Catering Sales Manager - The Ritz-Carlton

Sage Hospitality•Chicago, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago, a luxury hotel set atop Water Tower Place in the historic Gold Coast, is seeking a passionate Catering Sales Manager. This role involves cultivating relationships with clients, identifying opportunities to exceed expectations, and guiding events from inquiry to execution. Collaboration with culinary, banquet, conference services, and hotel operations teams is key to ensuring events meet The Ritz-Carlton's legendary standards. The ideal candidate will leverage expertise in sales, event planning, and hospitality to create memorable experiences, build client loyalty, and drive business success. As part of The Ritz-Carlton's 'Ladies and Gentlemen,' you will reflect the brand's values in a diverse environment that fosters individual aspirations and enhances quality of life.

Requirements

More than two years of post-high school education
One to two full years of employment in a related position
Thorough knowledge of the practices and procedures of catering, food and beverage, menu development and pricing.
Knowledge of the hotel's policies and procedures and the ability to determine course of action based on these guidelines.
Ability to investigate and analyze current activities and/or information involving readily available data and indicating logical conclusions and recommendations.
Communication skills in terms of the ability to negotiate, convince, sell and influence professionals and/or hotel guests.
Ability to drive to outside sales calls.
Excellent comprehension and literacy required to develop marketing plan, create menus and programs, etc.
Excellent hearing required for verbal interaction with guests and associates.
Excellent vision required for viewing set-ups.
Excellent speech communication skills required for verbal interaction with guests and associates.
Lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying - tables, chairs, boxes (50 lb. maximum) occasionally.
Bending/kneeling - taping down cords, skirting tables, picking up floor after function, occasionally.
Mobility - ability to service clients on a moments notice, variable distances.
Continuous standing - function observation, client site inspections (one hour minimum to four hours maximum).
Climbing - up to 55 steps, 3-5% of 10 hours.
Driving - distance varies for sales calls (approximately 20%).

Responsibilities

Solicit, capture, plan and coordinate small meetings with 10 rooms or less, social and catering only functions, while maximizing the banquet space to meet and ideally exceed catering revenue goals.
Finalize catering only business.
Recommend program and procedural changes.
Solicit, negotiate and book new and repeat business through efforts (outside sales calls, telemarketing, mailings, networking, etc.) while maximizing banquet space to meet/exceed revenue goals.
Execute a territorial marketing strategy to capture the maximum amount of revenue and meet and ideally exceed sales goals.
Plan, upsell and detail the meeting/function with the client including: space requirements, times, equipment, menus, themes/decorations, etc.
Complete the contracts, prepare the appropriate paperwork, including banquet event orders, coordinate with the appropriate areas in the hotel and resolve any issues, complaints and problems to ensure a quality product delivery and customer satisfaction.
Prepare status and period end reports.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of corporate and hotel procedures, products and competition, including their strengths and weaknesses, to continually improve sales strategies and achieve goals.
Professional and positive communication to both guests and fellow associates.