Now Hiring - Catering Sales Manager - Chattanooga Convention Center in Chattanooga, TN

Job Summary

The Group Sales Manager will be responsible for managing the overall event sales lifecycle of catering events at the location to meet and exceed established annual sales revenue goals. The ideal candidate will be an experienced and driven sales professional - able to collaborate with a range of stakeholders to plan and deliver outstanding guest experiences.

Detailed Responsibilities

• Builds and maintains relationships with location partner teams to jointly secure and maximize catering opportunities
• Ensure smooth transition and communication with location partner teams to execute positive client experience
• Partnering with location leadership to identify opportunities to grow revenue via sales trends, strategic menu development, and creative, new opportunities to expand catering revenue opportunities
• Work closely with the building partner to identify win-win opportunities and areas for collaboration
• Contributes to and manages the development of strategic sales initiatives
• Completion of annual group sales review to identify strengths and opportunities for the future
• Completion of annual competitor analysis within the market and working with location partner to optimize menu offerings, as needed
• Completion of annual lost business analysis to investigate areas of opportunities resulting in increased secured business
• Ability to analyze sales trends, client’s needs, and wants to enhance the overall event experience
• Proactively engaging in networking and other lead generation activities
• Maintains successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses, and providing a return on investment for the location partner
• Promptly respond to all client correspondence, phone, and email, including initial inquiry correspondence, proposal development for qualified leads, and all follow up as necessary to secure business
• Negotiate with clients through the use of creative and attractive menu presentations and event proposals, to achieve both maximum revenue/profit potential and fulfillment of contractual responsibilities while satisfying client needs
• Working closely with the culinary and operations team to develop menus and staffing bids to "WOW" clients and guests while simultaneously maintaining operational feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and event appropriateness for venue facilities
• Creating Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) and catering agreements in appropriate system and submitting for client signature in accordance with venue deadlines
• Works with venue or client to create floorplans and submit to local authorities, when necessary
• Manage client relationships to set expectations and drive positive event experience
• Handling client billing to ensure accurate and timely payment of deposits and final payments
• Solicits event feedback and compiles opportunities for improvement and event experience
• Attending management meetings and partnering with all management stakeholders to ensure the timely fulfillment of group sales contracts
• Manages event communication to appropriate stakeholders including, but not limited to, event files for use by operations, schedule of events, and final BEOs
• Facilitating weekly BEO meetings with operations and culinary to ensure everyone is aligned on event expectations
• Collects end of night feedback from the operations team to include in event recap documentation
• Maintaining CRM system of current and future potential clients
• Completing maintenance and clean-up of processes in the infor/Reserve system
• Inspecting event setups to ensure they match the banquet event order
• Other duties as assigned

Skills and Experience

• 2+ years in a catering sales role
• Hospitality or Business Degree is preferred
• Experience working on major events is preferred
• High level of computer literacy
• Passion for hospitality, food, and retail
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills