Convention Service Manager

POSITION PURPOSE

This position is responsible for planning, organizing, and coordinating functions of various departments to accommodate meetings, conventions, and special events accounts, in accordance with hotel policies and quality standards, to ensure customer satisfaction, maximize profitability and generate return business. Negotiates guest room rates, food and beverage prices, meeting room rental, function space, and hotel services within approved booking guidelines when original commitment from sales contract is not met or as needed.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage convention groups accounts to maximize business potential
• Creates a dynamic and positive relationship with customer from sales phase through onsite execution
• Achieve or exceed contracted food & beverage revenue minimums Negotiate contracts, ensuring that all pertinent aspects of solicitation and closing are complete and documented
• Make on-site and field presentations to prospective clients
• Identify opportunities to up sell customer through food & beverage offerings, room upgrades, AV and lighting upgrades and spa faculties, if applicable
• Conduct unique site inspections that create a WOW experience for the customer
• Consistently meets or exceeds individual goals and hotel budgets
• Identify opportunities to upsell customer through food & beverage offerings, room upgrades, AV and lighting upgrades and spa faculties, if applicable Translate wants and needs into success for the customer and Azul Hospitality Group
• Responsible for managing group room block cut off dates or extensions, attrition projections and room block utilization
• Use Revenue Management resources to help make informed decisions and maximize revenue
• Looks for ways to improve processes and enhance sales systems
• Maintain accurate CI/TY information on all bookings, specifically program details, client correspondence, traces and to-do lists
• Apply an in-depth knowledge of property amenities to find opportunities to increase profitability
• Produce and distribute 10-day Events Schedule and BEO Packet, as well as Daily Events Schedule
• Preside over weekly 10-day BEO reading and daily 3-day BEO readings
• Respond to all customer inquiries within 24 hours or sooner
• Follow proper event management procedures for event execution to include but not limited to BEO creation, F&B forecasting, resume communication, amenity/VIP designation and room block management
• Produce and distribute accurate banquet/catering event orders, timelines, diagrams, and resumes within timeframe set by hotel
• Drive strategies to develop long term business relationships and repeat business
• Negotiate catering business and contracts that meet or exceed hotel revenue goals.
• Provide client support to include processing client leads, investigating hotel and preferred guest program issues, and acquiring or sending collateral materials
• Provide hotel support to include following up on outstanding responses, calling, faxing and emailing clients with responses and answering requests
• Report generation as needed
• Partners with Operations in providing a customer experience that exceeds the customer’s expectations
• Maintains liaison with other hotel departments to facilitate services agreed upon by the sales office and prospective clients
• Be an active part of the property team supporting and developing the desired Azul Hospitality Group culture
• Drive product quality and a unique guest experience at every opportunity
• Take pride in the overall look and feel of the hotel never walking past something out of place
• Maintain a refreshing attitude focused on positive friendly interactions with guests and staff
• Develop and maintain strong interdepartmental relationships and open communication lines to assure efficient transfer of information.
• Schedule meetings and business group activities at the hotel.
• Be familiar with all company policies
• All other duties assigned.

SUPPORTIVE FUNCTIONS

• In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the hotel:
• Assist with any guest inquiry.
• Follow all company and safety and security policies and procedures.
• Report maintenance problems, safety hazards, accidents, or injuries.
• Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by direct and indirect supervisors

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Environmental conditions are inside, a job is considered inside if staff spends approximately 75 percent or more of the time inside. Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to four (8) hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
• Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to four (4) hours in length.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space and to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift up to 45 lbs. as needed.
• Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 250 lbs.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening, and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Hearing, smelling, tasting, and visual ability to observe and distinguish product quality and detect signs of emergency situations.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with other staff, guests, and supervisors.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near and color vision and depth perception.
• Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks occasionally.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, multi-line touch tone phone, filing cabinets, FAX machines, photocopiers, dolly, and other office equipment as needed.
• Ability to work primarily with fingers to pick, pinch, type and carry out substantial movements (motions) of the wrists and hands as well.

SPECIFIC JOB KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• The individual must possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities and be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of knowledge, skills, and abilities:
• Must be able to travel on occasion, as needed.
• Must be able to speak, read, write, and understand the primary language used in the workplace.
• Requires good communication skills, verbal, written and electronic.
• Considerable knowledge of complex mathematical calculations and computer programs.
• Must have excellent leadership capability and customer relations skills.
• Must be detail oriented with outstanding organizational and communication skills.
• Must possess intermediate computer skills.
• Must Possess basic computational skills.
• Knowledge of computer programs, math skills as well as budgetary analysis capabilities required.
• Ability to analyze, foresee user needs, and makes judgments to ensure proper tools are provided at property level.
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external customers some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact and diplomacy and collect accurate information to resolve conflicts.
• Knowledgeable about basic function of Windows OS, MS Office, PMS, PBX, Key system, and POS.
• Self-driven and able to work independently
• Exceptionally strong in issue resolution and proven analytical skills with a strong attention to detail
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state and local laws governing equal employment opportunity and civil rights, occupational safety and health, wage and hour issues, and labor relations, including, but not limited to the following statutes and their state and local analogues (where applicable): Title VII, ADEA, Equal Pay Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, FLSA, ADA, OSHA, FMLA, and NLRA.

EDUCATION

• Associate degree or equivalent from 4-year institution; or two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

EXPERIENCE

• One to two years experience in Sales and/or Catering in hospitality industry preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Opera and Envision Sales preferable.

LICENSES OR CERTIFICATIONS

• Ability to provide and maintain a valid drivers license as the position may require the operation of motorized and electric vehicles.

EXEMPT POSITION

• Exempt Staff Members are not covered by the overtime provisions and do not receive overtime pay. Exempt Staff members are paid a fixed salary that is intended to cover all the compensation to which they are entitled.

GROOMING

• All Staff Members must maintain a neat, clean, and well-groomed appearance per Azul Hospitality standards. Refer to the property specific required grooming and uniform standards policy.

ATTENDANCE

• Regular attendance in conformance with the standards, which may be established by Azul Hospitality, from time to time, is essential to the successful performance of this position. Staff with irregular attendance / tardiness will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Upon employment, all staff is required to fully comply with Azul Hospitality rules and regulations for the safe and effective operation of the hotels facilities. Staff members who violate hotel rules and regulations will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Due to the cyclical nature of the hospitality industry, staff members may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel. In addition, attendance at all scheduled training sessions and meetings is required. This job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all job functions that a staff member in this position may be asked to perform from time to time.