JOB SUMMARY

The Group & Event Sales Manager is responsible for generating, selling, booking, and managing group meetings, conferences, corporate events, and social events from initial prospecting through event execution and post-event follow-up. This position is responsible for achieving assigned revenue goals through proactive sales efforts, client relationship development, and the successful conversion of new and repeat business. The Group & Event Sales Manager serves as the primary point of contact throughout the sales and event planning process, ensuring client expectations are clearly communicated and effectively executed by the hotel operations team while maximizing hotel revenue and client satisfaction

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

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This description is a summary of primary responsibilities and qualifications. The job description is not intended to include all duties or qualifications that may be required now or in the future. The Hotel operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, so operational demands require variations in shift days, starting times, and hours worked in a week.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Business Development

• Prospect for and actively solicit new group, meeting, conference, corporate, and event business through networking, referrals, prospecting, client outreach, and other sales activities.
• Manage the sales process from lead generation and qualification through proposal, negotiation, contracting, and booking.
• Meet or exceed assigned sales goals, room night goals, event revenue goals, and other established performance objectives.
• Develop and maintain relationships with meeting planners, corporate clients, social clients, organizations, and other key accounts to generate new and repeat business.
• Conduct sales presentations, client meetings, site inspections, and property tours to showcase the hotel's guestrooms, meeting space, food and beverage offerings, and other amenities.
• Prepare proposals, quotes, contracts, and other sales materials based on client needs and hotel availability.
• Negotiate rates, packages, concessions, and other contractual terms within established hotel guidelines.
• Maintain an active pipeline of prospective business and consistently follow up on leads and opportunities to maximize conversion.
• Identify opportunities to increase total account and event revenue through guestrooms, meeting space, food and beverage, audiovisual, upgrades, and other hotel services.
• Collaborate with the General Manager and other commercial leaders on account development, sales strategies, and revenue opportunities.

Event Planning & Client Management

• Manage assigned events from contract signing through completion, serving as the primary client contact throughout the planning process.
• Work closely with clients to understand their objectives and develop detailed event plans that meet their needs and expectations.
• Conduct pre-event meetings and planning meetings to review event requirements, timelines, expectations, and special requests.
• Review and maintain accurate contracts, banquet event orders (BEOs), event resumes, room blocks, meeting room setups, audiovisual requirements, food and beverage needs, and other event documentation.
• Communicate all event details, changes, and client expectations accurately and timely to the appropriate hotel departments.
• Conduct site inspections and assist with client presentations and property tours as needed.
• Monitor event timelines and proactively address potential issues or changes prior to the event.

Operational Coordination & Event Execution

• Partner closely with Banquets, Front Office, Housekeeping, Engineering, Food & Beverage, and other hotel departments to ensure successful event execution.
• Ensure the hotel's operational teams have accurate and complete information necessary to execute the client's event according to contracted specifications and expectations.
• Participate in pre-event meetings and operational reviews to ensure alignment across departments.
• Monitor event setup, food and beverage service, audiovisual requirements, meeting room configurations, guestrooms, and other operational details.
• Remain accessible to the client during the event and respond promptly and professionally to questions, concerns, or changes.
• Resolve client concerns and operational issues effectively while protecting the client relationship and hotel's financial interests.
• Ensure all contracted services and event details are delivered accurately and according to established hotel standards.

Revenue Management & Business Growth

• Maximize revenue opportunities through effective selling, upselling, and cross-selling of guestrooms, meeting space, food and beverage, audiovisual, upgrades, and other ancillary services.
• Monitor event profitability and identify opportunities to increase revenue while maintaining client satisfaction.
• Review event billing and assist with resolving billing discrepancies or client questions.
• Conduct post-event follow-up to obtain client feedback, address outstanding issues, and identify opportunities for future business.
• Actively pursue repeat business and referrals from satisfied clients.

Administration & Communication

• Maintain accurate and timely records of accounts, leads, sales activities, event details, and client information in the hotel's sales and catering system.
• Ensure contracts, event documentation, and client communications are complete and accurate.
• Provide regular updates regarding sales activity, pipeline, tentative business, definite business, and revenue performance as required.
• Maintain strong communication and collaboration with hotel leadership and operating departments.
• Ensure all events comply with hotel policies, safety standards, and applicable regulations.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in hotel sales, catering, conference services, event management, or a related hospitality field.
• Demonstrated ability to prospect for, sell, and close group or event business.
• Strong customer service, sales, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time-management abilities with the ability to manage multiple sales opportunities and events simultaneously.
• Ability to develop client relationships and proactively generate new business.
• Professional appearance and presentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and hotel sales/catering systems.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays based on business and event requirements.

Key Performance Areas

• Group and event revenue
• New business and prospecting activity
• Sales conversion and booking pace
• Room nights and event revenue
• Client satisfaction and retention
• Upselling and ancillary revenue generation
• Repeat and referral business
• Accuracy and timeliness of event documentation
• Successful event execution
• Internal communication and teamwork
• Sales pipeline development and management

Guest Satisfaction

• Ensures a high level of customer satisfaction and builds long terms mutually beneficial customer relationships to support future revenue growth.
• Coordinates and communicates verbally and in writing with customer (internal and external) regarding event details. Follows up with customer post-event.
• Makes presence known to customer at all times during this process, regardless of which hotel they sit at. Greets customer during the event phase and hands-off to the Convention Services department for the execution of details. Is available to solve problems and/or suggest alternatives to previous arrangements.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality and ensures consistent, high level service throughout all phases of hotel events. Ensures products and services sold to the Event Planners meet or exceed their expectations, create loyalty and leads to increased market share.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels. Effectively responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Reviews Guest Service Results with leaders. Participates in the development and implementation of corrective action plans.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.
• Utilizes hotel system to capture and manage customer information on a daily basis.

Leadership

...applies broad business knowledge and balances both a short- and long-term perspective to generate strategies while leading the organization to achieve them.

• Demonstrates commitment to Westmont Hospitality operating principles and philosophies.
• Holds self and others accountable for achieving results.
• Addresses conflict in a timely manner.
• Contributes to team results.
• Deals with change effectively.
• Makes decisions, including employees/team and commits to a course of action with available information.

Building Relationships

...eliminates insular thinking by fostering a positive climate for work relationships and teams committed to achieving organizational goals and initiatives.

• Manages lead processes for to ensure prompt and thorough response to inquiries.
• Uses opportunities to promote individual and team successes.
• Always applies the principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity and commitment.
• Attends Morning, Daily BEO and Departmental Meetings
• Recognizes and celebrates team successes.
• Balances the interest of one's own group with the interests of the organization.
• Facilitates beneficial resolution of team conflict.
• Uses team member diversity to its fullest extent to achieve business success.
• Encourages others to share their points of view even if different from his/her own.
• Shares relevant information to help others understand and support business objectives.
• Seldom pulls rank or tries to overpower others.
• Uses technology effectively to communicate and influence throughout the organization.
• Demonstrates business ethics and personal integrity, i.e., is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Experience

• Must have a minimum of (5+) year of progressive sales experience
• Proven track record of a consistent ability to exceed sales goals
• Previous sales leadership experience preferred

Skills and Knowledge

• Aggressive negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business with a high conversion ratio
• Must be able to "knock on doors" to get the business
• Knows how to conduct research on the Internet
• Weekly prospecting and soliciting goals
• Uncovering new customers (local and social)
• Effective sales skills to up-sell products and services
• Knowledge of menu planning, food presentation, banquet and event service operations
• Ability to manage guest room and meeting space inventories
• Broad understanding of facility management (sanitation, maintenance, operations)
• Strong customer development and relationship management skills
• Knowledge of overall hotel operations as they affect department.
• Knowledge of event technology products and services
• Knowledge of contract management and legalities
• Financial management skills, e.g., ability to understand P&L statements, manage operating budgets, forecasting and scheduling
• Strong communication skills (verbal, listening , writing)
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Strong customer and associate relations skills
• Strong presentation and platform skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong "closing skills"
• Strong 'persuasion" skills
• Ability to use standard software applications and hotel system
• Effective decision making skills
• Effective influence skills

Reporting to: General Manager

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Frequent walking, standing, sitting, hearing, talking, smiling. Lifting, pushing and pulling of objects weighing up to ten (10) pounds.