What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Catering and Convention Services position at The Grand & Little America Hotel?
Position Summary:
The Director of Catering and Convention Services leads the catering sales and event execution function for both the Grand America Hotel and the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. This role is accountable for driving catering and banquet revenue, delivering flawless convention and event experiences, and unifying standards, pricing discipline, and service delivery across two distinct properties. The Director partners closely with Group Sales, Revenue Management, Food & Beverage, AV, and hotel operations leadership to maximize the profitability and reputation of both hotels' meeting and event businesses.
Key Responsibilities:
Revenue & Commercial Leadership
• Own catering, banquet, and event revenue targets for both properties, including budgeting, forecasting, and pace management.
• Establish and enforce pricing strategy, minimums, and menu/package structures in coordination with Revenue Management and F&B, protecting margin while remaining competitive in the Salt Lake City market.
• Analyze booking pace, conversion, displacement, and profitability by segment (social, corporate, association, government, weddings) and adjust strategy accordingly.
• Identify cross-property opportunities, directing overflow and matching group profiles to the right hotel to optimize total campus revenue.
Convention Services & Event Execution
• Ensure seamless handoff from sales to service and consistent, luxury-caliber execution of all events across both hotels.
• Oversee the development of banquet event orders (BEOs), resumes, floor plans, and production timelines, holding teams accountable to detail and deadlines.
• Serve as senior point of contact for high-profile clients, complex conventions, and VIP events.
• Partner with Banquets, Culinary, A/V, and Operations to guarantee staffing, setup, and service quality meet brand standards.
Team Leadership & Development
• Lead, mentor, and hold accountable the combined catering and convention services team, including the Assistant Director and catering sales and convention services managers.
• Set individual and team goals, conduct performance reviews, and build a pipeline of talent across both hotels.
• Foster a culture of hospitality, ownership, and cross-property collaboration.
Cross-Functional Partnership
• Represent catering and convention services in operations, revenue, and property leadership meetings.
• Collaborate with Group Sales Director to ensure catering potential is fully captured with conference business.
• Work with Finance on billing accuracy, deposit schedules, and receivables.
Qualifications:
• 7 years of progressive catering, convention services, or event management experience in a full-service or luxury hotel environment, including 3 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated success managing and exceeding catering/banquet revenues.
• Multi-property or large convention hotel experience strongly preferred.
• Strong command of catering sales systems and event management platforms (e.g., Opera S&C or comparable).
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and analyze commercial performance (pace, conversion, profitability).
• Excellent client-facing presence with the polish required for a luxury and high-end convention clientele.
• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Business, or related field preferred, or equivalent experience.