Conference Services Manager

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Sky Hospitality Solutions is seeking a Convention Services Manager in Houston. The role focuses on proactively prospecting, closing small group opportunities, managing event execution, and servicing larger groups with rooms and catering.

The candidate should have 2+ years in hotel group sales or CSM roles, preferably with experience at hotels of similar size and quality. Strong relationships and superb coordination across departments are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2+ year of hotel group sales / CSM experience; Experience at a similar size and quality hotel.

Responsibilities

• Sales and revenue generation for small group business, rooms, F&B and meeting room rental.
• Coordinate event execution, including BEO creation, catering forecasting and room block management.
• Maintain relationships with existing accounts to meet revenue goals and solicit new business.
• Build relationships through networking and community involvement to promote hotel visibility.
• Ensure clear communication of group details to hotel departments and timely follow-ups.
• Complete required brand training and ensure adherence to hotel standards and procedures.

Skills

Negotiation

Sales skills

Customer service

Communication

Job description

Position: Convention Services Manager Date: February 2019

Reports to: Director of Sales

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for ensuring that revenue goals are achieved or exceeded by proactively prospecting, facilitating and closing small group business opportunities, event execution, and servicing larger groups with rooms and catering.

IDATE PROFILE

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Experience

Minimum 2+ year of hotel group sales / CSM experience; Experience at a similar size and quality hotel

JOB ESSENTIALS

Item Example

Sales Strategies Manage accounts to achieve guest satisfaction and to solicit past and new business to ensure all revenue goals are achieved and/or exceeded. Responsible for soliciting small group business, entertaining, and maintaining relationships with existing accounts to meet and exceed revenue goals in Rooms, F&B and meeting room rental.

Build Business Relationships Develop networking opportunities to promote high visibility of the hotel through active participation in community and professional associations activities and events, blitzes, internet prospecting, supplier partnerships in order to generate local transient accounts

and group business (25 rooms or less)

Event Execution Ensure proper event management for successful event execution to include, but not limited to, BEO creation, F & B forecasting, resume communication, amenity/VIP designation and room block management. Produce accurate contracts, banquet/catering event orders and resumes within timeframe set by hotel responding to all leads and RFPs within 24 hours. Monitor group room blocks and pick up, generate detailed resumes for the operating departments.

Financial Objectives Generation of small group sales revenue for the hotel by maximizing all revenue potential and up-selling additional events/amenities, whenever possible, to build additional revenues.

Communication / Follow Up In any hotel, communication is key; Communicate group details/changes to all hotel departments, coordinating customer’s needs with other property business and activities to ensure customer’s expectations are met and the property operates efficiently

Training Complete all required brand training as per brand requirements.

Other

• Able to negotiate contracts and banquet event orders (BEO). Identify and price customer needs for an event, up-sell, and close the sale with the customer.
• Excellent creative skills to provide innovative set-ups, menus, and functions for groups. Ability to generate creative and innovative menus while working closely with Chef on pricing specialty menus.
• Able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Able to observe and detect signs of emergency situations. Able to remain calm and alert, during emergency situations and/or heavy hotel activity, serving as a role model for clerks and other associates.
• Develop and conduct persuasive verbal sales presentations to prospective clients.
• Able to make sound business decisions and take action quickly based on previous experience and good judgment.
• Knowledge of hotel operations, including marketing plans, security and safety programs, personnel and labor relations, preparation of business plans, repairs, maintenance, budget forecasting, quality assurance programs, hospitality law, and long-range planning.
• Implement company and franchise programs.
• Coordinate activities with other hotel departments in order to facilitate increased levels of communication and guest satisfaction.
• Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow team members and customers.
• Able to effectively deal with internal and external customers, some of whom will require high level of patience, tact and diplomacy to defuse anger and collect accurate information and resolve conflicts.
• Resolve customer complaints; anticipate potential problems by reviewing and monitoring complaints, operational issues, business flow and associate performance to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and quality.
• Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming, which include wearing nametags. Comply with Hotel Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas and assist in implementing solutions.
• Effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary.
• Able to understand and evaluate complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
• Able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Regular attendance to all hotel required meetings and trainings.
• Exhibit computer skills to include word processing, spreadsheet, and familiarity with brand specific property Management System(s).
• Read and interpret documents and to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Comply with attendance rules and be available to work on a regular basis. Must be willing to work some weekends/holidays depending on business demands
• Command of the English language both written and verbal.
• Must have a valid driver’s license in the applicable states.
• Perform any other job-related duties as assigned.