As a locally owned landmark hotel, the Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites has earned a reputation for serving excellence. We offer a variety of positions under one roof, creating a great opportunity for mobility and growth. Our most essential resource is our employees. Join the best team in Halifax and be a part of the legend!

OVERVIEW:

The Catering & Sales Manager develops business for the social/wedding market through direct sales, manages accounts to achieve guest satisfaction and to solicit past and new business to ensure all revenue goals are achieved or exceeded.

Handles customer inquiries and acts as the on-property liaison for the social catering sales. Contracts and closes group business in addition to conducting site inspections.

The position involves managing the day of the event as well as the pre-event planning/preparation, post event billing and guest feedback. In this role you will work closely with clients to ensure their needs are exceeded and act as the on-site contact for all group conveners within your market, ensuring their needs and requirements are met from the point of selling, to planning to execution and follow up, and all points in between.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Primary focus on Wedding and Social accounts
• Sell and service lead inquiries for social events with guestrooms, and only ballrooms
• Create documents throughout the entire sales process (proposals, estimates, formal contracts based on individual client's needs, banquet event orders, conference resumes, create Delphi Diagraming floor plans)
• Create and manage group bookings, accounts in software involved in the sales process
• Enter, retrieve, reconcile, and verify information (e.g., commissions, leads, third parties) in software involved in the sales process
• Plan all aspects of the events to include sales phase, planning phase, event phase and after the event phase
• Serve as the point of contact for clients and communicate with them by phone and email to provide a timely response to questions and requests
• Answer guest questions about property facilities/services (e.g., hours of operation, rates and room types, packages, promotions, entertainment, restaurants, special events)
• Initiate sales calls, follow up on qualified leads, identify and influence decision makers and conduct sales presentations and site visit
• Understand the customer site visit process, including preparing guestrooms & event space for the site
• Build creative menus and design floor plans for events
• Handle requests from clients that are necessary to facilitate their function successfully, confirming electrical, internet, telecommunications, audio-visual and exhibition requirements based on discussions with clients
• Generate business via direct face-to face sales calls, telephone, and written correspondence, including walk in inquires and site inspections
• Act as a liaison between client and internal hotel personnel to ensure maximum guest satisfaction
• Manage monthly financial statements, billing, forecasts and budgets
• Be available as requested for special duties dictated by clients' needs or those of the hotel
• Gather materials and assemble information packages (e.g., brochures, promotional materials)
• Actively participate in qualifying and soliciting new accounts with a focus on bringing new business
• Re-solicit non-deployed realized opportunities, including turndowns, lost opportunities, and actualized business when appropriate
• Manage successful relationship with existing client, building strong network with potential customers
• Actively participate in daily meetings and ongoing team projects as well as attend BEO meetings, Daily Huddles, Resume Meetings and Departmental Meetings
• Participate in community and hotel networking events
• Perform special projects and other responsibilities as assigned, and participate in task forces and committees
• Visit neighborhood target and local small business accounts and coordinate follow up efforts
• Prepare a variety of weekly and monthly Sales reports within a specified timeframe
• Promote awareness of brand image internally and externally
• Handle customer care issues and as necessary, refers them to the appropriate owner
• Perform general office duties to support Sales & Catering (e.g., filing, sending emails, answering the phone, faxing, copying, writing cards, delivering amenities, assisting guests whenever needed outside of sales department scope of work)
• Professionally represent the property at all business development events and participate in industry events outside of regular business hours when required
• Professionally represent the property in all written and verbal correspondence with clients and coworkers
• Provide a high level of customer service at all times

REQUIREMENT/EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 3 years Sales and Catering experience.
• Previous leadership experience within a similar role required
• University/College degree in related discipline if preferred
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving abilities
• Must work well under pressure. Adapt schedule with approval from supervisor(s) to service the needs of the business. Position requires attendance of functions including weekends, holidays or evening hours.
• Follow all company policies and procedures
• Empathy towards your customers and colleagues
• Move, lift, carry, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance.
• Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by the management team
• Knowledge/experience with Opera Cloud and Delphi diagramming an asset

Lord Nelson Hotel & Suites recognizes our employees as essential to our success and value diverse skills. From frontline staff to management, we offer excellent opportunities for career growth, as well as employer-provided medical benefits and other incentives. We are looking for new talent to join our dynamic team that is setting the standard of excellence in the hospitality industry.