Sales Manager – Weddings & Special Events

Inn-At-Middletown; Middletown (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Inn-At-Middletown in Middletown, CT is seeking a Sales Manager for Weddings & Special Events (Rooms) to drive group room block revenue and partner with local venues and event planners. You will lead negotiations, manage contracts, and coordinate guest experiences from contract through checkout.

The role emphasizes building preferred-lodging partnerships, handling RFPs, and contributing to ADR and room-night targets while supporting a warm guest journey.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hotel sales, reservations, or high-touch hospitality experience (wedding or social market preferred).
• Degree in Hospitality Management, Communications, Business, or equivalent practical industry background.
• Experience with hotel PMS (Opera, Stayntouch) and sales management platforms.

Responsibilities

• Direct room sales and develop partnerships with wedding venues and planners.
• Manage group room blocks, contracts, pricing, and cutoff dates.
• Coordinate site tours and guest experiences from contract signing to checkout.
• Input blocks into PMS and track pickup and deadlines.
• Monitor performance and coordinate with Revenue Management.

Skills

Client relations

Negotiation

Networking

Communication

Education

Hospitality Management

Communications

Business

Tools

Opera PMS

Stayntouch PMS

Sales platforms

Job description

Position Overview: The Sales Manager - Weddings & Special Events (Rooms) is responsible for driving hotel room revenue by actively soliciting, contracting, and managing group room blocks for weddings, social celebrations, and special milestone events.

This role acts as the primary contact for couples, family hosts, and event planners, partnering closely with local non-lodging venues (barns, estates, banquet halls, and outdoor sites) to position the property as the premier preferred hotel partner for event guest accommodations.

Key ResponsibilitiesDirect Room Sales & Partnership Development

• Proactively generate and convert leads for wedding and social group room blocks through local venue outreach, vendor networking, digital inquiries, and site tours.
• Build and nurture strong preferred-lodging partnerships with nearby wedding venues, event planners, photographers, and caterers to capture regional weekend demand.
• Consistently achieve or exceed individual goals for Group Room Nights, Room Revenue, and Average Daily Rate (ADR).
• Respond promptly to all incoming wedding and special event RFPs, telephone leads, and walk-in inquiries.
• Draft, negotiate, and execute group room contracts- including room block pricing, courtesy vs. guaranteed terms, cutoff dates, and deposit schedules within revenue management guidelines.

Account Management & Guest Experience

• Provide a warm, high-touch experience for couples and family planners from contract signing through guest checkout.
• Input and manage group blocks within the Property Management System (PMS) and sales database (e.g., Opera, Stayntouch, Delphi), tracking pickup and managing cutoff dates.
• Coordinate special group logistics with Front Desk and Housekeeping teams- including room assignments, early check-in/late check-out requests, VIP amenities, and welcome bag distribution.
• Conduct memorable, engaging property site inspections that showcase guest rooms, suites, and property amenities to prospective couples and decision-makers.

Administrative & Revenue Tracking

• Monitor room block performance and pickup trends, communicating inventory adjustments to Revenue Management.
• Manage deposit collections, master accounts, billing accuracy, and post-stay follow-up to build referrals and long-term goodwill.
• Maintain clean client records, lead logs, and pipeline reports in the hotel sales tracking system.

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: 2+ years of hotel sales, reservations, or high-touch hospitality experience (wedding or social market experience strongly preferred).
• Education: Degree in Hospitality Management, Communications, Business, or equivalent practical industry background.
• Technical Proficiency: Experience with hotel Property Management Systems (PMS) (e.g., Opera, Stayntouch) and sales management platforms.
• Relationship Building: Exceptional interpersonal skills with a warm, empathetic approach- able to guide families and couples through event logistics with ease and enthusiasm.
• Negotiation & Detail: Strong organizational skills, keen eye for contract details, and solid understanding of group rate structures and inventory control.
• Flexibility: Willingness to work occasional weekend hours or early evenings for scheduled site tours or peak group arrival periods.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Ability to walk the property to lead thorough client site tours.
• Combination of standard office tasks and front-of-house guest interactions.