Catering Sales Manager

Mainsail Lodging & Development

About The Position

We’re looking for enthusiastic, fun, and energetic people who take the work seriously, but not themselves. Let’s see if we’re a fit. We hope so. Responsible for handling local social catering opportunities and coordinates group business when turned over by director of sales. Responsible for achieving and exceeding the hotel catering sales revenue goals. Contracts and closes local catering and social business. Ensures that business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. Achieves catering revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue. Implements the brand's service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and drives customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.

Requirements

Excellent customer service skills
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
Ability to effectively present information to individuals or groups
Proficient with Microsoft Office programs, Marriott systems, SFAweb and CI/TY
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time
Ability to communicate clearly
Corrected vision to normal range
Ability to drive/transport self and others
Ability to travel, domestically and internationally
Long hours sometimes required
Make sound judgments quickly
Work on multiple tasks, making appropriate progress towards deadlines
Able to work independently, take direction and provide direction to others
Manage differing personalities within the office, the hotel and the community
Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality
Ability to work effectively in stressful, high pressure situations
Ability to effectively handle challenges in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary

Nice To Haves

4-year Bachelor’s degree preferred
Catering sales and or convention services experience preferred
Familiarization of the local markets preferred

Responsibilities

Identifies, qualifies and solicits new catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals
Coordinates definite group business
Generates banquet event orders
Processes billing, rooming lists, and group resumes
Proactively solicits affiliate business associated with citywide events
Understands the overall market - competitors' strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
Maximizes revenue by up-selling packages and creative food and beverage offerings.
Identifies and implements process improvements and best practices.
Gains understanding of the hotel's primary target customer and service expectations.
Ensures successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and the business.
Manages the sales efforts for the hotel related to local social catering business.
Responds to incoming catering opportunities for the hotel.
Closes the best opportunities for the hotel based on market conditions and hotel needs.
Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
Designs, develops, and sells creative catered events.
Develops and manages catering sales revenue and operation budgets, and provides forecasting reports.
Identifies and assists with selling, implementing and following-through on catering promotions.
Promotes accountability to drive superior business results.
Executes Sales strategies and business processes.
Executes and supports Customer Service Standards and hotel's Brand Standards.
Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
Participates in and practice daily service basics of the brand
Works collaboratively with property Sales and Marketing colleagues as well as other hotel departments to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
Develops a close working relationship with operations to ensure execution of strategies at the hotel level.
Works with the management team to create and implement a catering sales plan addressing revenue, customers and market.
Works with the property's Food and Beverage team to develop menus that drive sales.
Interacts effectively with vendors, competitors, local community, catering associations and other hotel departments (including Sales, Kitchen and Events) in order to ensure guest satisfaction.
Ensures that the property implements a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering high level of service.
Serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.
Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship.
Monitors the effective resolution of guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process by creating mechanisms to channel issues to property leadership and/or other appropriate stakeholders.
Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs