Director of Events & Operations | Hotel Zoso

Columbia Hospitality•Palm Springs, CA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Events & Operations is responsible for preparing internal prework, partnering with the Director of Sales on strategic plans, and managing departmental revenue and expense budgets. This role drives vision and purpose through department objectives, revenue-driving strategies, and individual goal targets. Success in this role requires exceptional leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to manage through subordinates, diffusing and resolving conflict practically. The Director will conduct regular one-on-one meetings and quarterly evaluations with team members, and must meet or exceed expectations for department gross revenue, making quick adjustments if targets are not being achieved. This role involves conducting industry research to implement innovative ideas based on current trends, supporting the Director of Sales with financial reporting, and ensuring adherence to accounting standards. The Director will also provide overall direction, coordination, and leadership for team members, serve as the primary support for negotiations, contractual review, planning, and service, and uphold departmental standards. In event management, the Director obtains necessary information for efficient planning, acts as a liaison between operations and clients, monitors client satisfaction, prepares Event Orders and related documents, and manages accounts for repeat business. This role also involves generating new event leads and business opportunities. Furthermore, the Director is responsible for hiring, developing, mentoring, and training department team members, developing monthly training programs and department meetings, and implementing corrective action and reward programs as needed. The individual must achieve departmental goals, maximize efficiencies, and cultivate positive working relationships with all stakeholders, adhering to Columbia Hospitality Policies and Procedures. Additional functions may be assigned based on business needs.

Requirements

Minimum of 4-6 years of hospitality sales experience, or similar environment.
Possess extensive knowledge and expertise in sales and/or event management with extensive sales and negotiation skills.
The ability to solve practical problems when limited information is available.
Requirement for strong emotional intelligence and critical thinking capabilities.
Ability to lead and influence managers and large teams while placing a high priority on developing others.
Anticipates customer needs and provides services that are beyond customer expectations.
Takes an initiative-taking approach to address issues and avert conflict, resolve practical problems, and conflict resolution with limited standardized solutions.
Promotes a sense of urgency and establishes and enforces individual accountability in the team.
Assumes the responsibility for the outcome of others.
Working knowledge of applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
Excellent communication skills, including proficiency in writing contracts, reports, business correspondence, and operations manuals, with the ability to present information effectively and respond to inquiries from team members, managers, clients, guests, or the public.
Ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions or approaches.
Strong personal skills, including time management, information analysis, problem-solving, planning and organizing, decision making, problem solving, and delivery of results.
Strong interpersonal communication with the ability to identify, understand, and anticipate the emotions, concerns and thoughts of others.
Strong interpersonal influence skills, including coaching, motivating, delegating, and relationship-building.
Demonstrates a strong grasp of mathematical operations.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all applicable units of measure, using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages.
Analytical mindset and can utilize mathematical skills to assess data, identify trends, and draw meaningful insights that drive strategy and decision-making.
Creates strategy and is able to shift with immediacy based on market conditions.
Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office; Word, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote, and Excel.
Proficiency in conducting client research, gathering relevant information, and staying updated on industry trends and developments.
Strong financial acumen understanding and creating various financial reports (P&L statement, PACE, budget) with knowledge of dynamic pricing and profitability.
Strong presentation skills in a clear and effective manner to a variety of stakeholders; owners, leaders, clients, and team members.
Ability to travel (including air or car, hotel overnight stays, and client entertainment.)

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of hospitality sales platforms a plus.

Responsibilities

Annually prepares internal prework, partners with Director of Sales on group strategic plans, and departmental revenue and expense budgets.
Drives vision and purpose through department objectives, revenue driving strategies, and individual goal targets.
Conducts regular one-on-one meetings and quarterly evaluations with team members.
Meets and exceeds expectations for department gross revenue and is able to make quick adjustments if targets are not being achieved (examples; guest rooms, banquet, catering, misc. revenues).
Conducts industry research to understand and implement innovative ideas based on current trends.
Supports the Director of Sales to accurately produce monthly closing reports, owner’s reports, pace analytics, and forecasting reports.
Ensures the department adheres to accounting standards, including deposits, direct billing, and pre-payments.
Reports weekly achievements of team.
Reports monthly achievements ensuring financial accuracy across P&L, sales and event platforms, and deposits/accounts receivable.
Maintains department standards and implements systems, including sales & event platform administration/management.
Provides overall direction, coordination, and leadership for team members.
Primary support with negotiations, contractual review, planning and service.
Upholds departmental standards and implements management systems, including the administration of sales and event platforms.
Develops and maintains favorable working relationships and open communication with all departments.
Obtains necessary information to ensure efficient event planning, including meeting setups, food and beverage specifications, AV requirements, etc.
Provides information to operating departments based on property guidelines.
Acts as a liaison between the operations department and client.
Monitors client’s satisfaction throughout planning and execution of event.
Prepares Event Orders, Resumes, Diagrams, and other related documents and distributes to property departments.
Conducts meetings to review information with other property departments.
Manages accounts and follow-up with client re-solicitation to capture future repeat business.
Oversee the daily operations and successful execution of on-property events.
Lead and coordinate event planning from initial preparation through execution.
Generate and develop new event leads and business opportunities for the hotel.
Hires, develops, mentors, and trains department team members to ensure comprehensive competency in all relevant areas and identifying growth potential.
Develops a monthly department training program.
Conducts monthly department meetings.
Implements corrective action and feedback, when necessary, in a respective and constructive manner.
Implements reward programs.
Achieves departmental goals and objectives.
Maximizes efficiencies for time management and productivity.
Skilled in client negotiations, closing techniques, and contractual language comprehension.
Responsible for revenue forecasting.
Cultivates and maintains positive working relationships and open communication with all stakeholders.
Must adhere to Columbia Hospitality Policies and Procedures.
Additional job functions may be assigned based on the property’s business needs as determined by the General Manager and Seattle Support Center Leadership.

Benefits

Cellphone Allowance
Incentive Eligible
Get Paid Daily (Make any day payday)
Paid Time off & Holiday Pay
Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, 401K
HSA/FSA Plans -with employer contribution
Referral Bonus
Discounted Lodging, Dining, Spa, Golf, and Retail
Employee Assistance Program
Task Force Work Opportunities
Online Learning Platform to Help You Grow!
Third Party Perks (Including discounts on Pet Insurance, Rental Cars, Movie and Concert Tickets, Theme Park and Attractions & so much more)