** Catering Sales Mgr**

**Job Category****:** Sales & Marketing **Requisition Number****:** CATER02838 Showing 1 location **Job Details**

**Description**

**On property sales/catering contact for customers, the Catering Sales Manager is responsible for proactively soliciting and managing catering-related opportunities. The Catering Sales Manager actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenues; achieve personal and team related revenue goals & ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion to operations for proper service delivery. Support Marriotts service & relationship strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience in order to grow share of the account on behalf of the Renaissance Hotel Orlando Airport.**

Skills and Knowledge:

* Ability to understand and execute and support Marriott customer service standards, Marriott & Westin brand standards.

* Possesses excellent telephone sales skills

* Excellent selling skills and understanding of sales processes; can effectively up-sell products and services; can bring a sale to closure

* Superior guest relationship management and developments skills

* Knowledge of property-specific business segments (e.g. group, catering, transient)

* Ability to manage guest room and meeting space inventories

* Ability to manage and balance group and local business

* Knowledge of operations and associated challenges for all brands

* Knowledge of all Marriott lodging products, cultures and brand strategies

* Knowledge of contractual agreements and legal implications

* Knowledge of menu planning, food presentation and banquet and event service operations

* Knowledge of event technology products and services

* Knowledge of food trends, food and beverage composition and menu planning

* Knowledge of food and beverage forecasting and attrition (Catering focused)

* Knowledge of group room forecasting and attrition (Group Room focused)

* Knowledge of need time strategy as developed by Revenue Management

* Knowledge of group, extended stay and transient business

* Understands revenue management functions and account profitability

* Knowledge of current trends in event management and event technology and ability to determine applicability to Marriotts customer and integrate into the operation as appropriate

* Broad understanding of facility management (sanitation, maintenance, operations)

* Knowledge of purchasing, inventory controls, supplies and equipment

* Knowledge of overall hotel operations as they affect department

* Strong organizational skills

* Strategic planning skills

* Ability to creatively execute and drive results; can originate and invent new ways to create a unique guest experience and maximize revenue

* Ability to take constructive action without relying on directions form others

* Ability to network and build relationships to grow the business

* Ability to exercise flexibility rather than rigid adherence to procedures in order to accomplish goals

* Effective decision-making skills and judgment skills

* Strong problem-solving skills; encourages new innovative solutions when appropriate

* Ability to influence others

* Ability to develop and maintain relationships e.g., associates, customers, vendors

* Strong negotiation skills

* Strong presentation and platform skills

* Strong communication skills (verbal, listening, writing)

* Strong customer and associate relation skills

* Ability to use standard software applications and hotel systems including CI/TY, MARSHA, Light Speed, Meeting Matrix etc.

* Knowledge of the next step taken when we experience declining market shares or increasing competition

Sales and Revenue Management

* Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Global Sales Offices, Account Directors, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.

* Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the hotel.

* Proactively identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/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.

* Negotiates services of hotel and executes Marriotts group sales agreement for each business opportunity

* Effectively manages customers budgets to maximize revenue and customer needs

* Partners with Convention Services and/or Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customers expectations.

* Acts as our customer liaison with hotel during customer event/program ensuring daily needs are met and overall customer satisfaction.

* Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.

* Effectively develops relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.

* Utilizes Marriott as a resource and information regarding (Training opportunities, market segments, companywide communication, etc.).

* Leverages available eTools (eRooming Lists, eProposals, Marriotts Asset Library, etc.)

* Effectively manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

* Monitors same day selling procedures to maximize room revenue and control hotel occupancy.

* Effectively use sales resources and administrative/support staff.

* Conducts site inspections.

Operations/Planning

* Ensures that regular, ongoing communication is happening in all areas of event operations (e.g., BEO meetings, pre-event briefings, staff meetings, front desk, housekeeping, food and beverage team, culinary team). Continually communicates a clear and consistent message regarding departmental goals to produce desired results.

* Integrates current trends in event management and event design.

* Ensures the hotel is appraised of all groups that will impact hotel operations.

* Coordinates and communicates verbally and in writing with customer (internal or external) regarding event details. Follows up with customer post-event.

* Acts as the liaison between property sales person and customer throughout the event process (pre-event, event, post event). Makes presence known to customer at all times during this process. Is available to solve problems and/or suggest alternatives to previous arrangements.

* Identifies key drivers of business success and remains focused on the critical few to achieve results; ensures integration of departmental goals in game plans.

* Works with property team to review scheduled events and troubleshoot potential challenges/conflicts; encourages calculated risk-taking to generate incremental revenue and deliver excellent guest service.

* Complies with all standards, policies and procedures (SOPs, LSOPs, Core Deliverables, etc)

* Oversees the event planning phase including developing the Banquet Event Orders, Diagrams, Resumes, memos, etc.

* Creates an atmosphere in all event management operations areas that meets or exceeds guest expectations.

* Participates in various meetings as necessary, BEO meeting, staff meeting, pre and post cons, coordination meeting, etc.

* Manages group room blocks and is in continuous contact with group contact regarding group room pick-up for assigned groups.

* Participated in discussions to review event complexity and proactively avoid service challenges and failures.

* Responsible for his or her own opportunities function space and group room blocks. Maintain these inventories to maximize customer satisfaction and revenue opportunities.

* Effectively manages customers budgets to maximize revenue and customer needs.

* Observes and