Franchised Catering Sales Manager

Posting Date Dec 30, 2020
Job Number 20202575
Job Category Sales & Marketing
Location Epicurean Atlanta, Autograph Collection, 1117 West Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, United States VIEW ON MAP
Brand Autograph Collection Hotels
Schedule Full-Time
Relocation? Y
Position Type Management
Marriott's Autograph Collection features a select group of upscale and luxury independent partner hotels, each with its own distinct personality, experience, style and features. Located in major cities and desirable destinations around the world, Autograph guests favor hotel stays that reflect their own unique and personal styles. Be a part of our team and deliver an innovative guest experiences that resists predictability.

Additional Information: This hotel is owned and operated by an independent franchisee, Mainsail Lodging. The franchisee controls all aspects of the hotel’s employment policies and practices, including the selection and hiring process. If you accept a position at this hotel you will be employed by a franchisee and not by Marriott International.

Job Description

It is about grit. An attitude. An elevated level of hospitality. Curiosity to seek out new culinary trends. Desire to nurture relationships.

We surround ourselves with those who are like-minded and motivated to educate our customers on the Epicurean experience and bring it to life.

OUR PILLARS: Curated | Crafted | Social | Enriching

WHO WE’RE SEEKING:

We are seeking a unique individual who will embody the heart and soul of a true epicurean while caring deeply about the brand and community. Someone who acts as an extension of our pillars, values, and culture. This person is driven to create meaningful experiences for our team members, guests, and community while simultaneously ensuring the success of Epicurean Atlanta.

We want to work with someone who bring a spirit of fun, authenticity, collaboration and genuine hospitality to their life and work. We are seeking an individual who will ensure we all bring Epicurean Atlanta to life.

We have poured passion, energy, and excitement into crafting an extraordinary place and brand and know the right Catering Manager will be inspired and passionate about this dynamic vision as we are. Care for people, a belief in the power of the community, and desire to create ordinary experiences drive us. Is this YOU?

Job Summary:

Responsible for handling sales of catering opportunities for all event space in hotel, event lawn, culinary theatre, and all other venues. Responsible for achieving and exceeding catering sales revenue goals, contracts and closes local catering and social business. Ensures that business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. Achieves catering revenue goals by actively up selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue. Implements the brand's service strategy and applicable brand initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and drives customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.

Essential Functions

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Maximizing Revenue & Managing Profitability

• Identifies, qualifies, and solicits new catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals

• Coordinates definite group business

• Generates banquet event orders

• Established billing for definite function and ensures deposits are collected

• Proactively solicits affiliate business associated with citywide events

• Understands the overall market - competitors' strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them

• Maximizes revenue by up-selling packages and creative food and beverage offerings

• Identifies and implements process improvements and best practices

• Gains understanding of the hotel's primary target customer and service expectations

• Ensures successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and the business

Managing Sales Activities

• Manages the sales efforts for the hotel and complex related to catering business

• Responds to incoming catering opportunities for the hotel and development

• Closes the best opportunities for the hotel based on market conditions and hotel needs

• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.

• Designs, develops, and sells creative catered events

• Identifies and assists with selling, implementing and following-through on catering promotions.

• Promotes accountability to drive superior business results

• Executes Sales strategies and business processes

• Executes and supports Customer Service Standards and hotel's Brand Standards

• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence)

• Participates in and practice daily service basics of the brand

Building Successful Relationships

• Works collaboratively with property Sales and Marketing colleagues as well as other hotel departments to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative

• Develops a close working relationship with operations to ensure execution of strategies at the hotel level

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

• Works with the property's Food and Beverage team to develop menus that drive sales

• Interacts effectively with vendors, competitors, local community, catering associations and other hotel departments (including Sales, Kitchen and Events) to ensure guest satisfaction

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

• Ability to assist the banquet and events team on special events when needed

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event

• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring 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

• Monitors the effective resolution of guest issues that arise, because of the sales process, by creating mechanisms to channel issues to property leadership and/or other appropriate stakeholders

• Provide an ownership mentality and conserve the company’s resources with the same vigilance we would use to guard and conserve our own personal resources

Additional Responsibilities

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

Qualification Standards

Education & Experience

• 4-year Bachelor’s degree preferred

• Two (2) years Catering sales experience preferred

• Familiarization of the local markets preferred

• Excellent customer service skills

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

• Ability to effectively present information to individuals or groups

• Proficient with Microsoft Office programs, Marriott systems, SFAweb and CI/TY

Mental Demands

• Make sound judgments quickly

• Work on multiple tasks, making appropriate progress towards deadlines

• Able to work independently, take direction and provide direction to others

• Manage differing personalities within the office, the hotel, and the community

• Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality

• Ability to work effectively in stressful, high pressure situations

• Ability to effectively handle challenges in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying, and solving problems as necessary

• Sense of urgency on all manners relate

This company is an equal opportunity employer.

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