Catering & Conference Service Manager

Company: Viceroy Chicago
Location: Chicago
Posted on: May 16, 2022

Job Description:

Viceroy Chicago, located at the site of the 1920's-era Cedar Hotel, among historic mansions and just steps to the Magnificent Mile and Lake Michigan, Viceroy Chicago offers a locally-inspired luxury experience with 180 guestrooms, including 18 suites. Explore modern, Midwest flavors at the hotel's restaurant or head up to the rooftop bar, pool and lounge, perched 18 stories high for a sweeping panorama of Great Lake views and Chicago's iconic, soaring skyline.

Job Description: This critical role is responsible for soliciting new catering accounts, while also maintaining and nurturing existing relationships, with the objective of meeting, and surpassing, their assigned food and beverage revenue goals. Additionally, this role is responsible for the successful execution of all groups turned-over by the group sales team. The Catering & Conference Services Manager must possess a dynamic perspective, enabling them to have an overriding drive to exceed client expectations; coupled with the understanding in the importance of prospecting, in order to create new sales opportunities for the hotel. Duties of this role include assisting in leading the catering and conference services efforts, coordination, detailing, and servicing of booked functions. And to ensure customer satisfaction, while also maintaining a profitable operation. Candidates must possess a high level of maturity and composure, particularly while engaging with hotel clients.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

--- Respond to assigned market leads/inquires within two-hours

--- Prepare and submit required reports in a timely manner

--- An understanding of both monthly forecasting and the annual budget process

--- Have comprehensive knowledge of all operational departments within the hotel? guest services, reservations, housekeeping, audio visual, switchboard, accounting, restaurants, bars, and engineering

--- Know meeting room setups and capabilities

--- Understand the importance of raising the meeting planner evaluation scores and implement effective methods to ensure exceeding meeting planner satisfaction

--- Optimize room rental charges

--- Thorough knowledge of sales techniques including closing and negotiating skills

--- Generate detailed resumes for the operating departments

--- Ability to work with outside vendors to ensure client satisfaction for all events/groups

--- Monitor group room blocks and pick-up

--- Coordinate functions and events held at the hotel

--- Arrange food and beverage, room set-up and A/V requirements with the client

--- Lead hotel site inspections and client presentations

--- Fields numerous inquiry calls and walk-ins, providing information and availability of facilities

--- Book functions through phone inquiries, appointments and marketing

--- As a catering or group booking achieves Definite status, a primary responsibility of this position is to coordinate with each customer, each detail that appears on the Banquet Event Orders

--- Communicate with the client on a regular basis, as to stay up-to-date with as to any modifications to all functions

--- Distribute final Banquet Event Orders to all applicable service staff

--- Continuously design, monitor and regulate the accuracy, consistency and integrity of all Sales automation technology and record keeping

--- Continuously educate all Event Planners on hotel procedures, such as: Meal Guarantees, Set-Up Styles, Payment Terms, All Available Hotel Services, etc

--- Tracks and collects deposits for all events

--- Know sleeping room configurations and types

--- Keep immediate supervisor fully informed of all problems or matters requiring his/her attention

--- Interact with outside planners, vendors for event setup

--- Maintain pricing integrity and propose appropriate menus to the clients

--- Manage existing accounts and follow up with client re-solicitation to capture future business

--- Work with other F&B managers and keep them informed of issues as they arise

--- Work with other departments within the hotel to provide exceptional service to clients

--- Use feedback from client evaluations to improve service and quality

--- Participate with the chef, outlet managers, and sales director in the creation of attractive and merchandising menus designed to attract a predetermined customer market

--- Due to the nature of the hospitality industry, he/she may be required to work varying schedules to reflect the business needs of the hotel, guest or groups based on operational needs

--- Allocate time appropriately with an intense focus on sales goals and objectives

--- Prepare correspondence to customers, internal booking reports and file maintenance

--- Participate in daily business review meeting, pre-convention meetings, training and other catering sales related meetings as required

--- Attend community/social events and industry meetings

--- Develop/maintain knowledge of market trends, competition and customers

Skills/Knowledge Required:

--- Requires excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, in the primary language of the workplace (English).

--- Requires excellent leadership skills, and the ability to communicate, deploy, and delegate maturely and professionally.

--- Previous Hotel catering or sales experience preferred.

--- Knowledge of computer accounting programs, math skills as well as budgetary analysis capabilities required.

--- Knowledge of internal Catering Database systems such as CI/TY or similar databases is preferred.

--- Knowledge of hotel food and beverage operations in a luxury environment preferred.

--- Capable of offering a charismatic style of service tailored to specific guests and their needs.

--- Maintain composure and positive attitude in high pressure situations.

--- Learn and retain detailed product knowledge.

--- Colleagues will be expected to successfully resolve any guest issues and complaints in addition to communicating all concerns to department heads.

--- Friendly and able to build a rapport with guests to establish future business.

--- The ability to listen to, assess, and appropriately respond to information conveyed through speech.

--- The ability to convey technical information through writing to a nontechnical audience so the recipients easily understand the information and can quickly and correctly apply it.

--- Grooming: All colleagues must maintain a neat, and well-groomed appearance (specific standards will be provided).

This posting in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the colleague occupying this position. Colleagues will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor.

EEO

Viceroy Chicago participates in the Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify program to verify the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Please review this important notice:

https://e-verify.uscis.gov/.../EverifyPosterEnglish.pdf

Keywords: Viceroy Chicago, Chicago , Catering & Conference Service Manager, Executive , Chicago, Illinois