Catering Sales Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

SUMMARY:

To solicit & sell catering events (social and corporate) and service key sales/catering accounts for Bernardus Lodge & Spa while continually maintaining Bernardus Lodge & Spa’s reputation as the premier destination for both Social and Corporate events on the Monterey Peninsula. Develop and generate catering revenues in order to meet/exceed the revenue goals, creating & maintaining close client and vendor relationships, provide guidance and leadership to the Catering Administrative Assistant and provide innovative formats for developing new business.

PRIMARY MARKETS

1. Sell and service social events and wedding room blocks
2. Sell and service local and national corporate meetings (no guestrooms)
3. Service key groups/accounts with meetings + events contracted by resort’s sales team as assigned

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Review existing catering department procedures and policies and suggest changes when needed.
• Create and implement different sales strategies to promote new and repeat business to include wedding fair selections, sales blitzes, attending community events, etc.
• Actively Solicit banquet business from all viable sources.
• Evaluate and attend (or assign) trade association events (to include Wedding Fairs) to network and learn new trends in the conferences and event markets.
• Assist Director of Sales and Marketing with hosting targeted groups of wedding and meeting planners for on-site FAMs
• Conduct site tours to potential customers as required.
• Produce proposals, estimates and other event information for potential clients.
• Negotiate and handle wedding and local/social event contracts.
• Negotiate and handle wedding and local/social guestroom contracts.
• Responsible for all aspects of communication of group details, notes, BEOs and resumes.
• Develop and maintain good relationships with all clients by providing superior and consistent services to all clients.
• Develop and maintain good and mutually beneficial relationships with vendors.
• Conduct pre-event briefings for staff and managers as needed.
• Conduct pre-con meetings for clients with all department heads as needed.
• Arrange group activities, décor, transportation, other client vendors and work with client selected vendors to ensure successful events/group programs.
• Maximize resort & catering revenue through up-selling and maximization of resort outlets.
• Reach or exceed budgeted revenue and sales goals.
• Work with Banquet Manager to coordinate desired set-up and execution, communicate special staffing needs, etc. to ensure successful events/group programs.
• Work with the Reservations Department on rooming lists, block pick-up, cut-off dates and attrition.
• Work effectively with all hotel departments, such as (but not limited to) Front Office, Reservations, Accounting, Engineering, Housekeeping, Spa, Culinary and Banquet Departments.
• Review all bills, invoices and statements to ensure accurate and timely final billing to clients.
• Ensures that all contracted groups are meeting or exceeding minimum meeting room rental revenues, monitoring for potential attrition.
• Conduct client menu tastings as applicable
• Ensures all banquet checks are correctly accounted for.
• Makes certain all audio-visual needs are properly coordinated and executed.
• Assists conference clients with “off-premise” (hotel) details as they may affect the hotel service delivery (e.g. decor, motor coach requests and arrival/departure patterns, limousine requests, exhibitor requests, entertainment referrals, golf or sports arrangements, spousal programs, etc.) and informs all supporting hotel departments while maintaining the integrity of the hotel physical plant. All arrangements are to be assessed the appropriate charges to ensure that the hotel receives a fair share of revenue in relationship to the expenditure of time and labor.
• Communicates and facilitates all third-party purchases, rental or leasing of equipment or supportive requirements for conference groups prior to and in advance of the actual date of use.
• Completes all special projects as assigned by the DOSM in a timely manner, while meeting the specified objectives of the assigned project.
• Keeps the DOSM fully informed of all problems or unusual matters of significance coming to his/her attention so that prompt and corrective action can be taken when appropriate.
• Maintains flexible hours to accommodate customer needs, due to the cyclical nature of the hospitality industry. Catering/Conference Services Managers may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel.
• Collaborates with sales representatives in determining repeat/additional opportunities to serve group clients.
• Ability to come to work regularly and on time, to follow directions, to take criticism and feedback, to get along with co-workers and supervisors, to treat co-workers, supervisors and guests with respect and courtesy, and to refrain from abusive, insubordinate and/or violent behavior.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Schedules and attends appropriate interdepartmental meetings for the operational aspects of coordinating conference requirements, which may include pre-planning meetings or a Pre-Conference Meeting for the operational departments.
• Adheres to all organization policies, procedures, guidelines, as set forth by the Kimpton People and Culture department.
• Prepares detailed Group Resumes that are comprehensive and issued in a timely manner, as determine by leadership team
• Prepares detailed Banquet Event Orders that are comprehensive and issued in a timely manner, as determined by leadership team
• Participates in the department forecasting procedure, compiling accurate (margin of 5%) and timely reports.
• Collaborate with Finance Team preparing and reviewing client invoices prior to mailing to ensure accuracy and proper assessment of all services and goods rendered by the hotel.

INTERNAL MEETING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attends weekly BEO and Resume meetings
• Attends daily/weekly sales meeting
• Attends weekly operations meetings

SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE WE’RE SEEKING

• Self-starter with internal drive to excel in performance
• Successfully demonstrated selling skills and competencies
• Knowledge of food + beverage and meeting room sets
• Well organized, detail orientated and excellent follow up skills
• ASEM/SalesForce experience preferred
• Opera experience preferred

QUALIFICATIONS:
To achieve success in this role, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

Prior relevant experience in hotel sales role and bachelor’s degree.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, write, and verbally communicate effectively and professionally with other business departments, guests, and vendors. Ability to diplomatically deal with difficult situations and people, while exhibiting a consistent level of professionalism.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, report, or schedule form. Regularly exercise independent judgment and discretion about matters of significance.

COMPUTER SKILLS

• Advanced knowledge of various computer programs, such as Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point and Internet Explorer.
• Knowledge of Delphi is a plus, but not required

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit, talk, hear, use hands to handle, or feel and is required to reach with hands and arms.
• The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, or telephone. The employee will occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.

CERTIFICATES & LICENSES

• Valid California Driver License is required
• Food Handler Certificate is requested
• TIPs certificate is requested

WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Fast paced, collaborative and high energy. Must work well under pressure and be capable of prioritization and multi-tasking.
• While performing these duties the employee may be exposed to outdoor and inclement weather conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet, with the exception of events as they may have amplified music.