Catering Sales Manager in Itasca, Illinois at Eaglewood Resort & Spa

Change your career and join the hospitality team at Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Arbor Lodging. We're always looking for talented, driven people to enhance our team and help us deliver on our promise: exceeding our guest’s expectations. We offer a world of promising opportunities across a diverse range of career areas, all of which will engage and empower you to realize your passion, achieve greatness, and experience the rewards of making a positive impact in our guests and employee’s lives.

A job at Eaglewood Resort is unlike any other. You’ll be challenged. You’ll be inspired. And you’ll be proud. Because whatever your job is here, you’ll be part of our success and our family.

Arbor Lodging is a leading hotel investment and management company with a growing portfolio of hotels throughout the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. We have been entrusted by numerous partners and are approved managers for Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG. Our service ethos is proactive and holistic, fostering an environment where guests feel truly welcomed and supported at every interaction. Our culture is people-focused, data-driven, and results-oriented.

Summary

Our Catering Sales Manager will be responsible for the sales, planning and service of weddings and social related events. This person will be responsible for the direct sales, marketing, appointments, and site inspections and will create unique and memorable experiences for our guests. The ideal candidate will demonstrate professional and confident communication skills with clients and staff. We are looking for someone who is thoughtful, driven, creative and has an eye for detail.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Respond to all inquiries for weddings and social related events. Qualify leads based on customer’s needs and dates to determine if the business is a good fit for the property and the property is a good fit for the customer.
• Negotiate contracts and banquet event orders (BEOs). Identify and price customer needs for the event, upselling where possible and appropriate, closing the sale, and collecting the customer deposit and signature on the BEO.
• Communicate group details and any changes to all hotel departments, coordinating customer’s needs with other business and activities at the hotel to ensure customer’s expectations are possible and met and the hotel operates efficiently.
• Present potential business in daily meetings and help determine best mix of customers for hotel to attain budgeted revenues.
• Finalize and detail catering plans for events booked. Orchestrate these functions on-site. Be empowered to do whatever is necessary to solve problems and execute successful events.
• Prospect for new catering business using a wide variety of methods including phone calls, in person sales calls, social media and online search, attending community functions, supplier partnerships, etc.
• Monitor blocked space to ensure group bookings are meeting their contractual obligations. Initiate release of blocked space on cut-off date to allow sale of rooms to other customers.
• Manage and maintain an accurate and up to date contact management system.
• Internally communicate all customer requests and requirements, ensuring an accurate accounting of customer preferences across hotel staff.
• Conduct competitive analysis and maintain competitor files to compete successfully.
• Maintain good rapport and conduct yourself respectfully with customers, managers, other members of the sales team, other associates at the hotel, and local civic groups and companies.
• Maintain schedule flexibility to work on-site events at night or on weekends and provide site tours outside of daytime office hours to prospective customers.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Minimum of 3 years hotel sales experience
• Knowledge of Delphi preferred
• Ability to travel locally and nationally for business meetings and client presentations
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written
• Highly organized
• Able to maintain a professional appearance and manner at all times
• Willing to be part of a team and help coworkers with their job duties if needed
• Four-year college degree preferred, however, any combination of education and training within hotel sales may also be considered

Benefits:

• Competitive Salary and Benefits
• Health and Welfare Plans: Medical, Dental, Vision, Short Disability and EAP
• Annual review with increased potential
• Holiday and Paid Time Off
• 401k program with company match
• Free Meal

Arbor’s Guiding Principles

Arbor Lodging focuses on Five Guiding Principles to foster a culture where growth, development, and progression thrive within the properties:

• Do the Right Thing - Operate and act with integrity in all you do even when it is not convenient.
• Lead with Heart - Be kind, passionate and hospitable.
• Be Accountable - Take ownership and deliver results.
• Aim Higher - Go above and beyond to exceed expectations and pursue thoughtful change.
• Celebrate Differences - Embrace diversity, respect individual opinions and ideas.

Arbor Lodging Management provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Arbor Lodging Management complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.