Job summary

The Groups & Events Sales Manager is responsible for contracting and closing local catering and social business and ensuring that business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. The position is responsible for achieving catering revenue goals by actively up-selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue. The incumbent implements the brand’s service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and drives customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.

Candidate profile

Education and experience

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

Core work activities

Managing sales activities

• Manages sales efforts for the hotel including local corporate and social catering.
• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Sales Office, Area Sales, EST) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.
• Responds to incoming catering opportunities for the hotel.
• Identifies, qualifies and solicits new catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals.
• Understands the overall market – competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• 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.
• Maximizes revenue by up-selling packages and creative food and beverage.
• Manages catering sales revenue and operation budgets, and provides forecasting reports.
• Develops menus which drive sales.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand.
• 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.
• Ensures successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and the company.

Providing exceptional customer service

• Interacts effectively with sales, kitchen, vendors, competitors, local community, catering associations and other hotel departments in order to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Executes and supports the company’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.
• 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 the company.
• Gains understanding of the hotel’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solutions both prior to, and during the program/event.
• Develops a close working relationship with operations to ensure execution of strategies at the hotel level.

Additional responsibilities

• Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.

At Marriott International, we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer, welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and celebrated. Our greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent, and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, including disability, veteran status, or other basis protected by applicable law. Combining timeless glamour with a vanguard spirit, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts is committed to delivering exquisite experiences at more than 50 luxury hotels and resorts in the best addresses around the world. Beginning with the debut of The St. Regis hotel in New York by John Jacob Astor IV at the dawn of the twentieth century, the brand has remained committed to an uncompromising level of bespoke and anticipatory service for all of its guests, delivered flawlessly by a team of gracious hosts that combine classic sophistication and modern sensibility, as well as our signature Butler Service. We invite you to explore careers at St. Regis. In joining St. Regis, you join a portfolio of brands with Marriott International. Be where you can do your best work, begin your purpose, belong to an amazing global team, and become the best version of you.