, CRM platforms, event management software, and banquet event orders (BEOs).
The ability to thrive in a fast-paced hospitality environment while maintaining professionalism, flexibility, and a solutions-focused mindset.
Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to build trusted partnerships across Operations, Culinary, Banquets, Revenue Management, and Sales teams.
A genuine passion for hospitality, events, food and beverage experiences, and creating memorable moments for guests and clients.
Skills
Strategic thinking and commercial acumen.
Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Effective negotiation and presentation abilities.
Strong organizational and time management skills.
Knowledge of catering operations, banquet services, food and beverage planning, pricing strategy, forecasting, and event management processes.
Proficiency in hotel sales systems, CRM platforms, event management software, and banquet event orders (BEOs).
Benefits
At Sonesta, we believe in rewarding our employees fairly and offering comprehensive benefits to support their well-being. Our compensation range is $95,000 - $125,000 annually, with base pay adjusted based on various factors. We also offer:
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match
401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
Paid Vacation & Sick Time
Paid Parental Leave
Company-Paid Life Insurance
Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
Education Assistance
Sonesta Hotel Discounts
Additional Perks & Employee Discounts
How We Reward You
At Sonesta, we understand that our success starts with our people. That’s why we invest in their health, financial security, and overall well-being. Here are some of the ways we reward our employees:
Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match
401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
Paid Vacation & Sick Time
Paid Parental Leave
Company-Paid Life Insurance
Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
Education Assistance
Sonesta Hotel Discounts
Additional Perks & Employee Discounts
Our Commitment to You
At Sonesta, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We strive to provide equal opportunities for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage you to apply if you meet the qualifications and are excited about the opportunity to join our team.
How to Apply
To be considered for this position, please complete the full application along with your resume. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.