Associate Director of Catering Sales | The SOMM Hotel & Spa

Let’s start off with the most important part-what’s in it for you:

 

The Perks

• Eligibility of perks is dependent upon job status
• Salary Range: $100,000 to $110,000 DOE
• Cellphone Allowance
• Incentive Eligible
• Get Paid Daily (Make any day payday)
• Paid Time off & Holiday Pay (Because Balance Matters)
• Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, 401K
• HSA/FSA Plans -with employer contribution
• Values Based Culture (#OMGLIFE)
• Culture Add (Creating Space for Fresh Perspectives)
• Referral Bonus (Get Paid to Recruit)
• Discounted Lodging, Dining, Spa, Golf, and Retail (Yes, Discounted Travel!)
• Employee Assistance Program
• “Columbia Cares” Volunteer Opportunities
• Committee Participation Opportunities (Fun, Philanthropic, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion)
• Task Force Work Opportunities (Grow your career in idyllic locations across the globe)
• Online Learning Platform to Help You Grow!
• Third Party Perks (Including discounts on Pet Insurance, Rental Cars, Movie and Concert Tickets, Theme Park and Attractions & so much more)
  
  

Our Commitment to you:

“People never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou’s famous statement serves as a rallying cry throughout Columbia Hospitality and fuels our collective drive - and success.

Our people are our purpose, and our brand is our people. We seek extraordinary individuals who drive our brand promise of Creating Exceptional Experiences. We are a people-first organization, ignited from the inside to succeed on the outside. We are a tight-knit, inclusive, values-driven team and we trust one another to have each other’s backs. We show up every day with open hearts, an inclusive mindset, and a genuine respect for those around us. We have fun, grow together, and strive to leave a positive lasting impression on everyone we meet.

What you’ll do:

Department Overview:

• Collaborates annually on the preparation of internal prework, group strategic plans, and departmental revenue and expense budgets, aligning closely with the General Manager to achieve overall property goals.
• Assists in the creation of departmental objectives, team deployment strategies, production goals, and individual performance targets.
• Demonstrates strong leadership with emotional intelligence, conducting regular one-on-one meetings and quarterly evaluations with team members.
• Conducts industry research and property data analysis to forecast future business volume effectively.
• Possesses proficiency in contractual language and agreements.
• Ensures the department adheres to accounting standards, including deposits, direct billing, and pre-payments.
• In the absence of the Director, provides weekly updates on prospecting, inquiries, and activities.
• When designated, reports monthly achievements, ensuring financial accuracy across P&L, sales and event platforms, and deposits/accounts receivable.
• Upholds departmental standards and implements management systems, including the administration of sales and event platforms.
• Supports group sales initiatives, including outreach, negotiations, contract reviews, planning, and service delivery.
• Actively participates in industry associations.
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships and open communication across all departments.
  
  

Training and Mentoring:

• Mentors, coaches, and trains departmental team members to ensure comprehensive competency in all relevant areas.
• Collaborates to create a monthly training program for the department.
• Conducts assigned monthly departmental meetings.
• When necessary, implements corrective actions and provides constructive feedback in a respectful manner.
  
  

Individual Responsibilities:

• Achieves departmental goals and objectives.
• Contributes to revenue growth across assigned segments at a higher level.
• Engages in client relationship building, including new business development and networking.
• Meets prospecting and sales activity targets.
• Responds to incoming RFPs (Requests for Proposals) within 24 hours.
• Skilled in client negotiations, closing techniques, and contractual language comprehension.
• Responsible for revenue forecasting.
• Cultivates and maintains positive working relationships and open communication with all stakeholders.
• Must adhere to Columbia Hospitality Policies and Procedures.
  
  

Additional job functions may be assigned based on the property’s business needs as determined by the General Manager and Seattle Support Center Leadership.

Key Requirements:

• Minimum of 4-6 years of hospitality sales experience, or similar environment.
• Possess extensive knowledge and expertise in sales and/or event management with extensive sales and negotiation skills.
• Strong leadership influence and critical thinking capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to satisfy customer needs.
• Takes an initiative-taking approach to address issues and avert conflict, resolve practical problems, and conflict resolution with limited standardized solutions.
• Ability to hold others accountable by establishing clear responsibilities.
• Working knowledge of applicable laws, codes, and regulations.
• Excellent communication skills, including proficiency in writing contracts, reports, business correspondence, and operations manuals, with the ability to present information effectively and respond to inquiries from team members, managers, clients, guests, or the public.
• Ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions or approaches.
• Strong personal skills, including time management, information analysis, problem-solving, planning and organizing, decision making, problem solving, and delivery of results.
• Strong interpersonal communication with the ability to identify, understand, and anticipate the emotions, concerns and thoughts of others.
• Strong interpersonal influence skills, including coaching, motivating, delegating, and relationship-building.
• Demonstrates a strong grasp of mathematical operations. Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all applicable units of measure, using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages.
• Analytical mindset and can utilize mathematical skills to assess data, identify trends, and draw meaningful insights that drive strategy and decision-making.
• Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office; Word, PowerPoint, Teams, OneNote, and Excel. Knowledge of hospitality sales platforms a plus.
• Proficiency in conducting client research, gathering relevant information, and staying updated on industry trends and developments.
• Strong financial acumen understanding and creating various financial reports (P&L statement, PACE, budget) with knowledge of dynamic pricing and profitability.
• Can present to senior management and clients in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to travel (including air or car, hotel overnight stays, and client entertainment.)
  
  

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Columbia Hospitality we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Where you'll work:

In the new heart of Woodinville the beauty of the Pacific Northwest meets its newest destination, The SOMM Hotel and Spa. The SOMM is set to be the centerpiece of a 20-acre master-planned development in Woodinville, Washington.

The SOMM Hotel and Spa is a 164-room luxury hotel that will offer a blend of upscale accommodations and amenities. The project is part of Harvest, a town square-style development that will house nearly 100,000 square feet of restaurants, bars, wine-tasting rooms, and recreation. It also includes hundreds of apartments and townhouses, making it a comprehensive destination in its own right.

The hotel itself is designed to be a haven of comfort and indulgence. It features a signature restaurant, rooftop bar, 10,000 sq ft of meeting spaces, and a 5,661-square-foot spa. Additionally, there will be 9,000 square feet of retail space that will complement the hotel’s offerings. This retail section is expected to include wine-tasting rooms, restaurants, and other facilities.

The Fine Print

Columbia Hospitality, Inc. operating as Columbia Hospitality Service U.L.C. is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive environment without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. We strive for excellence in every position within the company and select the most qualified people who embrace our service philosophy and these values.

Accountability | Creativity | Enthusiasm | Honesty | Inclusion | Respect

Columbia Hospitality is an international management and consulting company with more than 25 years of experience in creating hospitality solutions and delivering exceptional experiences. Our portfolio includes award-winning hotels and resorts, premier residential communities, restaurants and bars, private and public golf clubs, conference centers, and distinctive venues. Columbia Hospitality has been consistently recognized as one of the Top Companies to Work for in Washington by Seattle Business Magazine and Puget Sound Business Journal for their commitment to creating a fun, dynamic and nurturing work environment for team members.