Event Sales and Planning Manager

The Union Station Nashville Yards, Autograph Collection; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision

Disability & Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Supplemental benefits

401(k) with match

Employee discounts

Paid vacation & sick time

Job summary

The Union Station Nashville Yards, Autograph Collection is seeking an Event Sales and Planning Manager to drive top-line catering revenue by capitalizing on opportunities, upselling events and amenities, and maximizing profitability. You will manage inquiries, negotiate contracts, and coordinate cross-departmental efforts to ensure client satisfaction and event success.

With a focus on revenue growth, you will present opportunities, finalize catering plans, and maintain detailed event files

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years catering sales or related hotel catering/convention services experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Handle inquiries for small meetings/events and qualify customer needs/dates.
• Negotiate contracts and banquet event orders (BEO); price needs, upsell, secure deposits and signatures.
• Coordinate group details with hotel departments to meet client expectations and optimize operations.
• Present potential business at Driver Meetings to optimize revenue mix.
• Produce BEOs and convention resumes; ensure on-site/off-site catering plans are detailed and executed.

Skills

Communication skills

Presentation skills

Organizational skills

Time management

Math skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or related field

Tools

Word

Excel

Delphi

Meeting Matrix

Job description

Division The Union Station Nashville Yards, Autograph Collection

Description

The Event Sales and Planning Manager will drive the generation of top-line catering revenue for the hotel by fully capitalizing on all revenue opportunities, actively upselling additional events and amenities to maximize profitability and contribute to overall revenue growth.

How You’ll Shape The Experience & Future

• Handle and follow up on inquiries for small meetings/events with or without guestrooms. Follow up on leads by qualifying the customer’s needs and dates for the event to determine if the business is a good fit for the property.
• Negotiate contracts and banquet event orders (BEO). Identify and price customer needs for the event, up selling where possible, and closing the sale with the customer, collecting the customer deposit and signature on the BEO.
• 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.
• Present potential business at Driver Meetings to determine best mix of customers for hotel to attain budgeted revenues.
• Conduct meetings with client and hotel staff to ensure each event meets client’s expectations.
• Finalize and detail catering plans for groups contracted by assigned sales manager. Completely orchestrates these functions on-site or off-site. Empowered to do whatever it takes to solve problems.
• Prospect for new catering business using a wide variety of methods including phone calls, outside sales calls, trade shows, attending community functions, blitzes, internet prospecting, supplier partnerships, etc.
• Monitor blocked space to ensure group is meeting their contractual obligations. Initiate release of blocked space on cut-off date to allow sale of these rooms to other customers.
• Maintain account files in software system, ensuring accurate communication between client and hotel staff.
• Act as onsite contact for all assigned groups, as well as working with the customer to produce BEO’s and Convention Resumes.
• Ensures that all special arrangements - Food and Beverage, Audio Visual, and other request are properly documented on BEO’s and signed by authorized representative.
• Ensures timely distribution of all BEO’s and Resumes to the appropriate departments and follows up on any questions.
• Maintains detailed files, notes, records, and trace systems to ensure event meets with customer expectations.
• Verifies space requirements and meeting room set-up with the client, and ensures that public space needed is properly maintained and in good condition.
• Confirms revisions in agendas, room blocks, etc. and notifies corresponding departments in a timely manner.
• Finalizes the program/agenda with client and checks all scheduled functions one hour prior to start time.
• Reviews event sheets and works with appropriate departments to ensure quality and satisfaction.
• Maintains positive guest and employee relations through prompt, precise, and courteous communication.
• Other duties as assigned.

KEY STRENGTHS FOR SUCCESS

• Exhibit computer skills to include word processing, spreadsheet, and familiarity with brand specific property
• Management System(s). Use knowledge of Word, Excel, Internet, Delphi and Meeting Matrix or a similar system.
• Exercise excellent communication, presentation, organization, time management, listening, and math skills.
• Use analytical skills for measuring business potential and value to the hotel.
• Maintain contact and event information and follow procedures for submitting sales contracts
• Read and interpret documents and to write routine reports and correspondence

Professional Experience

• Minimum 2 years catering sales, or 2 years in hotel Catering/Convention Services, Banquet, Hotel Sales or Culinary Arts; OR, an equivalent combination of education and experience.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or related field

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision (HSA available)
• Company-paid disability & life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Supplemental benefits
• 401(k) with match
• Employee discounts
• Paid vacation & sick time

Salary: $60,000/year

Position Requirements

Successful completion of a background check is required prior to employment.

EOE Statement

EOE Statement HM Alpha Hotels & Resorts is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect, the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older) disability, genetic information, family or parental status, military service, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. HM Alpha Hotels & Resorts will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.