Sales and Catering Manager

The Durham Hotel; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Durham Hotel, a boutique property in downtown Durham, seeks a Sales & Catering Manager to lead both sales and event detailing for group business. You will solicit, respond to, and close new and repeat opportunities, while ensuring seamless communication with operations to deliver exceptional experiences.

Located in the heart of Durham, this role emphasizes relationship-building, market savvy, and top-level customer service across wedding and social segments. Local travel may be involved.

Qualifications

• Proven knowledge and experience in sales & event management within hospitality, especially wedding and social segments.
• Strong understanding of sales processes and relationship-building.
• Familiarity with food and beverage service, menu planning, and meeting arrangements.
• Excellent writing and speaking skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Sales & Catering and PMS tools.

Responsibilities

• Live out and advocate the core values of Inspire Wonder, Foster Hospitality, Pursue Excellence, Demonstrate Intentionality, and Cultivate Community.
• Handle inquiries, solicit, negotiate, and confirm new and repeat group, meeting, and catering business through mining new and existing accounts, lead follow-up, referrals, prospecting, etc.
• Monitor direct and indirect lead channels and respond timely to all sales & catering leads.
• Coordinate function details with client including space, times, equipment, menu, and billing.
• Prepare and execute sales contracts, banquet event orders, and group resumes.

Skills

Sales experience

Catering sales / event management

Relational selling

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Sales & Catering software

Property Management System(s)

Job description

REPORTS TO: Director of Sales & Catering

Position Summary:

The Durham Hotel is a 53-room independent, boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown Durham. We are humble ambassadors of our namesake city, we prioritize quality, kindness, and inclusivity so all feel welcome. We value and support the community; believing relationships are the cornerstone to a successful, sustainable sales effort.

The Durham Sales & Catering Manager (S&CM) is a key position to the hotel’s success and unique in that this individual will manage both the sales and events detailing phases of their booked business. The S&CM will respond and solicit group business through direct sales efforts, relational selling, marketing, and tours and events that enable the hotel to meet and/or exceed sales and revenue goals. They will also be the group’s main point of contact throughout the sales process and responsible for selling group room blocks, catering, detailing banquet event orders, and seamlessly communicating the customer’s needs to the operations team. The S&CM generates top-line group rooms and catering revenue, build/strengthen client relationships, and provide service excellence .

Overall Responsibilities:

• Live out and advocate the core values of Inspire Wonder, Foster Hospitality, Pursue Excellence, Demonstrate Intentionality, and Cultivate Community.
• Advocate service excellence, professionalism, teamwork, and an environment to have fun, learn and succeed.
• Handle inquiries, solicit, negotiate, and confirm new and repeat group, meeting, and catering business through mining new & existing accounts, lead follow-up, referrals, prospecting, etc.
• Monitor direct and indirect lead channels responding appropriately and timely to all sales & catering leads.
• Schedule site visits and give assistance to walk-in clients providing them with an informative and positive experience.
• Hotel-customer liaison ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the entire sales process.
• Follow the established sales process standards and policies.
• Plan, up-sell, and coordinate function details with client to include function space requirements, meeting/event times, equipment, audio visual, menu, and billing, etc.
• Prepare and execute sales contracts, banquet event orders, and group resumes to ensure quality product delivery and customer satisfaction.
• Develop and implement creative sales strategies to achieve individual sales goals by analyzing historical, current, and future hotel/market/industry trends.
• Develop and continually enhance relationships with key clients.
• Maintain accurate, legible records and files consistent with established sales and catering systems.
• Participate in training, tradeshows, community, industry, and professional organizations to maintain high visibility in support of the achievement of sales and revenue goals.
• Perform special projects and other responsibilities as assigned.
• Attend weekly internal meetings and provide business updates.
• Work effectively with a sense of urgency and focus.

Skills and Abilities:

• Proven knowledge and experience in sales & event management associated with the hospitality industry, specifically in the wedding and social segments.
• Firm understanding of sales processes and relational selling.
• Familiarity with food and beverage service, menu planning and meeting arrangements.
• Ability to effectively communicate with guests, management, and co-workers.
• An ability to creatively resolve guest concerns or challenges using business acumen skills and discretion.
• A minimum of two years of sales experience, one year of catering sales/ event management experience; independent hotel experience is preferred.
• Excellent writing and speaking skills.
• Possesses computer skills & knowledge of, including, but not limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, Sales & Catering, and Property Management System(s).
• Ability to actively listen and desire to continually learn.
• Comfortable working both independently and as a team.
• Demonstrates self-confidence, energy, and enthusiasm.
• Ability to solve problems quickly, think creatively, and provide customer excellence.
• Collaborator that works well with counterparts from various functions/departments.
• Desire to serve people.

TRAVEL & SCHEDULE:
Local travel. Mixture of weekdays & weekends based on customer needs and demand.