Convention Services Manager

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions•Woodford, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

At Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, we don’t just create vacations—we craft unforgettable experiences. Home to America’s Largest Indoor Waterparks, our African-inspired resorts offer world-class dining, luxurious spas, thrilling entertainment, and cutting-edge convention centers that redefine hospitality. As a family-owned company, our Promise is simple: Lead with Love. This means caring deeply for our guests, associates, and communities—treating people like family, giving back generously, and creating spaces where everyone feels valued. Through our partnership with charity: water, we’re also committed to bringing clean water to one million people in Africa. Kalahari Resorts & Conventions is seeking a Convention Services Manager. In this role, you’ll manage group conferences and special events, coordinating details such as room setup, audio-visual needs, and menus to ensure a ‘beyond expectations’ experience. You’ll also handle one-day event bookings, prospect for social events, and help optimize revenue by recommending menu enhancements and resort amenities that meet client needs. As part of our leadership team, you’ll embody our Promise to Lead with Love—guiding, supporting, and inspiring associates while delivering extraordinary guest experiences. You’ll play a key role in ensuring seamless and memorable experiences for groups, meeting planners, and event attendees by coordinating event details, guest needs, and operational execution across departments. You’ll also enhance the associate experience by fostering collaboration, clear communication, and service excellence among teams to deliver successful conventions and events.

Requirements

Previous experience in a large (500+ room) hotel/resort with an event space of at least 75,000 sq. Ft., and heavy group volume is required.
2-5 years of catering manager/conference services manager or similar event planning experience.
Experience detailing & managing large (1000+ people), complex, multi-day events with many moving parts.
Experience negotiating changes in complex programs.
Skilled multi-tasker.
Competency in Microsoft Word and Excel.

Nice To Haves

Previous Sales experience to up-sell food, beverage, and meeting room services is preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee planning and execution of conventions, meetings, and special events, ensuring seamless operations and exceptional guest experiences.
Collaborate with event planners and internal teams to coordinate details such as room setups, audio-visual needs, catering, and agendas.
Manage budgets, resources, and staffing to optimize efficiency and meet event and organizational goals.
Develop and enforce service standards and procedures to maintain consistency and exceed client expectations.
Analyze guest feedback and event performance to identify opportunities for improvement and implement enhancements.