Conference and Catering Sales Manager

Marriott Hotels Resorts; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality chain in Abu Dhabi is seeking a Catering Sales Manager responsible for contracting and closing local catering and social business. The ideal candidate will have sales experience, strong negotiation skills, and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service. This role involves maximizing revenue through creative selling and up-selling, while also managing guest relationships for successful events.

Qualifications

• 2 years experience in sales and marketing or related field.
• Understanding of market conditions and ability to sell against competitors.

Responsibilities

• Manage sales efforts for local corporate and social catering.
• Identify and qualify new catering business opportunities.
• Close opportunities for the hotel based on market needs.

Skills

Sales experience

Customer service

Negotiation skills

Creative selling abilities

Education

High school diploma or GED

2-year degree in Business Administration/Marketing/Hotel Management

Job description

Description

The Catering Sales Manager is responsible for contracting and closing local catering and social business and ensuring that business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery. The position is responsible for achieving catering revenue goals by actively up‑selling each business opportunity to maximize revenue. The incumbent 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.

Candidate Profile

• High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in the sales and marketing guest services front desk or related professional.
• 2‑year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration Marketing Hotel and Restaurant Management or related major; no work experience required.

Core Work Activities

• Manages sales efforts for the hotel including local corporate and social catering.
• Works collaboratively with off‑property sales channels (e.g. Sales Office Area Sales EST) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated complementary and not duplicative.
• Responds to incoming catering opportunities for the hotel.
• Identifies qualifies and solicits new catering business to achieve personal and hotel revenue goals.
• Understands the overall market – competitors strengths and weaknesses economic trends supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
• 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.
• Maximizes revenue by up‑selling packages and creative food and beverage.
• Manages catering sales revenue and operation budgets and provides forecasting reports.
• Develops menus which drive sales.
• 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 brand.
• 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.
• Ensures successful performance by increasing revenues controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner and the company.

Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Interacts effectively with sales kitchen vendors competitors local community catering associations and other hotel departments in order to ensure guest satisfaction.
• Executes and supports the company’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.
• 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 and loyalty to the company.
• Gains understanding of the hotel’s primary target customer and service expectations; serve the customer by understanding their business issues and concerns to offer better business solutions both prior to and during the program/event.
• Develops a close working relationship with operations to ensure execution of strategies at the hotel level.

Additional Responsibilities

Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs.

At Marriott International we are dedicated to being an equal opportunity employer welcoming all and providing access to opportunity. We actively foster an environment where the unique backgrounds of our associates are valued and the greatest strength lies in the rich blend of culture, talent and experiences of our associates. We are committed to non‑discrimination on any protected basis including disability veteran status or other basis protected by applicable law.