Assistant Meetings & Events Manager

Oatlands Park Hotel; Weybridge; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Join Oatlands Park Hotel as an Assistant Meetings and Events Manager and be part of a prestigious team in a luxury 4-star environment. This role involves driving successful sales strategies, providing excellent customer service, and ensuring memorable events for guests. If you possess strong sales skills and have a passion for hospitality, this opportunity is for you. Enjoy competitive benefits including annual leave and pension.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

28 days annual leave (including 8 bank holidays)

Pension scheme

Free meals on duty

Free parking

Friends and family rates

Qualifications

• Experience in Events, Meetings or Hotel roles is encouraged.
• Strong telephone manner and customer service skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Assist in sales activities to maximise revenue and convert leads.
• Coordinate with teams for smooth event operations.
• Manage communications and follow-up with clients on bookings.

Skills

Sales skills

Attention to detail

Positive attitude

Team working

Professional presentation

Resilience

IT skills with Microsoft Word and Excel

Verbal and written communication

Timekeeping and organisation skills

Education

5 GCSE grade A-C including Maths and English

Job description

Are you ready to plan unforgettable events at the royal crown jewel of Surrey, standing on the original site of a Royal Tudor Palace built by King Henry VIII? Do you have the drive for sales and excellent communication skills? We are recruiting for an Assistant Meetings and Events Manager at Oatlands Park Hotel, a luxury 4-star hotel in Weybridge, Surrey.

Our hotel:

Oatlands Park Hotel are currently on a drive to set the standards of excellence in the luxury sector of the hotel and hospitality industry, one of Surrey's most dynamic and successful industries. Located in a stunning setting in Weybridge, the hotel employs some of the most skilled, professional and dedicated people that the industry has to offer.

We understand that every guest is unique and our team strives to create individual moments of service excellence for our business and leisure travellers. Each member of the team is an ambassador of our Company values:

• Teamwork
• Integrity
• Mutual Respect
• Honesty
• Passion for Service; and
• Continual Improvement.

What will you do?

Reporting to the Meetings & Events Sales Office Manager, you will be responsible for assisting the Manager with Meetings & Events sales activities on a daily business.

You will provide a highly professional and efficient standard of service to our customers.

You will proactively use your communication and sales skills to maximise revenue and convert leads into sales and ensure the facilities of the hotel are sold, meeting Key Performance Indicators (KPI's). You will also work with internal stakeholders including the Conference, Food & Beverage teams.

Main Responsibilities

• Proactively sell the hotel and convert leads into sales.
• Ensure the maximisation of the hotel facilities.
• Maximise revenue and meet sales targets based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and financial performance of the hotel's Meetings & Events function.
• Assist in meeting budgeted revenues in conference and banqueting to align with the department's annual budget and marketing plan.
• Make outbound and answer inbound telephone calls from prospective and returning clients, take appropriate action in following up enquiries, converting leads into sales.
• Attend all meetings to discuss and handover function sheets which detail requirements and requests from clients.
• Proactively be involved in sales activities to ensure the continued business success of the hotel.
• Use your communication skills to communicate with internal (staff) and external stakeholders (corporate clients and hotel guests, where necessary).
• Co-ordinate with Conference & Banqueting Operations to ensure the smooth running of events.
• Work within the departmental budget figures, maximising revenue and minimizing expenditure.
• Assist in the wider sales efforts of the hotel to achieve goals for the Meetings & Events segmentation.
• Assist in the production of departmental sales forecasts, as required, and communicate figures to the team to aid their understanding of the business and the importance of their contribution to the business success.
• Assist in ensuring the team prepares all quotations, proposals and contracts according to clients' requirements and the hotel standards, and there is a follow-up after mailing to convert business.
• Help manage all Meeting and Event bookings by following up with clients, checking correspondence, applying the credit policy, and ensuring all events have signed contracts.
• Meet prospective clients, show prospective clients the hotel's facilities including the meeting rooms over a seven-day basis, as required by the client.
• Attend pre and post client meetings and sales meetings, as appropriate.
• Work closely with the Sales Office Manager to ensure rate strategies are adhered to and business opportunities are maximised.
• Gather information on a regular basis on competitors and market trends and be aware of what facilities and packages these hotels and venues offer.
• Source and liaise with suppliers to ensure the best quality and price for additional services and equipment.
• Work closely with the Accounts department to ensure that credit details on clients are appropriate to ensure monies are paid in a timely manner following an event.
• Use your knowledge of the hotel facilities and additional services to create packages to suit the client needs which will create a unique experience for our guests, and maintain their loyalty and repeat business.
• Ensure the effective use of diary management letting policies and monitor competitor performance to maximise Conference & Banqueting revenue.
• Attend and represent the company at work-related exhibitions and trade shows. These events are effective in generating new business and raising brand awareness of the hotel. Build contact lists in accordance with UK GDPR and data protection law.
• Assist in ensuring that the team is constantly improving their product knowledge to maximise revenue and the service provided.
• Help the Office Manager create an environment which promotes good employee morale and encourage the team to have a high level of commitment.
• Assist in ensuring that all new starters are effectively inducted into your department and the wider hotel.
• Assist in coaching and leading the team in such a manner that our guests receive an exceptional level of service and want to return.
• Encourage the team to work flexibly, which will develop their knowledge and assist in the event of absence cover, and allow service standards and communication to be maintained.

Required Skills

Do you have the following required skills?

• Good sales skills including excellent telephone manner.
• Attention to detail
• Positive attitude
• Team working
• Professional presentation
• Resilient and work under pressure
• Good IT skills with Microsoft Word and Excel
• Autonomy and independent working
• Verbal and written communication
• Timekeeping and organisation skills
• Located local and have own transport

You are encouraged to apply if you have experience in working in an Events, Meetings or Hotel role.

Education and Qualifications

You must have 5 GCSE grade A-C including Maths and English, or equivalent (including grades 4-9 on new GCSE system).

Working hours

This is a full-time role based on-site.

You must have authorization to work in England and the United Kingdom. Visa sponsorship or relocation is not offered.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary

• 28 days annual leave (including 8 bank holidays)

• Pension scheme

• Free meals on duty

• Free parking

• Friends and family rates