Senior Conference Service Manager

Sage Hospitality Group•Portland, OR

17h

About The Position

The Senior Conference Service Manager plans, organizes, and manages in-house details for group conferences, including corporate and association events, and catering-only events of all sizes, with a specialty focus on professional and non-professional sports. The role is responsible for maximizing room and meeting-space use, revenue, and profit while delivering a quality product. Event planning includes coordination from the signing of a group contract onward, VIP needs, amenities, group resumes, rooming lists, and all other program requirements. The manager coordinates with clients and hotel departments, leads event delivery efforts, oversees event details and billing, and works to maintain strong client relationships and encourage repeat business. The position also monitors event budgets, supports improvements to convention-services products, and ensures accurate closeout of group business.

Requirements

Minimum high school diploma or equivalent.
At least 5 years of experience in event planning; experience in a luxury hotel setting is preferred.
Exceptional organizational and time-management skills.
Strong organizational and project-management skills.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build strong client and vendor relationships.
Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple events and projects simultaneously, and meet tight deadlines.
Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.
Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
Creative thinking and ability to innovate in event design and execution.
High level of professionalism and customer-service orientation.
Working knowledge of banquet and catering food-and-beverage services, policies, or operations.
Knowledge of computer equipment and ability to compile facts and figures according to established procedures.
Supervisory skills.
Communication skills to provide information and related services to hotel management and guests.
Excellent hearing for verbal interaction with guests and associates.
Excellent vision to view event setups.
Excellent speech communication skills for verbal interaction with guests and associates.
Ability to lift, push, pull, and carry tables, chairs, and boxes weighing up to 50 pounds occasionally.
Ability to bend and kneel occasionally for tasks such as taping cords, skirting tables, and picking up floors after functions.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and service clients at a moment's notice over variable distances.
Ability to stand continuously for function observation and client site inspections lasting from one to four hours.
Ability to climb approximately 55 stairs, 3–5% of a 10-hour day.

Nice To Haves

Event-planning experience within a luxury hotel setting.

Responsibilities

Manage and plan meetings, conventions, group conferences, and catering-only events of all sizes, with a specialty focus on professional and non-professional sports.
Attend Banquet Event Order (BEO) and staff meetings and act as a team leader for hotel department staff involved in event delivery.
Meet productivity and activity goals established by management.
Coordinate group business developed by the sales manager and follow up on signed or contracted business within five working days.
Determine and coordinate event planning needs.
Maintain accurate, organized, current, and well-documented files.
Develop customer profiles and maintain an effective trace system to support account service and revenue growth.
Build customer relationships through professional, courteous, ethical communication, and respond efficiently to client needs and inquiries.
Focus on revenue-generating activity, retain accounts and clients, and maximize account yield and sales effectiveness.
Detail, upsell, and confirm programs with clients, including space, audiovisual needs, timing, equipment, menus, themes, and decorations.
Prepare resumes and paperwork and manage function details to meet program requirements and ensure quality service.
Anticipate and address customer complaints and problems to support customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Oversee hotel group billing details, including deposits, direct-bill applications, credit-card authorizations, and coordination with accounting.
Contribute to improving convention-services products, sales tools, and systems; assess competitors and customer needs.
Monitor and control client event budgets and details to maximize revenue and minimize expenses while maintaining product quality.
Attend and lead pre-conference meetings as needed, coordinate the client and hotel staff pre-conference, and review BEO details with all parties.
Close out groups, including recording pickup in the CI/TY sales system and commissions owed, and coordinating processing with accounting.