Associate Director of Catering Sales | The SOMM Hotel & Spa

Columbia Hospitality•Woodinville, WA

17d•$100,000 - $110,000

About The Position

“People never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou’s famous statement serves as a rallying cry throughout Columbia Hospitality and fuels our collective drive - and success. Our people are our purpose, and our brand is our people. We seek extraordinary individuals who drive our brand promise of Creating Exceptional Experiences. We are a people-first organization, ignited from the inside to succeed on the outside. We are a tight-knit, inclusive, values-driven team and we trust one another to have each other’s backs. We show up every day with open hearts, an inclusive mindset, and a genuine respect for those around us. We have fun, grow together, and strive to leave a positive lasting impression on everyone we meet.

Requirements

Minimum of 4-6 years of hospitality sales experience, or similar environment.
Possess extensive knowledge and expertise in sales and/or event management with extensive sales and negotiation skills.
Strong leadership influence and critical thinking capabilities.
Identify opportunities to satisfy customer needs.
Takes an initiative-taking approach to address issues and avert conflict, resolve practical problems, and conflict resolution with limited standardized solutions.
Ability to hold others accountable by establishing clear responsibilities.
Working knowledge of applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
Excellent communication skills, including proficiency in writing contracts, reports, business correspondence, and operations manuals, with the ability to present information effectively and respond to inquiries from team members, managers, clients, guests, or the public.
Ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions or approaches.
Strong personal skills, including time management, information analysis, problem-solving, planning and organizing, decision making, problem solving, and delivery of results.
Strong interpersonal communication with the ability to identify, understand, and anticipate the emotions, concerns and thoughts of others.
Strong interpersonal influence skills, including coaching, motivating, delegating, and relationship-building.
Demonstrates a strong grasp of mathematical operations. Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all applicable units of measure, using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages.
Analytical mindset and can utilize mathematical skills to assess data, identify trends, and draw meaningful insights that drive strategy and decision-making.
Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office; Word, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote, and Excel. Knowledge of hospitality sales platforms a plus.
Proficiency in conducting client research, gathering relevant information, and staying updated on industry trends and developments.
Strong financial acumen understanding and creating various financial reports (P&L statement, PACE, budget) with knowledge of dynamic pricing and profitability.
Can present to senior management and clients in a clear and concise manner.
Ability to travel (including air or car, hotel overnight stays, and client entertainment.)

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of hospitality sales platforms a plus.

Responsibilities

Collaborates annually on the preparation of internal prework, group strategic plans, and departmental revenue and expense budgets, aligning closely with the General Manager to achieve overall property goals.
Assists in the creation of departmental objectives, team deployment strategies, production goals, and individual performance targets.
Demonstrates strong leadership with emotional intelligence, conducting regular one-on-one meetings and quarterly evaluations with team members.
Conducts industry research and property data analysis to forecast future business volume effectively.
Possesses proficiency in contractual language and agreements.
Ensures the department adheres to accounting standards, including deposits, direct billing, and pre-payments.
In the absence of the Director, provides weekly updates on prospecting, inquiries, and activities.
When designated, reports monthly achievements, ensuring financial accuracy across P&L, sales and event platforms, and deposits/accounts receivable.
Upholds departmental standards and implements management systems, including the administration of sales and event platforms.
Supports group sales initiatives, including outreach, negotiations, contract reviews, planning, and service delivery.
Actively participates in industry associations.
Develops and maintains positive working relationships and open communication across all departments.
Mentors, coaches, and trains departmental team members to ensure comprehensive competency in all relevant areas.
Collaborates to create a monthly training program for the department.
Conducts assigned monthly departmental meetings.
When necessary, implements corrective actions and provides constructive feedback in a respectful manner.
Achieves departmental goals and objectives.
Contributes to revenue growth across assigned segments at a higher level.
Engages in client relationship building, including new business development and networking.
Meets prospecting and sales activity targets.
Responds to incoming RFPs (Requests for Proposals) within 24 hours.
Skilled in client negotiations, closing techniques, and contractual language comprehension.
Responsible for revenue forecasting.
Cultivates and maintains positive working relationships and open communication with all stakeholders.
Must adhere to Columbia Hospitality Policies and Procedures.
Additional job functions may be assigned based on the property’s business needs as determined by the General Manager and Seattle Support Center Leadership.

Benefits

Salary Range: $100,000 to $110,000 DOE
Cellphone Allowance
Incentive Eligible
Get Paid Daily (Make any day payday)
Paid Time off & Holiday Pay (Because Balance Matters)
Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, 401K
HSA/FSA Plans -with employer contribution
Values Based Culture (#OMGLIFE)
Culture Add (Creating Space for Fresh Perspectives)
Referral Bonus (Get Paid to Recruit)
Discounted Lodging, Dining, Spa, Golf, and Retail (Yes, Discounted Travel!)
Employee Assistance Program
“Columbia Cares” Volunteer Opportunities
Committee Participation Opportunities (Fun, Philanthropic, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion)
Task Force Work Opportunities (Grow your career in idyllic locations across the globe)
Online Learning Platform to Help You Grow!
Third Party Perks (Including discounts on Pet Insurance, Rental Cars, Movie and Concert Tickets, Theme Park and Attractions & so much more)