Executive Meeting Manager
About The Position
Join the Virginia Guest House Hotel and Conference Center, a newly built, 214-room property featuring 25,000 square feet of event space, a full-service restaurant, Grab & Go Café, and a stunning rooftop bar. This role presents an exciting opportunity to contribute to the launch and success of a high-profile hotel and conference center in Charlottesville, VA. We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven Executive Meeting Manager to help solicit, book and plan successful events—including programs sponsored by the UVA community and open market business meetings and room only business both groups and individuals. This role works closely with the Director of Event Planning, the Food & Beverage and Property Operations teams. The EMM reports to the Director of Sales & Marketing.
Requirements
- Minimum 2-3 years of progressive hotel sales experience in a full-service hotel, resort, or high-end event venue.
- Proven track record of achieving sales goals and maintaining strong client relationships.
- Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as business demands.
Responsibilities
- Proactively generate and secure new business through prospecting, networking, and industry engagement within assigned markets, including the University of Virginia, open-market group business, and travel advisor-generated individual travel, to maximize guest room, meeting, and event revenue.
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with the UVA community, corporate, social, and event clients to drive repeat and referral business.
- Prepare customized proposals, cost estimates, contracts, and Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) in an accurate and timely manner.
- Negotiate function space, food and beverage minimums, and related services within established departmental guidelines.
- Conduct site visits, client presentations, and pre-event meetings to showcase the property and finalize event details.
- Partner with the Director of Sales and Marketing and the Director of Event Planning to align event bookings with hotel availability and profitability goals.
- Serve as the primary contact for clients from initial inquiry through event completion, ensuring all details are clearly communicated and executed.
- Collaborate with internal departments (Culinary, Banquets, Rooms, Front Office, and Accounting) and external vendors to deliver flawless events.
- Oversee the creation and distribution of BEOs, rooming lists, and other event documentation, for events booked directly and for events assigned by the Director of Event Planning, to ensure accuracy and operational readiness.
- Attend and oversee key events as required, including weekends or holidays, to ensure client satisfaction and service excellence.
- Support billing accuracy by coordinating deposits, final payments, and post-event reconciliations with accounting.
- Maintain active involvement in local and regional networking opportunities, industry associations, and community events.
- Stay informed on meeting and event trends, competitor offerings, and industry’s best practices to ensure a competitive advantage.
- Contribute to marketing initiatives, familiarization events (FAMs), and social media efforts that highlight the property’s meeting and overnight group room block capabilities.
- Utilize various sales systems including Delphi and Proposal Path to document leads, client communications, proposals, contracts, BEO’s and follow-up actions.
- Provide accurate reporting on sales activity, forecasting, and performance metrics as requested by the Director of Sales and Marketing and the Director of Event Planning.
- Support the annual strategic sales planning process by identifying new opportunities and revenue-enhancing initiatives.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
