Group Sales Manager

Department: Sales & Marketing

Reports to: General Manager & Corporate Director of Sales

Status: Exempt

Share this Career Posting:

Job Summary:

Thoughtfully dazzle all our guests with radiant service and unexpected surprises delivered with the utmost professionalism. The Group Sales Manager is responsible for selling groups across all markets for Innovation Hotel, building groups in our systems and turning over to on-site event management teams.

Essential Functions

 CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Primary Requirements and Qualifications:

• Solicit, book, and turnover group business across all markets.
• Handles customer inquiries and leads requests for group business
• Verifies that business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for quality service delivery.
• Demonstrates excellent selling skills, strong communication skills, and a detailed understanding of property operations, food and beverage, and planning.
• Understands the overall market (e.g., competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand) and how to sell against them.
• Verifies that business booked is within hotel parameters.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).
• Understands and actively utilizes company marketing initiative/incentives to close on business.
• Implements process improvements and best practices.
• Processes business correspondence and creates contracts and other related booking documentation as required.
• Follow-up on turnover within 24 hours via telephone and within 3 days with written correspondence.
• Understanding of group and catering forecasting, hotel revenue strategy, meeting room set-up types and capabilities, and sleeping room configurations and types.
• Knowledge in event technology (A/V) products, sales and services as well as F&B to assist client with menu planning and room set-up while working within the client budget.
• Ensure method of payment, credit cardand or billing policies and procedures are upheld.
• Knowledge of sales techniques in order to propose up-sell ideas to clients.
• Respond to customer trends, needs, issues, comments and problems to ensure a quality experience and enhance future sales prospects.
• Delivers excellent customer service throughout the customer experience and encourages the same from other employees.
• Invite clients to the hotel for entertainment, lunches, tours and site inspections.
• Assist in implementing special promotions relating to direct sales segments, i.e. parties, sales blitzes, etc.
• At all times present and maintain high standards of communication, both written and verbal, to the client.
• To maintain an effective and organized filing on all confirmed bookings.
• To co-operate with the other departments to ensure a harmonious working environment & maximize efficiency.
• To initiate introductory calls during file turnover process
• Attends pre-cons as deemed necessary by property and or client

Hospitality/Conduct requirements

Be knowledgeable about and follow the company’s mission statement and values. Understand who our guests are and how we service our guests, demonstrate professionalism, take ownership and ensure guest satisfaction.

Experience/Educational Background:

• Current or recent hotel group sales experience.
• Current or recent experience in opera sales and catering or similar preferred.
• Two- or four-year degree from a college or university or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong computer skills including excellent knowledge of Word and Excel software programs.
• Perform job functions with attention to detail, accuracy and speed to meet deadlines.
• Multi-task prioritizes, organize, delegate work and follow through.
• Ability to plan and develop procedures on all sales programs.
• Must be able to work extended hours including weekends and holidays.
• Keep current in event management trends.
• Attend community events and industry meetings.
• Knowledge of market trends, competition and key customers of the hotel.
• Proficiency in the English language both written and verbal.

Physical Demands

• Flexible and long hours sometimes required.
• Light work – Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Ability to stand during entire shift
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time
• Ability to communicate clearly
• Corrected vision to normal range
• Ability to travel, domestically and internationally

Mental Demands

• Make sound judgments quickly
• Work on multiple tasks, making appropriate progress towards deadlines
• Able to work independently, take direction and provide direction to others
• Manage differing personalities within the office, the hotel and the community
• Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality
• Ability to work effectively in stressful, high pressure situations
• Ability to effectively handle challenges in the workplace, including anticipating, preventing, identifying and solving problems as necessary