Director of Banquets

Omni Hotels & Resorts; Rancho Mirage (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, CA seeks a Director of Banquets to lead the banquet department, train staff, and ensure service excellence for high-profile events. You will forecast revenues, manage a large budget, and coordinate with culinary, catering, and service teams to deliver flawless events.

The role requires senior-level banquet experience in a luxury hotel, strong leadership, and a deep understanding of banquets operations, room setups, and decor.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years experience in a hotel banquet senior management position, such as Director/Assistant Director, in a high-volume luxury hotel, preferably a convention property.
• Experience with a minimum of 40,000+ sq ft of meeting space (preferred).
• Experience managing a budgeted minimum of $25 million+ per year of revenue.
• Exceptional knowledge of banquet and food service techniques/standards, including room sets and decor.
• Strong leadership, delegation, training and staff development skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly in English with guests and colleagues, both written and spoken.
• Must manage schedules, inventory, payroll, and service recovery effectively.

Responsibilities

• Plan, evaluate, organize, and direct the activities of the Banquet department.
• Ensure all policies and guidelines are followed by department personnel.
• Provide training, motivation, and leadership for all department staff.
• Monitor department service scores through guest and planner feedback.
• Forecast revenues and manage profitability of the banquet operations.
• Coordinate function setups with catering, culinary, and service teams.
• Maintain high standards of quality service and staff performance.
• Oversee equipment maintenance and function room upkeep.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Staff training

English communication

Guest service

Multi-tasking

Scheduling

Inventory control

Problem solving

Teamwork

Tools

Opera

Oracle

Meeting Matrix

Micros

Birchstreet

Kronos

Microsoft Office

Job description

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

The 444-room Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa is classic Rancho Mirage re-imagined for the 21st-century traveler. Our luxurious Palm Springs hotel rooms surround you in Spanish Colonial-inspired style and a soothing desert palette of beige, sand, and ivory. With plenty of space for your peace and your quiet, you'll also open French doors to your very own private patio or balcony where the warm desert air and breathtaking views await.

Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa's associates enjoy a dynamic and exciting work environment, comprehensive training and mentoring, along with the pride that comes from working for a company with a reputation for exceptional service. We embody a culture of respect, gratitude and empowerment day in and day out. If you are a friendly, motivated person, with a passion to serve others, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas may be your perfect match.

Director of Banquets

Overview

The Director of Banquets is responsible for ensuring proper set up and service of all banquet functions, supervising all banquet associates to ensure guest satisfaction, and maintain service standards. This is a leadership role responsible for training of associates to deliver prompt, courteous service in a manner that complies with Omni food and beverage standards and company policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for planning, evaluating, organizing, and directing the activities of the Banquet department.
• Ensures that all policies, procedures and guidelines are followed by department personnel.
• Provides the necessary training, motivation, and leadership for all department personnel.
• Responsible for the department's service scores, as measured by meeting planner surveys.
• Responsible for all administrative duties which are necessary in the functioning of the department.
• Tours, on a daily basis, the hotel function space and spot checks meeting room setups.
• Ensures that all function space in the hotel is well presented and maintains a scheduled cleaning program for each function room.
• Ensures that all equipment used in the department is in good order, and uses preventive maintenance schedules for all equipment.
• Reviews, on a daily basis, client feedback and takes appropriate follow up actions.
• Responsible for accurately forecasting revenues on a monthly basis.
• Anticipates needs, forecasts results, and analyzes work processes for personnel in the department.
• Determines set-ups in conjunction with Director of Catering and Director of Convention Services.
• Coordinates functions with service staff, culinary, and stewarding teams.
• Sees that guest satisfaction is achieved through effective supervision and delegation of functions, checks on food quality and courteous performance of entire banquet staff.
• Food costs conscious, coordinates with the Stewarding Department on fast recovery of food leftover and minimizes waste.
• Briefs servers and captains on functions and procedure of service.
• Establishes high standards of quality service and maintains them through effective training and continuous upgrading.
• Maintains the equipment entrusted to his care and keeps pars up.
• Maintains records, reports, closing reports and payroll costs.
• Inspects function rooms and writes work orders for the Engineering Department to maintain rooms in excellent condition.
• Conscious of business fluctuations, reacts either increasing or decreasing when volume of business fluctuates up or down.
• Maximizes profits in his department through effective management techniques keeping in mind at all times guest satisfaction.
• Follows current trends and aligns with DOFB and Executive Chef to provide excellent product. Sets the pace and the good example for a successful quality operation.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years experience in a hotel banquet senior management position, such as Director/Assistant Director, in a high-volume luxury hotel, preferably a convention property.
• Experience with a minimum of 40,000+ sq ft of meeting space (perferred)
• Experience with Managing a budgeted minimum of 25 million+ per year of revenue
• Exceptional knowledge and understanding of various banquet and food service techniques /standards, to include banquet room sets and creativity in room decorations.
• Candidate must have proven leadership skills and must be able to delegate, effectively train, develop, and motivate staff.
• Ability to teach employees importance of, and how to interact with internal/external guests and courteously solve internal requests.
• Able to set priorities for the Banquet team and provide feedback to others that enhances performance.
• Prior experience managing schedules, inventory, payroll, service recovery and associate relations matters required.
• Ability to clearly and pleasantly communicate both verbally and in writing in English with guests, management and co-workers, both in person and by telephone.
• Ability to work well under pressure, managing a high volume of BEO's and guest requests.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task and provide guest follow up in a fast paced environment.
• Prior experience managing schedules, inventory, payroll, service recovery and associate relations matters required.
• Knowledge of FL liquor laws. Strong familiarity with beer, wine and spirits; local knowledge preferred.
• Must possess a valid TIPS certification, or have the ability to obtain a valid TIPS certification.
• Serve Safe certified food manager, preferred.
• Must be proficient with computers, and Microsoft Office suite.
• Must be able to work a variety of shifts, including weekends and holidays.

ENVIRONMENT & POSITION ANALYSIS

Move, bend, push and pull objects weighing up to 75 pounds without assistance. Must be able to lift and carry items up to 40 lbs without assistance. Ability to stand or walk for an extended period or for an entire work shift.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

• Desktop computer (Opera, Oracle, Meeting Matrix, Micros, Birchstreet, Kronos and Microsoft Office), printer, telephone, copier, fax machine and scanner. Coffee maker/urn, toaster, microwave, beverage machines, bus trays, dishware, silverware, glassware and queen-mary cart

Omni Hotels & Resorts is an equal opportunity/AA/Disability/Veteran employer. The EEO is the Law poster is available using the following link: EEOC is the Law Poster. Omni Hotels & Resorts does not discriminate on the basis of any protected category with respect to the payment of wages.