Associate Director of Catering Sales

Job Description:

Responsibilities

• Identifies, qualifies and solicits new catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals.
• Proactively solicits affiliate business associated with citywide events
• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• Maximizes revenue by up-selling packages and creative food and beverage offerings.
• Identifies and implements process improvements and best practices.
• Gains understanding of the hotel’s primary target customer and service expectations.
• Ensures successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and the business.
• Manages the sales efforts for the hotel related to local social catering business.
• Responds to incoming catering opportunities for the hotel.
• Closes the best opportunities for the hotel based on market conditions and hotel needs.
• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.
• Designs, develops, and sells creative catered events.
• Develops and manages catering sales revenue and operation budgets, and provides forecasting reports.
• Identifies and assists with selling, implementing and following-through on catering promotions.
• Promotes accountability to drive superior business results.
• Executes Sales strategies and business processes.
• Executes and supports Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• Participates in and practice daily service basics of the brand (i.e., MHR Spirit to Serve Daily Basics, RHR Savvy Service Basics, Courtyard Basics of the Day).
• Works collaboratively with property Sales and Marketing colleagues and Above Property Sales, as well as other hotel departments to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
• Develops a close working relationship with operations to ensure execution of strategies at the hotel level.
• Works with the management team to create and implement a catering sales plan addressing revenue, customers and market.
• Works with the property’s Food and Beverage team to develop menus that drive sales.
• Interacts effectively with vendors, competitors, local community, catering associations and other hotel departments (including Sales, Kitchen and Events) in order to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Ensures that the property implements a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering high level of service.
• Serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.
• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to Marriott International.
• Monitors the effective resolution of guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process by creating mechanisms to channel issues to property leadership and/or other appropriate stakeholders.
• Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.

Qualifications & Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in the sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional area. OR
• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; no work experience required.