Senior Conference Services Manager

Highgate Hotels L.P.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospitality management company seeks a Senior Conference Services Manager in Boston. The role involves managing events and ensuring client satisfaction, requiring extensive experience in luxury hotel environments. Ideal candidates should possess strong communication and leadership skills to drive exceptional service in a dynamic setting.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in luxury hotel event management.
• Proficient in Windows, Delphi FDC, and Excel.
• Familiar with hotel corporate group market.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee events from booking to completion.
• Maintain profitable operations while ensuring high quality service.
• Act as liaison between clients and operating departments.

Skills

Event Management

Communication

Leadership

Problem Solving

Education

College degree

Tools

Windows

Delphi FDC

Excel

Job description

Compensation Type

Yearly

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

The Newbury Boston at One Newbury Street, located in the premier shopping and dining neighborhood of Boston’s Back Bay is an iconic property originally opened in 1927 as one of the first Ritz-Carlton hotels in the U.S. and most recently was the Taj Boston. The building was recently transformed into a 286-room luxury hotel with 16,000-sq-ft of stunning event spaces, signature dining experiences and a reimagined front entrance on Newbury Street.

Overview

The Senior Conference Services Manager is responsible for coordinating and supervising assigned business after it is booked by the Group Sales department, and through completion of the event or function, while maintaining profitable operations and high quality food and beverage presentations and service levels. Position is primarily Meetings and Corporate Event focused. The Senior Conference Services Manager is responsible for acting as a liaison between clients and operating departments to ensure a successful meeting and to generate repeat business.

Responsibilities

• Keep immediate supervisor fully informed of all problems or matters requiring his/her attention.
• Prepare and submit required reports in a timely manner.
• Follow up on all turnovers within 24 hours via telephone and written correspondence.
• Know meeting room setups and capabilities.
• Know sleeping room configurations and types.
• Respond to requests by clients immediately.
• Have comprehensive knowledge of all operational departments within the hotel; guest services, reservations, housekeeping, audio visual, switchboard, accounting, restaurants, bars, and engineering.
• Interact with outside planners, vendors for event setup.
• Maintain pricing integrity and propose upscale menus for clients.
• Create, review and revise rooming lists and VIP lists.
• Work with other F&B managers and keep them informed of F&B issues as they arise.
• Manage event space and adjust space in order to ensure maximum potential revenue.
• Be visible on the floor and assist staff as needed during functions.
• Be involved in and/or conduct departmental and hotel training (One-to-One Training, etc.)
• Use feedback from Meeting Planner evaluations to improve service and quality.
• Act as a mentor and leader to junior members of the team, demonstrating professionalism, accountability, and a collaborative spirit.
• Take initiative in supporting team development and knowledge sharing across the department.
• Actively identify upselling opportunities within vent planning conversations to drive incremental revenue across food and beverage, guest rooms, and ancillary services such as audio visual and rentals.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• At least 5 years of progressive experience of managing and detailing events and/or catering in a luxury hotel.
• Knowledge of hotel corporate group market required.
• College degree required
• Must be proficient in Windows, Delphi FDC, and Excel.

Physical Requirements:

• Flexible and long hours sometimes required.
• Medium work Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 20 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

General Requirements:

• Maintain a warm and friendly demeanor at all times.
• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.
• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service-oriented manner.
• Attend all hotel required meetings and trainings.
• Maintain regular attendance in compliance with Highgate Hotel Standards, as required by scheduling, which will vary according to the needs of the hotel.
• Maintain high standards of personal appearance and grooming.
• Comply with Highgate Hotel Standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations.
• Maximize efforts towards productivity, identify problem areas and assist in implementing solutions.
• Must be effective in handling problems, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary.
• Must be able to understand and evaluate complex information, data, etc. from various sources to meet appropriate objectives.
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.
• Perform other duties as requested by management.