Catering Sales Manager

MCR Hotels•Avondale, AZ

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Catering Sales Manager proactively solicits and handles catering sales opportunities, ensuring business is turned over properly and in a timely manner for service delivery. The role conducts day-to-day catering sales activities focused on building long-term, value-based customer relationships and achieving sales objectives. The manager collaborates with hotel operations to develop and implement plans for groups and events, oversees the hotel's events efforts, and leads and mentors team members in applying effective strategies. The position nurtures client relationships through upselling and proactive service after contracts are signed and handed over to the events team. It plans, organizes, and manages events and group meetings from conception through completion, including menus and room setups, audiovisual needs, logistics, equipment rentals, tastings, themes, walkthroughs, on-floor participation during service, invoicing, and follow-up. The manager follows MCR Events SOPs, maintains accurate and organized client files, and uses Delphi to track daily activities and correspondence and support prompt responses. The manager pursues knowledge of market trends, competitors, and customers to identify business opportunities; communicates effectively with guests and associates; uses customer feedback to improve service; and negotiates arrangements for banquets, meetings, and other functions. After negotiations, the manager informs other departments in writing of arrangements needed for successful events and understands how banquet operations affect the hotel's overall success. All team members are expected to contribute to guest satisfaction, cleanliness, product consistency, and teamwork. This includes welcoming guests, addressing concerns with hospitality and urgency, keeping workspaces clean and organized, completing operational checklists and handover reports accurately and on time, maintaining a clean approved uniform and professional grooming, and collaborating across roles. The role may require pitching in to clean guest rooms and public spaces as needed. The position requires a varied schedule that may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, depending on hotel demands. Physical duties include standing for extended periods, operating computers and office equipment, handling and transporting supplies weighing up to 25 pounds, and moving throughout the hotel and rooms. The work environment is usually moderately noisy.

Requirements

A bachelor's or associate degree is preferred.
Experience in hospitality, service, a consumer-facing franchise, or a related field is preferred.
Positive attitude and willingness to learn.
Ability to understand and follow established guidelines and procedures.
Ability to quickly and accurately evaluate alternatives and make decisions.
Ability to work effectively in stressful, high-pressure situations while maintaining composure and objectivity.
Effective listening, clarification, and conflict-resolution skills when addressing concerns raised by coworkers and guests.
Ability to understand financial information and data and perform basic arithmetic.
Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
Proficiency with Windows operating systems and company-approved spreadsheet and word-processing applications.
Ability to convey information and ideas clearly and provide friendly guest service.
Valid driver's license required.
Must be at least 18 years old; must meet the legal age to serve alcoholic beverages at select properties.
Basic market knowledge.
Willingness to work a varied schedule that may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, based on hotel demands.
Ability to stand or remain stationary for 3–4 hours at a time; operate computers and office machinery; perform data entry and 10-key operations; use a telephone; and manually handle objects, tools, and controls.
Ability to bend, stoop, crouch, lift and transport supplies weighing up to 25 pounds, and move throughout the hotel and guest rooms.
Ability to inspect and visually observe details at close and long range.
Ability to read, write, understand, and communicate effectively in English; interpret English documents and business records; prepare routine reports and correspondence in English; and speak effectively before groups.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's or associate degree.
Experience in hospitality, service, a consumer-facing franchise, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Proactively solicit and handle catering sales opportunities and support achievement of sales objectives.
Ensure catering business is turned over properly and promptly for service delivery.
Build long-term, value-based customer relationships and nurture clients through upselling and proactive service.
Collaborate with operations to develop and implement plans for groups and events, and oversee the hotel's events efforts.
Lead by example and mentor team members in implementing effective strategies.
Plan, organize, and manage events and group meetings from conception through completion, including menus, room setups, audiovisual needs, logistics, equipment rentals, tastings, themes, walkthroughs, event-floor participation, invoicing, and follow-up.
Ensure MCR Events SOPs are followed and completed accurately.
Maintain organized, accurate, up-to-date files and use Delphi to trace daily activities and client correspondence to support prompt responses.
Monitor market trends, competition, and customer needs to identify and act on business opportunities.
Communicate clearly and accurately with guests and associates, including providing directions, instructions, information, answers, and service.
Use customer feedback to develop action plans and continuously improve customer service.
Negotiate arrangements for banquets, meetings, and other functions, including menus, bar setup, and room arrangements in accordance with policy and procedure.
Notify other departments in writing of arrangements needed to ensure successful functions.
Understand the impact of banquet operations on the hotel's overall success.
Contribute to guest satisfaction, hotel cleanliness, operational quality, and teamwork; assist with cleaning guest rooms and public spaces as needed.
Complete operational checklists and shift handover reports accurately and on time, and maintain a clean approved uniform and professional grooming.