Sales Manager

Pyramid Global Hospitality•Fort Wayne, IN

About The Position

The Catering Sales Manager directs, coordinates, trains, and supervises Banquet and Catering Support staff. The role develops existing accounts and secures new accounts to maximize hotel revenue, while analyzing and reviewing ways to increase sales through marketing efforts. The manager develops catering sales plans and strategies, monitors account production and market trends, solicits and books business, and manages client relationships and event revenue. The role coordinates catered functions with food-and-beverage and hotel staff, oversees event planning and execution, and manages customer experiences from file turnover through the post-event phase. The position may require travel for sales calls and account servicing.

Requirements

Post-high-school education, or one to two years of related experience and/or training in hotel sales or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Highly developed customer-service skills.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information discreetly and professionally.
Ability to identify sales opportunities.
Excellent problem-solving and customer-service skills, including the ability to solve problems without direct supervision.
Excellent time-management and organizational skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to track actions and follow through on processes.
Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).
Strong attention to detail and ability to set priorities, multitask, and meet deadlines.
Ability to understand the competitive landscape and adjust sales plans and strategies to market and economic changes.
Ability to deal effectively with internal and external customers, including using patience, tact, and diplomacy to defuse anger.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret journals, financial reports, and sales and catering agreements or contracts.
Ability to respond to customer or business-community inquiries and complaints and present information effectively to groups or individual accounts.
Ability to calculate discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
Ability to solve practical problems involving limited standardization and interpret written, oral, diagrammatic, or scheduled instructions.
Position may require travel; must have reliable transportation, a valid state driver's license, and a good driving record.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, Business Administration, Marketing, or Communication.
Previous experience in a four- to five-star boutique hotel and familiarity with its quality and service expectations.
Delphi experience.

Responsibilities

Direct, coordinate, train, and supervise Banquet and Catering Support staff.
Maintain knowledge of banquet food-service standards, best practices, policies, and service initiatives, and ensure the Banquet team adheres to them.
Maintain market awareness, identify revenue opportunities, and set proactive strategies.
Establish individual sales plans and goals for corporate and social catering.
Monitor production of top accounts, evaluate market trends, maintain prospects, and independently solicit and book business.
Develop strategies to increase competitive share when hotel revenue penetration goals are not being met.
Review market analyses to assess customer needs, volume potential, pricing, and discounts; develop catering sales campaigns to meet company goals.
Analyze and control division expenditures to meet budget requirements.
Develop clients and key relationships, identify target markets and sales products, and work toward revenue goals.
Adjust sales plans and strategies in response to competitive, market, and economic changes.
Coordinate with food-and-beverage and hotel staff to ensure catered functions are properly executed.
Conduct client visits and participate in industry events with other sales managers.
Plan the design and structure of catered events.
Develop contracts, proposals, and customized menus that meet client needs and financial goals.
Conduct site inspections and tastings as needed to secure business.
Greet clients before functions or events as needed.
Inspect meeting rooms daily to ensure setups are correct.
Communicate and report to management about potential and lost business, customer and operational issues, discounted events, and specialized room setups.
Attend and participate in regular BEO meetings.
Generate 30-, 60-, and 90-day banquet and catering revenue forecasts.
Lead pre-event and post-event meetings for assigned groups and review group needs and feedback as required.
Identify operational challenges related to assigned groups and work with property staff and customers to resolve them or develop alternatives.
Manage customer budgets to maximize revenue and meet customer needs.
Oversee customer experiences from file turnover through the post-event phase and turnover back to sales.
Manage group room blocks and meeting space for assigned groups.
Manage event revenue and profitability.
Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws.
Make sales calls and service accounts using reliable transportation and a valid state driver's license with a good driving record.