Conference Services & Sales Manager

HEI Hotels and Resorts•Savannah, GA

About The Position

The Conference Services & Sales Manager creates successful conferences and events by communicating actively with clients, planning events, and leading the team. The role oversees detailed planning and execution for social and corporate events, including weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, celebrations, meetings, conferences, conventions, and group functions. It works closely with clients to understand their vision and event requirements, converts those requirements into accurate Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), and coordinates with hotel departments and outside vendors to deliver events that meet client expectations, hotel standards, and budgets. The position supports repeat business and client satisfaction, monitors group room blocks and pickup, and prepares event resumes for operating departments. It also involves forecasting and budgeting, sales and negotiation, hotel site inspections and presentations, and coordination with banquet operations. The role is expected to participate in relevant industry organizations and to be available for regular work attendance.

Requirements

Prior hospitality experience, specifically in catering sales.
At least one year of experience in the hospitality industry.
Experience at a hotel of similar size and quality.
Computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Delphi.
Knowledge of sales skills, revenue management, and training and motivating peers.
Knowledge of hotel features and benefits and competing hotels in the market.
Ability to execute appropriate action plans.
Knowledge of hotel operations, including marketing plans, security and safety programs, personnel and labor relations, business-plan preparation, repairs and maintenance, budget forecasting, quality assurance programs, hospitality law, and long-range planning.
Ability to work effectively under time constraints and deadlines.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to adapt communication style to different audiences, including supervisors, coworkers, and the public.

Responsibilities

Understand monthly forecasting and the annual budget process.
Implement methods to improve meeting planner evaluation scores and exceed meeting planner satisfaction expectations.
Oversee the detailing and planning of social and corporate events, including weddings, receptions, rehearsal dinners, social celebrations, corporate meetings, conferences, conventions, and group functions.
Support rebooking of repeat business and build long-term client relationships.
Participate in industry-related organizations such as NACE and MPI.
Use sales techniques, including closing and negotiation skills.
Conduct hotel site inspections and client presentations.
Work with clients to understand their vision, preferences, and event requirements and translate them into detailed, accurate Banquet Event Orders.
Coordinate with the banquet department on operations and event execution; evaluate alternatives and decide on an appropriate course of action.
Provide direction, coordination, and ongoing evaluation of operations.
Ensure detailed execution of banquet event orders generated by the Convention Services Department.
Provide and operate Audio/Visual equipment as a profit center.
Document, communicate, and execute event specifications according to client expectations, hotel standards, and established budgets.
Monitor group room blocks and pickup and generate detailed resumes for operating departments.
Work with outside vendors to support client satisfaction for events and groups.
Comply with attendance rules and be available to work regularly.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.