Convention Services & Catering Sales Manager

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

The Elser Hotel & Residences is a 49-story luxury condominium hotel located in Downtown Miami.   The newly completed tower offers 646 fully furnished rooms/residences, over 19,000 square feet of curated amenities and 5,000 square feet of prime retail space.  Named after the iconic Elser Pier, which was built in the 1900s and became the premier place for locals and visitors to enjoy the magical shoreline of Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami, The Elser Hotel & Residences will continue this tradition. 

Overview

This combined position encompasses the role of Convention Services and Catering Sales Manager which targets and coordinates catering sales and revenue efforts. In addition, this job involves coordinating and supervising assigned banquet events which has been booked by sales department. This job requires initiation and development of quality leads to ensure growth of catering sales. The primary responsibility of a Catering Sales Manager is to develop existing business and solicit new catering business through catering lead generation and catering sales marketing. This sales position solicits new catering customers through traditional and non-traditional sales techniques.

Other important duties include booking, selling, planning and coordinating all special social events while assuring the highest level of customer service. Generating revenue, establishing new accounts, monitoring booking space, booking repeat business while keeping quality consistently high, conducting catering sales presentations and catering sales calls also falls under the purview of the role.

Responsibilities

• Develop a full working knowledge of the operations of the hotel, including Food and Beverage, Guest Services and Reservations.
• Know meeting room setups and capabilities.
• Know sleeping room configurations and types.
• Develop a complete knowledge of company sales policies and SOP’s and ensure knowledge of and adherence to function space and booking policies.
• Meet or exceed set goals.
• Prepare and submit required reports in a timely manner.
• Operate sales activities within established sales expense budget.
• Initiate and follow up on leads and turnovers within 24 hours via telephone and within 3 business days with written correspondence.
• Be visible on the floor and assist staff as needed during functions.
• Respond to requests by Meeting Planners immediately.
• Use the Partnership Agreement to meet client needs.
• Maintain and participate in an active sales solicitation program.
• Monitor production of all top accounts and evaluate trends within your market.
• Conduct departmental BEO/Resume meetings as scheduled.
• Detail events and create floor plans in Social Tables per company standards.
• Interact with outside planners, vendors for event setup.
• Establish a preferred vendor list.
• Develop relationships with local vendors for table arrangements, limousines, photographers, etc.
• Regularly contact existing accounts.
• Meet or exceed sales solicitation call goals as assigned by the Director of Sales & Marketing.
• Assist in implementing special promotions relating to direct sales segments, i.e., parties, sales blitzes, etc.
• Be familiar with all Highgate Hotel sales policies and selling techniques.
• Invite clients to the hotel for entertainment, lunches, tours and site inspections.
• Conduct a professional, thorough site inspection of the hotel with clients, exhibiting key features and benefits of the property.
• Use your property’s computerized sales management system to manage the hotel’s business, including (but not limited to) generating reports, entering business, blocking space and tracing accounts.
• Manage the function book and adjust space in order to ensure maximum potential revenue.
• Abide by Prime Selling Time (PST).
• Develop networking opportunities through active participation in community and professional associations, activities and events.
• Use feedback from Meeting Planner evaluations to improve service and quality
• Be involved in and/or conduct departmental and hotel training (One-to-One Training, etc.)

Qualifications

• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.
• Attend all hotel required meetings and trainings.
• Participate in M.O.D. coverage as required.
• Maintain regular attendance in compliance with Highgate Hotel Standards, as required by scheduling.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including nights, holidays and weekends.
• Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming, which include wearing nametags.
• Comply with Highgate Hotel Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas and assist in implementing solutions.