Job Description | Catering Sales Manager

Position Summary:

The Catering Sales Manager (CSM) for the Residence Inn Downtown is an important key to the hotel’s success. The CSM will develop and foster group catering and dining business through direct sales efforts, marketing, and tours of hotel for meetings and events to meet and/or exceed sales and revenue goals. The CSM’s purpose is to generate top line catering revenue, build/strengthen client relationships, and provide service excellence. 

Overall Responsibilities:

• The expectation of this position requires a minimum 40-hour work      week which includes weekends/evenings (Saturday and/or Sunday).
• Handle inquiry calls, solicit,      negotiate, and confirm new and repeat catering and group dining business      through mining new & existing accounts, lead follow-up, telemarketing,      blitzes, referrals, prospecting, etc. 
• Monitor all direct and indirect lead      channels responding appropriately and timely to all catering and group      dining leads.
• Schedule site visits and giving assistance      to any walk-in clients providing them an informative and positive experience.
• Hotel-client liaison ensuring customer satisfaction with every      event.
• Follow the established sales process      standards and policies.
• Plan, up-sell, and coordinate      function details with client to include space requirements, meeting/event      times, equipment, audio visual, menus, and billing, etc. 
• Prepare and execute sales/catering      contracts, banquet event orders, and group resumes to ensure quality      product delivery and customer satisfaction. 
• Create and distribute effective      internal and external communication      between client, sales, food & beverage, and hotel operations (written and verbal).
• Develop and implement creative sales      strategy by analyzing historical, current, and future hotel/market/account      trends.
• Develop and continually enhance relationships with key corporate,      business and travel industry accounts.
• Maintain accurate, legible records and files consistent with      established sales and catering systems.
• Participate in training, tradeshows, community, industry, and      professional organizations to maintain high visibility in support of the      achievement of sales and revenue goals. 
• Perform special projects and other responsibilities as assigned.

· Advocate service excellence, professionalism, teamwork, and an environment to have fun, learn and succeed.

• Responsible for conducting weekly/daily Banquet Event Order meetings      with department heads.  

· Attend weekly staff meetings and provide update on business.

• Work effectively with a sense of urgency and focus.

Skills and Abilities:

• College degree or equivalent in Hospitality Management/experience      preferred.
• A minimum of two years of sales      experience in a related position. Previous catering sales      experience strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with food and beverage service, menu planning and      private/group event coordination.
• Knowledge of current wedding trends and corporate catering      landscape. 
• Ability to effectively communicate with guests, management, and      co-workers.
• Ability to creatively resolve guests concerns or challenges using      business acumen skills and discretion.
• Knowledge of the sales procedures      associated with the hospitality industry.
• Excellent writing and speaking skills to      produce effective sales and marketing communication that properly reflects      the hotels image.
• Possess computer skills &      knowledge of, including, but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel,      Outlook, and Sales & Catering Systems (Delphi preferred).
• Ability to actively listen.
• Comfortable working both independently and as a      team.  
• Demonstrates self-confidence, energy, and      enthusiasm. 
• Ability to solve problems quickly, think      creatively, and provide customer excellence. 
• Team player that works well with counterparts      from various functions/departments. 
• Walking, sitting, standing, and      bending/reaching for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs.
• Must have a valid driver’s license. 
• Desire to serve people.

Work Environment: Hotel | Office

Travel: Local travel

Schedule: Mixture of Weekday and Weekends (based on catering events & booking demand) 

Reports To: Director of Sales

Summit Hospitality Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Summit Hospitality Group LTD. and its affiliates provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to an applicant's race, color, sex, religion, disability, national origin, citizenship, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation or gender identity, or on the basis of age with respect to persons 18 years or older.