Event Planning Manager OEM

Achieving personal and professional growth is one of our values at Sage Hospitality Group. We believe it’s not just about the work you do, but it’s about who you are. We know your job isn’t your life. That’s why we support our associates in finding the perfect balance between what they do and who they are. By encouraging associates to take initiative and responsibility for their own advancement, we empower them to own their outcomes—both personally and professionally.

Primary focus is on executing all aspects of event planning including meetings, reunions, social functions and catering. Event planning includes all aspects of business coordination from the signing of a group contract forward, for example, direct billing requirements, catering, all event details, VIP needs, amenities, group resumes, rooming lists, registration cards, etc. Approximately 75% of overall time. Other key responsibilities include targeting, capturing and coordinating catering sales. Approximately 25% of overall time. Meets and exceeds revenue goals by developing new catering accounts and planning/coordinating all components of group business in a profitable and win-win selling approach.

• Achieves a minimum a 90% of productivity goals and 100% of activity goals, as established by management.
• Coordination of all group business as developed by the sales manager. Contact and appropriately follow-up on all signed/contracted business within 5 working days. Determination and coordination of all event planning needs.
• Responsible for effectively communicating with the various departments to ensure that the meeting and related functions are executed to the clients "expectations plus one."
• Direct Sales: Targets appointment-oriented sales calls to ensure a successful catering direct sales effort, in accordance with goals established by department budget and marketing plan. Must have own reliable transportation and possess a valid state driver’s license in order to make outside sales calls.
• Key Account Management: Maximizes current hotel key accounts by identifying and developing those that offer revenue growth.
• New Account Development: Captures competitor's accounts through networking, research and reader board surveys in order to target and solicit those most probable to generate new business.
• Acquires referrals from existing accounts: Follows up on all leads within 48 hours of receipt in an effort to create new business for the hotel and, when appropriate, sends leads to other Sage hotels.
• Group retention: Is responsible for rebooking group and applicable catering business through building strong, professional customer relationships and providing consistent outstanding customer service.
• Account Service and Management: Maintains well-documented, accurate, organized and up-to-date file management in order to serve client and employer in the most expedient, organized and knowledgeable manner.
• Develops customer profiles and maintains as effective trace system including trace dates and references, in order to best meet client needs, resulting in superior account service and increased revenues.
• Develops strong customer relationships through appropriate client communication and the use of professional, courteous and ethical interpersonal interaction.
• Promptly, the same day or by 10am the next business day, follows-up on all customers’ needs and inquires in an efficient and expedient manner.
• Time Management: Focuses on revenue-producing activity and maximizes selling time through retaining accounts/customers, maximizing account yield opportunities and direct sales effectiveness.
• Professionalism: Controls expenses on the property's behalf in order to minimize department and hotel costs. Maximizes return on all investments. Represents themselves and the hotel with the highest level of integrity and professionalism, a service -focused approach and a caring, sincere attitude at all times.
• Exhibits a positive and involved team attitude to all hotel departments and maintains open communications with all coworkers for the best overall performance of the hotel. Display a neat, clean and business-like appearance at all times.

Education/Formal Training

Minimum of high school diploma or equivalent.

Experience

One year minimum hotel sales or catering experience.

Knowledge/Skills

• Requires knowledge of general sales techniques.
• Yield management experience required.
• Requires highly developed customer service skills. Strong follow-up and guest satisfactions skills.
• Understand and follow verbal/written instructions.
• Work on more than one task at a time.
• Develop strong internal and customer relationships.
• Set and manage priorities and plan activities in advance.
• Solve problems and make sound business decisions.
• Respond to coaching, feedback and training.
• Must be detailed oriented.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Requires ability to hear, speak, read and write English fluently.
• Requires 12th grade level mathematics, spelling and reading skills.
• Requires effective verbal communication and business writing skills.
• Must have dexterity/mobility to meet clients on and off premises, to tour property and attend functions, to climb stairs, use door keys and operate basic office equipment.
• Vision to read fine print and computer screens, to see colors, to observe rooms in poorly lit conditions.

Environment

Office environment, weather exposure when making sales calls.