Senior Event Services Manager

Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook•Mountain Brook, AL

About The Position

The Senior Event Services Manager (SESM) is a senior operational and strategic leader responsible for the execution, optimization, and growth of the hotel’s event business. Serving as the operational arm of the Sales team, this role translates contracted business into elevated, on-brand guest experience while owning profitability, forecasting, people leadership, innovation, and operational excellence. The SESM leads the Event Services team, cultivates strategic vendor partnerships, provides creative vision for new and signature events, and owns disciplined communication through Resume Meetings and Event Order (EO) Meetings. This role requires strong business acumen, judgment, and the ability to lead cross-functionally in a luxury or full-service hospitality environment. Strategic & Financial Leadership:• Partner with Sales leadership to forecast event revenue, booking pace, and demand trends.• Serve as the operational extension of the Sales team by advising on feasibility, pricing strategy, space utilization, and sellable event offerings.• Develop and implement new revenue streams through premium experiences, enhanced packages, creative activations, and optimized space usage.• Protect profitability by managing concessions, controlling operational costs, and preventing contract leakage.• Analyze post-event financial performance and guest feedback to inform future business and sales strategy. Event Execution, Vendor Partnerships & Creative Vision:• Oversee end-to-end execution of high-value, high-profile, and complex events.• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with preferred vendors including AV, florals, décor, entertainment, rentals, and production partners.• Collaborate with vendors to create innovative event solutions and signature guest experiences.• Provide creative vision and design leadership for new event concepts, activations, and experiential offerings.• Lead concept development for seasonal, branded, and promotional events.• Ensure aesthetic cohesion, emotional impact, and guest experience excellence across all events.• Serve as senior on-property contact for VIP clientele and high-profile events. Resume Meetings & Event Order (EO) Leadership:• Lead and facilitate Resume Meetings to ensure clear transition from Sales to Operations.• Review event details for scope, staffing, timelines, financial alignment, and service standards.• Identify risks and operational gaps and implement solutions prior to execution.• Own and conduct Event Order (EO) Meetings for assigned events.• Present Event Orders to Banquets, Culinary, AV, Engineering, Housekeeping, Security, and vendor partners.• Serve as final authority on event scope, execution expectations, and documentation accuracy.• Establish best practices for meeting cadence, agendas, documentation, and follow-up. Team Leadership & Development:• Directly manage Event Services Managers, Event Managers, and Event Coordinators.• Provide coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and professional development.• Set standards for accountability, professionalism, service excellence, and creativity.• Oversee staffing, scheduling, and labor deployment aligned with business volume.• Support onboarding, retention, succession planning, and performance management. Sales & Operations Collaboration:• Lead structured handoffs between Sales and Event Services ensuring contractual clarity.• Participate in sales strategy sessions, forecasting meetings, and pre-event briefings.• Provide operational insight related to feasibility, innovation, and execution.• Partner cross-functionally with Banquets, Culinary, AV, Engineering, Housekeeping, Marketing, and external partners.• Act as a decisive leadership presence during live events and peak operations. Operational Excellence & Governance:• Ensure compliance with safety, legal, and brand standards.• Maintain high standards for function space readiness, equipment quality, and service consistency.• Establish and enforce event service procedures, policies, and best practices.• Maintain visible leadership presence during live events, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, or related field preferred.
5–7+ years of progressive experience in event services, catering, or hotel operations.
Prior people leadership experience with direct reports required.
Demonstrated success in forecasting, revenue management, vendor partnerships, and creative event development.
Strong financial acumen and ability to make independent decisions under pressure.

Responsibilities

Partner with Sales leadership to forecast event revenue, booking pace, and demand trends.
Serve as the operational extension of the Sales team by advising on feasibility, pricing strategy, space utilization, and sellable event offerings.
Develop and implement new revenue streams through premium experiences, enhanced packages, creative activations, and optimized space usage.
Protect profitability by managing concessions, controlling operational costs, and preventing contract leakage.
Analyze post-event financial performance and guest feedback to inform future business and sales strategy.
Oversee end-to-end execution of high-value, high-profile, and complex events.
Establish and maintain strategic partnerships with preferred vendors including AV, florals, décor, entertainment, rentals, and production partners.
Collaborate with vendors to create innovative event solutions and signature guest experiences.
Provide creative vision and design leadership for new event concepts, activations, and experiential offerings.
Lead concept development for seasonal, branded, and promotional events.
Ensure aesthetic cohesion, emotional impact, and guest experience excellence across all events.
Serve as senior on-property contact for VIP clientele and high-profile events.
Lead and facilitate Resume Meetings to ensure clear transition from Sales to Operations.
Review event details for scope, staffing, timelines, financial alignment, and service standards.
Identify risks and operational gaps and implement solutions prior to execution.
Own and conduct Event Order (EO) Meetings for assigned events.
Present Event Orders to Banquets, Culinary, AV, Engineering, Housekeeping, Security, and vendor partners.
Serve as final authority on event scope, execution expectations, and documentation accuracy.
Establish best practices for meeting cadence, agendas, documentation, and follow-up.
Directly manage Event Services Managers, Event Managers, and Event Coordinators.
Provide coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and professional development.
Set standards for accountability, professionalism, service excellence, and creativity.
Oversee staffing, scheduling, and labor deployment aligned with business volume.
Support onboarding, retention, succession planning, and performance management.
Lead structured handoffs between Sales and Event Services ensuring contractual clarity.
Participate in sales strategy sessions, forecasting meetings, and pre-event briefings.
Provide operational insight related to feasibility, innovation, and execution.
Partner cross-functionally with Banquets, Culinary, AV, Engineering, Housekeeping, Marketing, and external partners.
Act as a decisive leadership presence during live events and peak operations.
Ensure compliance with safety, legal, and brand standards.
Maintain high standards for function space readiness, equipment quality, and service consistency.
Establish and enforce event service procedures, policies, and best practices.
Maintain visible leadership presence during live events, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed.