CATERING SALES MANAGER

Job Summary

Working as the Catering Sales Manager you will represents the property in the development of market segment(s) and new customer relationships while maintaining existing relationships with assigned accounts while consistently striving to maximize revenue food and beverage, public space, and ancillary products and services.

Essential Functions:

• Represent hotel by soliciting, responding to and negotiating with persons requiring food and beverage services on-site and off-site (UT Campus), based upon market segment and account files assigned by the Director of Sales (and Marketing).
• Represent property in significant interactions dealing with customers relative to catering sales and operational questions, concerns, and issues.
• Negotiate contracts with customers and third party agencies.
• Initiate the preparation of proposals and/or contracts to advise prospective customers primarily of the food and beverage cost, on-site banquet space and/or banquet date, space and rate availability. Develop and quote prices for same. Strong focus on custom menus.
• Engage in outside sales activities to discover business opportunities and entertain customers in local and assigned markets (percentage of travel dependent on specific market).
• Direct site visits for respective accounts and participates in tradeshows, industry and customer events.
• Attend weekly catering departmental meeting and other scheduled meetings to support business operations, e.g., tentative review, lost business review, revmax, etc.
• Conduct site inspections with potential customers, visiting meeting space and banquet facilities, as well as other property facilities.
• Mandatory adherence to the Platinum Service process on a daily basis. To include Platinum Service Standards, Great Elements of Customer Service, and the “To BE” Philosophy.
• Supportive Functions
• In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by management based upon the particular requirements of the company.

Specific Job Knowledge, Skill & Ability:

• Basic Property product knowledge, i.e., staffing, operations, safety, security, union rules, structural, terminology, fire, police and health codes, hotel policies, city ordinances.
• Basic knowledge of the property structure/layout and how all departments interact
• Basic knowledge of various types of set up styles used in the meeting rooms
• Basic knowledge of audio visual equipment, telecom equipment, lighting and room temperature control
• Extensive knowledge of banquet menus.
• Extensive knowledge of market and related meeting industry.
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy to diffuse anger, collect accurate information and resolve conflicts
• Quantitative processing of data via office machine equipment, mathematical computations and analytical skills necessary to accurately determine and communicate financial, forecasting and space utilization calculations.
• Proficiency in the use and operation of computer systems with the ability to navigate efficiently through Word, Excel, Outlook, Delphi (or in house sales system), Market Vision, Internet and Intranet
• Ability to read, write and speak the English language to fully comprehend guest requests, memos, proposals, general correspondence and similar written materials.
• Possess a good conceptual understanding of electronic devices and the ability to operate such items as copy machines, slide projectors, microphones, computers, portable radios, pagers, etc.
• Ability to complete a contract in compliance with all checklists, standards and property policies.
• Interpersonal skills to provide overall guest satisfaction.