Job Description
This position is responsible for promoting, showing and selling the company’s hotel products, setting up the planning, organizing and coordinating of guest room blocks, meeting and events for assigned group accounts, in accordance with hotel policies and quality standards, to ensure customer satisfaction. Maximize profitability and generate repeat group business. Monitor all contractual agreements pertaining to guest room blocks, meeting space, food and beverage and special concessions. Effectively communicate to all hotel departments the information necessary to successfully execute the group’s needs while maintaining a good client relationship.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• To offer the company hotel products to prospective clients
• To be mindful of the importance of personal hygiene and grooming.
• Adhere to hotel Health and Safety guidelines.
• Ability to work under pressure and in a fast paced environment.
• Maintain strong client relations and ensure that group specifications are communicated and executed for a successful meeting experience for the meeting planner and attendees.
• Monitor and manage room blocks according to contract utilizing group history reports and information given by clients to maximize hotel revenue, making adjustments as necessary.
• Review sales contracts as well as other important information, i.e., room block, cutoff date, special concessions and attrition clauses and validate with client via turnover letter.
• Monitor and enforce program deadline dates and work with clients to release meeting space not needed to maximize hotel revenues.
• Produce and distribute convention resume two weeks prior to first day of main group arrival and communicate any changes and updated information to hotel departments.
• Distribute BEOs for group and affiliates 14 days prior to events.
• Accurately forecast group rooms and group food and beverage revenues for assigned groups and affiliate business within a 5% variance.
• Check sleeping room and suite block, special room concessions and rates as outlined in contract with group reservations agents, as well as updating group reservations agents with any changes.
• Participate in site visits and plan meetings for upcoming groups and potential affiliate business.
• Verify credit information submitted in account management software system at point of turnover, to include estimated amount of billing, billing type, and appropriate contact and update information as necessary until departure.
• Participate in Pre/Post Convention meetings and review bill with client.
• To understand and respond to all guest needs and requests in a timely and professional manner.
• Act as liaison between hotel and meeting planner to ensure a successful event. This includes obtaining rooming lists, establishing billing, overseeing group room blocks, welcoming VIP's, overseeing amenity requests, handling on site event logistics, coordinating outside vendors, and enforcing the contract.
• Write resumes for each group giving the hotel's departments an overview and schedule of the conference and its objective, details of the meeting agenda, AV requirements, VIP's, billing arrangements and amenity requests.
• Plan group's food and beverage events, including assistance with menu and wine selection, decorations, entertainment and audio visual.
• Create and execute accurate banquet event orders that include detailed information on the agenda, menu items, room set up, and billing arrangements.
• Meet the client upon arrival and conduct pre conference review, including the introduction of Department Heads, overview of events, and guest arrival details.
• Communicate last minute changes in group functions to hotel staff in a swift manner, and ensure accurate and satisfactory follow up
• Conduct post conference review with clients including the presentation of banquet checks when applicable.
• Review all bills sent to the client, ensuring they are accurate and timely in order to maximize return business. Compile any cancellation/attrition charges for the group. Send thank you notes and meeting critiques with every bill, and ensure any feedback is communicated and responded to according to hotel guidelines.
• Attend daily, weekly and monthly meetings as directed.
• Work with the Director of Events to generate an accurate monthly forecast of group food and beverage revenue associated with all group events. Ensure monthly goals are attained to maximize revenue.
• Manage and maintain Opera client information and reports accurately.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain appropriate license through New York State Gaming Commission

Job Requirements

• A minimum of one year previous Hotel sales, Convention Services or Catering experience, preferably in an upscale hotel. Proven experience working with sales, food and beverage, and culinary teams to execute events.
• Attention to detail; mature, professional interaction with employees, guests and business contacts
• Ability to work independently, make good decisions, prioritize work, and handle multiple tasks at the same time.
• Act effectively under pressure.
• Ensure accurate records are maintained.
• Organized and self-motivated.
• Knowledge of hotel and competitive market
• Language Skills: Good communication skills, both verbal and written. Ability to interpret and communicate hotel policy and culture to client. Ability to communicate clients requests to hotel staff and management. Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business reports. Ability to write reports, business correspondence and procedural manuals.
• Mathematical Skills: Must have the mathematical ability to add, subtract, divide, and multiply. Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions and percentages
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret and give a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form. Ability to concentrate for periods of time and to interact well with other departments and co-worked under high stress and demanding conditions, i.e. time constraints, difficult guests.

Desirable:

• College degree, preferably in hospitality management
• Qualified business relationships in local corporate and/or social events market.
• Knowledge of travel industry, current market trends and economic factors.
• Prior experience working in a union environment (if applicable)
• Prior experience working at a hotel/resort completing an opening or major renovation/re-positioning.

Essential Physical Abilities:

• Endure various physical movements throughout the work areas, such as reaching, bending and stooping
• Repetitive hand motion (typing) for extended periods of time.
• Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to 5 hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. This includes traveling to and from meetings. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to tasks.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.

• Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs. occasionally.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and other employees.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, electric typewriter, multi-line touch tone phone, filing cabinets, FAX machines, photocopiers, dolly and other office equipment as needed.

Work/Educational Experience

• Must be at least 18 years old and have the ability to obtain the appropriate license pursuant to the New York State Lottery regulations
• Associate’s Degree in Business or closely related field
• OR Three (3) years’ experience in a Supervisory position or equivalent
• OR Two (2) years’ management experience in the hiring position’s Department

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Salary Range: $63,400 - $76,510

Experience

Required
• 3 year(s): Three (3) years’ experience in a Supervisory position or equivalent OR Two (2) years’ management experience in the hiring position’s Department

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)