Event Sales and Planning Manager

HM Alpha Hotels & Resorts•Nashville, TN

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Event Sales and Planning Manager will drive the generation of top-line catering revenue for the hotel by fully capitalizing on all revenue opportunities, actively upselling additional events and amenities to maximize profitability and contribute to overall revenue growth. This role involves handling inquiries for small meetings/events, following up on leads, negotiating contracts and banquet event orders (BEOs), identifying and pricing customer needs, and upselling where possible to close sales. The manager will communicate group details to hotel departments, coordinate customer needs with other property activities, and present potential business at Driver Meetings. They will also conduct meetings with clients and hotel staff to ensure event expectations are met, finalize catering plans, and orchestrate functions on-site or off-site. Prospecting for new catering business through various methods, monitoring blocked space, and maintaining account files in the software system are key responsibilities. The role also includes acting as an onsite contact for assigned groups, producing BEOs and Convention Resumes, ensuring special arrangements are documented and distributed, and maintaining detailed files to ensure events meet customer expectations. Verifying space requirements, confirming revisions, and finalizing programs/agendas are also part of the role, along with maintaining positive guest and employee relations.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years catering sales, or 2 years in hotel Catering/Convention Services, Banquet, Hotel Sales or Culinary Arts; OR, an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Exhibit computer skills to include word processing, spreadsheet, and familiarity with brand specific property Management System(s).
Use knowledge of Word, Excel, Internet, Delphi and Meeting Matrix or a similar system.
Exercise excellent communication, presentation, organization, time management, listening, and math skills.
Use analytical skills for measuring business potential and value to the hotel.
Maintain contact and event information and follow procedures for submitting sales contracts.
Read and interpret documents and to write routine reports and correspondence.
Successful completion of a background check is required prior to employment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or related field

Responsibilities

Handle and follow up on inquiries for small meetings/events with or without guestrooms.
Follow up on leads by qualifying customer needs and dates to determine if the business is a good fit for the property.
Negotiate contracts and banquet event orders (BEO).
Identify and price customer needs for the event, upselling where possible, and closing the sale with the customer, collecting the customer deposit and signature on the BEO.
Communicate group details/changes to all hotel departments, coordinating customer’s needs with other property business and activities to ensure customer’s expectations are met and the property operates efficiently.
Present potential business at Driver Meetings to determine best mix of customers for hotel to attain budgeted revenues.
Conduct meetings with client and hotel staff to ensure each event meets client’s expectations.
Finalize and detail catering plans for groups contracted by assigned sales manager.
Completely orchestrate these functions on-site or off-site.
Empowered to do whatever it takes to solve problems.
Prospect for new catering business using a wide variety of methods including phone calls, outside sales calls, trade shows, attending community functions, blitzes, internet prospecting, supplier partnerships, etc.
Monitor blocked space to ensure group is meeting their contractual obligations.
Initiate release of blocked space on cut-off date to allow sale of these rooms to other customers.
Maintain account files in software system, ensuring accurate communication between client and hotel staff.
Act as onsite contact for all assigned groups, as well as working with the customer to produce BEO’s and Convention Resumes.
Ensures that all special arrangements - Food and Beverage, Audio Visual, and other request are properly documented on BEO’s and signed by authorized representative.
Ensures timely distribution of all BEO’s and Resumes to the appropriate departments and follows up on any questions.
Maintains detailed files, notes, records, and trace systems to ensure event meets with customer expectations.
Verifies space requirements and meeting room set-up with the client, and ensures that public space needed is properly maintained and in good condition.
Confirms revisions in agendas, room blocks, etc. and notifies corresponding departments in a timely manner.
Finalizes the program/agenda with client and checks all scheduled functions one hour prior to start time.
Reviews event sheets and works with appropriate departments to ensure quality and satisfaction.
Maintains positive guest and employee relations through prompt, precise, and courteous communication.
Other duties as assigned.