Conference Services & Sales Manager - Non-Exempt

JOB SUMMARY

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Education: High School Diploma required; 4-year college degree preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of one year of hotel experience in Sales, Catering, or Front Office operations, with hotel sales systems knowledge required. Previous customer service orientation and training is required.
• Skills & Knowledge:
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Excellent organization skills, manages time well, correctly prioritizes, and is flexible.
  • Excellent creative skills to provide innovative set-ups, menus, and functions for groups.
  • Ability to generate creative and innovative menus while working closely with the Chef on pricing specialty menus.
  • Ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and a full understanding of professional business ethics, decorum, and social skills.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Appropriate professional appearance and demeanor.
  • Comprehension of technical applications of sales systems and corporate transient RFPs.
  • Full understanding of the hotel product and local market conditions.
  • Team-player and detail-oriented mindset with high energy and enthusiasm.

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Execute local sales initiatives targeting nearby businesses, medical offices, and corporate accounts to drive local meeting space usage and transient room nights.
• Actively solicit and secure local day-meetings, training sessions, and small social gatherings for the hotel's meeting space.
• Partner with the Director of Sales to conduct site visits, network locally, and build pipelines for repeat business.
• Assist with the organization, data gathering, and submission preparation for corporate transient RFP season and local corporate account maintenance.

• Work closely with each group’s meeting planner regarding menu planning, agenda setting, hotel meeting services, hospitality amenities, and special VIP requests.
• Monitor and manage room blocks, cut-off dates, special concessions, and attrition clauses utilizing group history reports to maximize hotel revenue.
• Review sales contracts and validate details with clients via turnover letters.
• Create detailed Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) and group resumes to meet the specifications of both the client and hotel operations.
• Verify credit information and billing details in account management software from turnover through departure.
• Monitor and enforce program deadline dates and release unneeded meeting space to maximize revenues.

• Communicate event details effectively to hotel operations staff (food and beverage, audio visual requirements, function room set-up, and billing).
• Optimize room rental, AV, and F&B charges, and effectively upsell products and services during the pre-event planning phase.
• Organize and conduct site visits, pre-planning visits, pre-con, and post-con meetings.
• Produce and distribute convention resumes two weeks prior to arrival and coordinate with banquets and the F&B direction for execution.
• Accurately forecast and reforecast group food and beverage revenue on a monthly basis for assigned groups within a 5% variance.
• Prepare reports including BEOs, sales system reports, correspondence, and internal communications.
• Maintain professional cooperation with clients and coworkers to continually raise meeting planner evaluation scores.
• Participate in industry-related organizations and perform other duties as assigned.