Sales and Catering Manager

Kalyan Hospitality•Richmond, VA

2d•$55,000 - $65,000•Onsite

About The Position

This role is responsible for developing and executing proactive sales strategies to generate meeting, catering, wedding, social, and event business for the Graduate hotel. The position involves prospecting for new business, developing relationships with local businesses and event professionals, and managing client relationships from initial inquiry through post-event follow-up. The Sales and Catering Manager will also be involved in event planning and execution, ensuring all client expectations are met and coordinating with various hotel departments. Additionally, the role supports the broader Downtown Cluster sales strategy, collaborates on revenue maximization, maintains accurate sales administration, engages with the community, and works collaboratively with the hotel team.

Requirements

Prior sales, catering, event planning, or hospitality experience
Strong sales and relationship-building skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong organizational and time-management skills
Ability to manage multiple events, clients, and deadlines simultaneously
Strong attention to detail and follow-through
Ability to prospect, sell, negotiate, and close business
Strong customer-service mindset
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a larger team
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
Professional presence and excellent interpersonal skills
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends when required for events
Reliable attendance and punctuality

Nice To Haves

Prior hotel catering or event sales experience
Experience selling weddings, social events, meetings, or group room blocks
Experience with BEOs, event orders, group resumes, contracts, and room blocks
Experience with hotel CRM and sales systems; Delphi/Salesforce experience preferred
Experience working with Food & Beverage and banquet operations
Existing relationships within the local wedding, event, corporate, or hospitality community
Knowledge of the downtown market and local demand generators

Responsibilities

Develop and execute proactive sales strategies to generate meeting, catering, wedding, social, and event business.
Prospect for new business through direct sales calls, internet prospecting, networking, referrals, community involvement, client outreach, and industry events.
Develop relationships with local businesses, corporations, wedding professionals, event planners, organizations, associations, social groups, and community partners.
Identify opportunities to maximize meeting space utilization and food & beverage revenue.
Conduct site tours and present the hotel's meeting spaces, event capabilities, menus, amenities, and overall guest experience.
Develop customized proposals and event packages based on client needs, guest counts, budgets, and hotel revenue objectives.
Negotiate pricing, meeting space, food & beverage packages, concessions, and other event details.
Upsell food & beverage enhancements, upgraded packages, additional services, and other revenue opportunities.
Achieve established catering sales activity and revenue goals.
Maintain an active sales pipeline and consistently follow up on leads and opportunities.
Develop the Graduate as a preferred destination for weddings, wedding room blocks, rehearsal dinners, bridal events, celebrations, and social gatherings.
Proactively build relationships with wedding planners, venues, event professionals, bridal organizations, and other referral partners.
Sell and manage wedding room blocks and associated meeting or event space.
Identify opportunities to capture guestrooms in conjunction with weddings and social events.
Sell small-to-medium social groups utilizing meeting or event space.
Work closely with the Cluster Sales team to identify larger group opportunities and determine the appropriate property, sales strategy, and ownership of the account.
Cross-sell additional Kalyan Hospitality properties when a group or event is not the appropriate fit for the Graduate.
Serve as the primary sales contact for assigned catering, meeting, wedding, and social clients.
Build strong, long-term relationships that generate repeat and referral business.
Maintain consistent and timely communication with clients throughout the planning process.
Conduct planning meetings and understand client's vision, objectives, budget, guest count, timeline, menu requirements, room setup, audiovisual needs, and other event details.
Provide exceptional customer service and proactively identify opportunities to exceed client expectations.
Follow up after events to obtain feedback, address concerns, and pursue future business and referrals.
Own the details of assigned events from contract through completion, ensuring all client expectations are accurately communicated and executed.
Prepare and maintain accurate contracts, event orders, BEOs, group resumes, rooming information, timelines, billing instructions, concessions, and other required documentation.
Communicate event details and changes clearly and timely to Food & Beverage, Banquets, Front Office, Housekeeping, Engineering, Revenue Management, and other applicable departments.
Participate in BEO, resume, pre-convention, and other operational meetings.
Coordinate menus, food & beverage selections, room setups, audiovisual requirements, special requests, timelines, and other event details with hotel teams.
Monitor key dates including deposits, guarantees, cutoffs, final counts, contract requirements, and billing details.
Serve as a client-facing representative during events as needed.
Be present for select events to ensure client expectations are being met and to resolve issues quickly and professionally.
Conduct post-event follow-up and ensure final details are communicated appropriately for billing and account closure.
Encourage rebooking and future event opportunities following successful events.
Support the broader Downtown Cluster sales strategy by pursuing select group opportunities appropriate for the Graduate.
Focus primarily on wedding room blocks, social groups, small meetings, and groups requiring guestrooms in conjunction with meeting or event space.
Qualify group opportunities and determine the appropriate hotel, dates, space, rate, and package.
Prepare proposals and contracts for assigned group opportunities.
Maintain accurate room blocks, pickup information, cutoff dates, contracts, and client records.
Communicate group pace, pickup, wash, or other potential revenue concerns to the Complex Director of Sales and Revenue Management.
Partner with the Cluster Sales team on larger or more complex opportunities.
Understand the Graduate's meeting space, guestroom inventory, Food & Beverage offerings, pricing, competitive position, and revenue strategy.
Partner with Revenue Management to understand demand, availability, pricing, and opportunities to maximize total hotel revenue.
Balance meeting space, guestroom, and catering opportunities to maximize the overall value of each piece of business.
Provide sales intelligence regarding market trends, competitor activity, customer needs, and emerging business opportunities.
Maintain awareness of the hotel's competitive set through market research, internet research, networking, and competitive property visits.
Identify opportunities to increase revenue through upselling, repeat business, referrals, and cross-selling.
Maintain accurate and timely records of all sales activities, accounts, leads, proposals, contracts, event details, and opportunities within the established CRM and hotel systems.
Maintain accurate client files, group histories, meeting space information, and event records.
Track all inquiries and opportunities through the sales process and ensure timely follow-up.
Complete required sales reports, forecasts, activity reports, and other reporting accurately and on time.
Maintain accurate catering and event revenue forecasts.
Ensure contracts, BEOs, resumes, room blocks, billing information, and other event documentation are complete and accurate.
Utilize available technology, CRM systems, hotel systems, spreadsheets, and sales tools to effectively manage business and client relationships.
Represent the Graduate and Kalyan Hospitality at community events, networking opportunities, trade shows, bridal events, industry functions, and other appropriate activities.
Build relationships with local businesses, event professionals, wedding planners, tourism organizations, convention and visitor organizations, chambers, associations, and community partners.
Develop referral partnerships that generate new meeting, catering, wedding, social, and group business.
Stay informed about downtown demand generators, local events, competitive activity, and market opportunities.
Support hotel and cluster marketing initiatives as requested.
Work collaboratively with the Complex Director of Sales, Cluster Sales team, Revenue Management, Marketing, General Manager, Food & Beverage, Banquets, Front Office, and other hotel departments.
Maintain clear and consistent communication between the client and hotel teams.
Share leads and opportunities with the broader Kalyan sales team when business is better suited to another property.
Support cluster-wide sales initiatives and collaborate on cross-selling opportunities.
Participate in sales meetings, revenue meetings, BEO meetings, training, conference calls, and other required communications.
Demonstrate ownership, accountability, professionalism, and a solutions-oriented approach.
Represent Kalyan Hospitality and the Graduate with professionalism and enthusiasm in all internal and external interactions.
All other reasonable duties and special projects may be assigned as needed.