Sales Manager, Conference and Events

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Limited; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A luxury hotel in Dubai is seeking a Sales Manager to join their Conference and Events Team. The role involves securing business to meet financial targets related to events and catering. Candidates should possess a relevant degree and have a minimum of three years' experience in hospitality, particularly in conference operations and sales. This position requires excellent communication and negotiation skills, as well as the ability to deliver superior customer service. The hotel offers a supportive environment and various learning and development opportunities.

Benefits

Learning and development programs

MOstay benefits for hotel stays

Health and wellness programs

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years' experience in a hotel or administrative position in hospitality.
• Previous work experience in Conference and Events and/or Sales in a managerial position.
• Ability to solve problems and deliver superior customer service.

Responsibilities

• Secures business to meet financial annual targets related to Conference and Events.
• Plans meetings and coordinates with operations and clients.
• Handles all meetings, events and catering enquiries.

Skills

Customer service excellence

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Time management

Strategic yield management

Education

Degree or Higher National Diploma in Hospitality/Hotel/Business Management

Tools

Delphi

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai is looking for a Sales Manager to join our Conference and Events Team

Are you a master of craft? Do you thrive in a team that succeeds together, demonstrating integrity and respect while acting responsibly? Do you embrace a growth mindset? We invite you to become a fan of the exceptional.

Mandarin Oriental is the award‑winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences located in prime destinations around the world, with a strong development pipeline. Increasingly recognised for creating some of the world’s most sought‑after properties, the Group provides legendary service inspired by Asian heritage whilst representing the very cutting‑edge of luxury experiences.

With a pristine oceanfront setting, Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai is a stylish urban resort overlooking the clear blue waters of the Arabian Gulf and Dubai’s glittering skyline, dominated by the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The hotel’s beachfront location and open‑air facilities are designed to bring a new level of relaxed luxury to the city.

About the job

The Sales Manager, Conference and Events secures the business to meet financial annual targets related to Conference and Events, Outside Catering and group room revenue. Plans meetings and events, coordinates with hotel operations and clients before, during and after each event. Is responsible for selling events and conferences in‑house as well as off‑site. Handles all meetings, events and catering enquiries to standard procedures. Acts as main contact for event planning and works closely with Banquet Operations, Food & Beverage management, Rooms Division Operation, Finance and external suppliers. Ensures contracts are signed, payment policies are adhered to and services contracted are handed over to Banquet Operations with all details clarified to ensure total customer satisfaction and return.

Responsibilities

• Satisfies the needs of the clients whilst optimizing hotel revenue through strategic yield management and upselling of hotel facilities and services.
• Works closely with the hotel sales team to achieve monthly sales targets.
• Works closely with Banqueting Operations team to ensure customer satisfaction and return business.
• Sends all correspondence to clients regarding banquet events, such as proposals, confirmations, contracts and amendments.
• Conducts site inspections, client entertainment and familiarization visits.
• Establishes and maintains files of major accounts and bookings and ensures all are maintained in the accounts management system.
• Establishes parameters, quotes and negotiates prices with customers for group business.
• Ensures that selling strategies are adhered to during negotiations and maximizes upselling opportunities whenever possible.
• Understands the overall market, including competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand and sells accordingly.
• Gains understanding of the property’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns to offer better business solutions.
• Ensures all requests are handled within the timeframe set by the company.
• Ensures that information and information security assets are secured as effectively as practically possible to protect confidentiality, integrity and availability.
• Supports customer loyalty and property’s brand standards by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
• Services our customers in order to grow share of the account.
• Builds strong relationships with customers, guests and colleagues to understand their needs and work to serve them effectively.
• Sets a positive example for Sales, Reservations and Conference Sales colleagues.
• Handles guest complaints and disputes.
• Meets with guests during pre‑ and post‑convention meetings to obtain feedback on quality of product (rooms, meeting facilities and equipment, food and beverage), service levels, execution against contract and overall satisfaction.
• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending appropriate features and services that best meet those needs and exceed expectations, while building loyalty to the company.
• Ensures an excellent working relationship with all colleagues within the hotel.
• Utilizes all available on‑the‑job training tools for colleagues.
• Attends weekly Conference & Events meetings with the Operational team to communicate all new events and existing ones.
• Attends weekly and monthly department meetings and prepares account performance accordingly.
• Ensures all files are up to date with all latest booking information and all inputs in the system are entered in compliance with company standards.
• Conducts site visits as required by hotel operation.
• Participates in client entertainment with the Sales Department as required.
• Joins Sales calls with the team as required.

Requirements

• Degree or Higher National Diploma equivalent in Hospitality/Hotel/Business Management; minimum 3 years’ experience in a hotel and/or administrative position selling in hospitality.
• Previous work experience in Conference and Events and/or Sales in a managerial position.
• Previous experience working in a luxury hotel environment.
• Must be excellent in using computers and well versed in all computer applications.
• Prior experience with Delphi preferred.
• Hotel pre‑opening experience desirable.
• Ability to understand guest needs and expectations and to deliver superior customer service with little input from others.
• Ability to work under pressure and on own initiative.
• Positive attitude and good communicator.
• Ability to plan and organise workload.
• Effective time management, communication and presentation skills.
• Flexibility to respond to a range of different work situations.
• Ability to solve problems.
• Clear communication; effective verbal and written communication skills in English, and Arabic, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian.
• Friendly personality with excellent interpersonal skills and can‑do attitude.

Our commitment to you

• Learning & Development: Your success is our success. We craft unique learning and development programmes for various stages in your career so that you grow, continuously.
• MOstay: When you work as hard as our colleagues do, it’s important to take time off. As a member of the MO‑family, you can stay with us wherever you go in the world. The MOstay programme offers complimentary nights and additional attractive rates on rooms for you and your loved ones.
• Health & Colleague Wellness: Finding the right work‑life balance is important. Your wellbeing matters to us. A variety of health benefits and wellness programmes are offered to all our colleagues, globally.

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