Event Sales Manager - Offshore at Navy Pier

Position Purpose

The Sales Manager is responsible for all sales activities including maintenance of existing accounts and solicitation of new business by conduction of outside calls and performing marketing activities to promote group hotel sales and develop leads. This position is also responsible for cultivating and maintaining relationships with key professionals and hotel personnel to enhance overall business relationships with the company

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

SALES:

• Discover new business opportunities through weekly telephone calls, emails, and in-person visits with potential business prospects in various markets. Prospecting activity volume will be in accordance with solicitation goals.
• Ensure all inbound inquires for banquet and catering business, group room blocks, and weddings, are responded to within 12 hours of receipt. Ensure that there is a system in place to track all inquiries and the outcome of follow-up and subsequent communications.
• Conduct regular correspondence and visits with top accounts monthly.

• Responsible for assigned target markets which may include, but may not be limited to, Corporate accounts, associations, government, SMERF, tour groups, wholesalers, and FIT's.
• Coordinate Group Transient, Social, and Catering booking to maximize profits.
• Develop hotel-level tactical sales and marketing plans to support overall system-wide sales plans/strategies and programs.
• Ability to maintain existing accounts and solicit new business through trade shows, referrals, and one-on-one sales and sales blitz calls.
• Assist with yearly FAM trips.
• Quarterly (at minimum) sales trips in designated and key markets to target new customers for all market segments assigned.
• Attend MPI networking events and classes to prospect for new business.
• Conduct onsite and off-site sales blitzes & hotel site visits.
• Attend outside networking functions conducted by local and regional organizations such as Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Tourism Association, or other community/business-based networking opportunities.
• Develop positive working relationships with other department managers and keep them informed of issues affecting their areas as they arise.
• `Issue weekly activity reports to General Manager and Home Office with a detail of each day's activities
• Use creativity and initiative to explore new ways to increase revenues.
• Achieve quarterly booking goals.
• Follow set guidelines for group business and catering minimums.
• Ensure proper credit is established for all bookings and deposits are received in a timely manner. Collaborate with finance team to ensure timely and accurate billing and payment of all client invoices.
• Knowledge and experience with group booking contracts/addendums. Ability to negotiate changes to contracts that align with hotel contract guidelines that protect both the hotel and booking group.
• Collaborate with regional Marketing Manager on promotions and programming at the hotel.
• Daily contact with GM and property departments working with clients

OPERATIONS:

• Actively promote all property incentive programs.
• Assist General Manager in the continuous training of all associates to ensure they can effectively promote the hotel.
• Approach all encounters with guests and employees in an attentive, friendly, courteous, and service-oriented manner.
• Comply with Scout MVY Management, LLC standards and regulations to encourage safe and efficient hotel operations at all times.
• Provide guidance and leadership for supporting all aspects of the operation, ensuring consistent compliance with company and hotel policies, quality guest service, and staff satisfaction while maximizing departmental profits. Indirectly offers supervision for the entire hotel as well as making policies and developing plans for carrying out work programs.
• Maintain a professional working relationship and promote open lines of communication with managers and associates in all departments.
• Complete administrative duties in a timely manner

Other Duties

• Training and development of staff on proper hotel procedures, policies, and standards.
• Conduct and/or attend meetings/training as required by management.
• Perform special projects and other responsibilities as assigned.
• Perform other duties as requested by management

Managerial Responsibilities

• Create, train, and manage staff of sales professionals.

Minimum Required Technical Skills and Qualifications

• Experience in F&B operations, and knowledge of yield management and hotel reservations.
• Must be able to evaluate and select among alternative courses of action quickly and accurately.
• Must be able to work well in stressful, high volume and high-pressure situations.
• Must be able to self-monitor and self-motivate.
• Must maintain composure and objectivity under pressure
• Must be effective in handling problems in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying, and solving problems as necessary.
• Must be able to prioritize departmental functions to meet due dates and deadlines.
• Must have flexibility; anticipate some scheduled weekend, Holiday, and evening hours, including participation in the Manager-On-Duty coverage as needed.
• Strong proficiency with MS Office software including Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point.
• Experience working with hotel software systems including Sales & Catering systems, Property Management Systems, and F&B Point of Sale Systems.
• Must be able to cope with frequent changing priorities and deadlines with high degree of optimism, professionalism, and collaboration.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, possessing a positive, outgoing, and naturally curious personality.
• Ability to work productively with other employees as part of a team.
• Ability to handle obstacles in a positive and professional manner and to effectively communicate these problems, along with suggested solutions.
• Ability to work a flexible workweek including nights, weekends, and holidays.

• The ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced business environment.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business, technology, and financial information and data.
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions.
• Must have the ability to assimilate complex information, data, etc., from disparate sources and consider, adjust, or modify to meet the constraints of the need.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying the concerns and issues raised by co-workers and guests.
• Strong communication and negotiating skills.

Education/Certifications/Licensure

• High School Diploma or G.E.D.
• A 4-year college degree, desirable.
• 3-5 years of hotel management and sales experience.

Language Skills

• Fluent reading, writing, and oral proficiency in the English Language.

Physical Demands

The physical demands and environmental factors described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to lift boxes weighing at least 25 lbs., will sit for long periods of time, and may use repetitive wrist and hand motions involved in sorting and handling documents. The employee is regularly required to reach, with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision. Employee will have close visual contact with a computer monitor constantly.

United Service Companies is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Our commitment extends beyond preventing discrimination and harassment; it's about creating an environment where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are valued. We believe in the power of our people, the ideas they bring, and what we can accomplish together.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all state & federal requirements, it is the policy of United Service Companies to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. United Service Companies also provides reasonable accommodations as required under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) for limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Recruitment Team 813-425-1985.