Director of Events

JOB SUMMARY

 

Manages all aspects of the Meetings & Special Events division, to include Meetings & Special Events, Audio Visual, & potential Destination Services. Functions as the business leader of the property’s Catering Sales Department and manages the property’s reactive and proactive catering sales efforts. Maintains accountability for verifying that the team maximizes revenue opportunities by up-selling and accurately forecasting for all events. Leads, implements, and maintains a management philosophy in alignment with company standards. Partners with hotel operations to sell products and services that the hotel has the ability to successfully execute. Maintains contact within Area Sales to receive leads for more in-depth qualification of business for the property. Develops and implements hotel–wide strategies that deliver products and services to meet or exceed the needs and expectations of guests and employees, and provides a return on investment to the owner and company. Verifies a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering a high level of service. Verifies achievement of profitability, achieving revenue goals, guest, event planner and employee satisfaction and the financial performance of the function.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

 

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 4 years experience in the Catering, MSE, event management, food and beverage, sales and marketing, or related professional area.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business Administration, or related major; 2 years experience in the event management, food and beverage, sales and marketing, or related professional area.

 

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES -.

 

Managing Meetings and Special Events Operations and Budgets

• Manages all aspects of the Meetings & Special Events division, to include Meetings & Special Events, Audio Visual, & potential Destination Services.

• Researches and analyzes new products, pricing and services of competition.

• Works with direct reports to review scheduled events and troubleshoot potential challenges/conflicts.

• Verifies the property is apprised of all groups that will impact property operations.

• Verifies meeting space and corresponding heart of the house areas are cleaned and maintained.

• Verifies furniture and equipment is maintained and inventory levels are kept in accordance to corporate guidelines.

• Leads the execution of brand service initiatives in event management areas.

• Develops an event management strategy that is aligned with the company’s business strategy and leads its execution.

• Conduct daily walk-through of banquet floor to verify client satisfaction and quality standards.

 

Managing Sales Activities

• Manages the catering sales efforts for the hotel including local and group/convention business.

• Solicits/books local catering business and develops group business.

• Develops and implements hotel–wide strategies that deliver products and services to meet or exceed the needs and expectations of guests and employees, and provides a return on investment to the owner and company.

• Develops and manages catering sales revenue and operation budgets, and provides forecasting reports.

• Works with the management team to create and implement a catering sales/marketing plan addressing revenue, customers and market.

• Develops menus that drive sales.

• Assists with selling, implementation and follow-through of catering promotions.

• Partners with hotel operations to sell products and services that the hotel has the ability to successfully execute.

• Executes and supports the company’s Customer Service and Brand Standards.

• 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 Coordinates and deploys catering sales resources on-property to establish pull-through and sustainment of catering sales strategies and selling solutions.

• Develops a close working relationship with operations to execute strategies at the hotel level.

• Verifies that the property implements a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering high level of service.

• 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.

• Maintains accountability for verifying that the team maximizes revenue opportunities by up-selling and accurately forecasting for all events.

• Maintains successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and Marriott International.

• Implements the brand’s service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process.

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

 

Leadership

• Functions as the business leader of the property’s Catering Sales Department and manages the property’s reactive and proactive catering sales efforts.

• Manages and directs the on-property catering sales managers to achieve hotel revenue goals by proactively targeting current and new high value accounts in the market and implementing effective catering sales deployment strategies to grow market share.

• Leads, implements, and maintains a management philosophy in alignment with company standards.

• Manages Senior MSE managers and additional reports as required by business needs.

• Partners with Human Resources (HR) to attract, develop and retain the right people in order to support the strategic priorities of the market.

• Creates effective structures, processes, jobs and performance management systems are in place.

• Sets goals and expectations for direct reports using the Leadership Performance Process (LPP), align performance and rewards, addresses performance issues and holds staff accountable for successful results.

• Forecasts talent needs and manages talent acquisition strategy with HR to minimize lost time due to turnover.

• Keeps an active list of the competition’s best sales people and executes a recruitment and acquisition plan with HR.

• Supports tools and training resources to educate sales associates on winning catering solutions.

• Champions leadership development and workforce planning priorities by assessing, selecting, retaining and developing diverse, high-caliber talent that can lead the organization today and strengthen the leadership bench for the future; continues to upgrade the sales & marketing talent; works with HR to anticipate future talent needs based on business growth plans.

• Identifies, trains, and mentors catering sales associates.

• Transfers functional knowledge and develop catering sales and event management skills of other discipline managers.

• Shares responsibility for achieving revenue goals, guest and associate satisfaction and the financial performance of the department.

• Provides day-to-day leadership to a team of on-property catering sales and event management associates.

• Holds event management team accountable for desired service behaviors related to product and service delivery.

• Communicates a clear and consistent message regarding departmental goals to produce desired results.

• Assists in execution of departmental goals in game plans.

• Verifies brand and regional business initiatives are implemented and communicates follow-up actions to team as necessary.

 

Building Successful Relationships

• Interacts effectively with guests/clients, sales and kitchen, vendors, competitors, local community, catering associations and other hotel departments in order to monitor guest satisfaction.

• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and monitoring 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 Marriott.

• 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 solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

• Partners with key stakeholders within Area Sales to receive warms leads for more in-depth qualification of the business for the property.

• Partners with Event Management and hotel operations to sell products and services that the hotel has the ability to successfully execute.

• Maintains contact within Area Sales to receive leads for more in-depth qualification of business for the property.

 

Managing Profitability

• Encourages calculated risk-taking to generate incremental revenue and deliver excellent guest service.

• Develops working relationships with outside vendors and establishes prices and service agreements to enhance the event experience and to increase additional revenue opportunities for the property.

• Creates and achieves the Meetings & Special Events’ annual operating budget.

• Focuses on building the property’s top line revenue by supporting the execution of the annual Meetings & Special Events Marketing Plan, and providing leadership to the team on post-contractual upselling efforts.

• Work with all areas in the Meetings & Special Events division to establish content and pricing.

 

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

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

• Consult with customers in order to determine objectives and requirements for events such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.

• Review customer feedback data to identify service failures and provide guidance on problem resolution.

 

Conducting Human Resources Activities

• Works with Human Resources to verify compliance with all local, state and federal (OSHA, Health Department) regulations.

• Reviews property specific event operations annually and makes appropriate adjustments.

• Reviews staffing levels to verify that guest service and operational needs are met.

• Communicates and verifies departmental and property emergency procedures are executed when necessary.

• Verifies that regular, ongoing communication is happening in all areas of event operations (e.g., BEO meetings, pre-event briefings, staff meetings, food and beverage team, culinary team).

• Provides performance feedback using company feedback process.

 

 

 
Every day, we set the standard for rare and special luxury service the world over and pride ourselves on delivering excellence in the care and comfort of our guests.

 
Your role will be to ensure that the “Gold Standards” of The Ritz-Carlton are delivered graciously and thoughtfully every day. The Gold Standards are the foundation of The Ritz-Carlton and are what guides us each day to be better than the next. It is this foundation and our belief that our culture drives success by which The Ritz Carlton has earned the reputation as a global brand leader in luxury hospitality. As part of our team, you will learn and exemplify the Gold Standards, such as our Employee Promise, Credo and our Service Values. And our promise to you is that we offer the chance to be proud of the work you do and who you work with.

 
In joining The Ritz-Carlton, 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.