Watt Executive Meetings Manager

About us:

Watt Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton Rahway is right across the street from the Rahway NJ Transit Station in the Center of Downtown, offering direct rail services to NYC. Local trendy Restaurants and The Union County Performing Arts Center are within blocks, and we are two miles from Linden Shopping Center. Our hotel features a fitness center, live music in the lounge, and a seasonal roof terrace.

About the role:

As the Executive meetings manager, you will respond to inquiries about the purchase of food & beverage, rent event space, and ancillary services for the restaurant. You will provide on-property assistance to the Sales department including but not limited to; client correspondence, rooming list implementation, corporate reservations including changes/edits as needed, and property site tours. As the Executive meetings manager, you are responsible for the successful execution of events and customer satisfaction to ensure customer loyalty.

Essential Duties

• Executes written sales agreement for moderately sized and moderately complex events.
• Maximizes revenues and controls expenses through effective negotiation of services and accurate forecasting.
• Initiates verbal and written communication (group resume, weekly pick up, banquet event orders etc.) with customer and internal team in a proactive manner relative to payment structure, room block management, food and beverage, public room rental and exhibit hall fees, incremental and affiliate revenue streams, performance damages and master billing process.
• Maintains liaison between the customer and their representatives and the hotel by directing each department within the hotel as to their specific role in the pre-planning and execution of the on-site convention.
• Analyzes customers' service and product needs and financial issues of in-house groups; and within parameters authorizes on behalf of the General Manager appropriate resolution of customers' concerns while maintaining profitability.
• Provides direction and supervision of meeting and/or catering logistics to catering and event services managers and other departments and team members responsible for event execution.
• Negotiates service agreements with companies and organizations affiliated with group business that will be utilizing the event space.
• Create group resumes and communicate client needs to all departments of the hotel.
• Assists in the physical movement of hotel or customer equipment or furnishings as necessary to complete a tight turn-around of public function space
• Must be able to walk, kneel, stand for extended periods of time, reach, bend, sit, and carry up to 20lbs without any assistance.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Specific Requirements

• Represents the hotel to customers in the role of executing negotiated group sales agreements within the event space including but not limited to room blocks, food, and beverage, exhibits and associated products and services collaboration with the sales department as needed to close business.
• Manage and maintain client account files.
• Ask appropriate questions of the clients and make suggestions to ensure the details meet the group and the hotels needs.
• Provides support to remote sales team specifically, Area Corporate Sales Manager and Regional Senior Sales Manager
• Facilitates and organizes planning and on-site execution of large events.
• Participates in internal and external meetings as determined by the Corporate Director of Sales & Marketing (i.e., forecast, menu review, department, citywide pre-cons, operational department pre shifts etc.)
• Flexibility to respond to a range of different work situations.
• Participates in internal and external training and industry events, (i.e., Customer Focus Meetings & Conventions, Front Line Leadership, CPR, ACOM Institute etc.)
• Ability to complete a contract in compliance with all checklists, standards, and hotel policies.
• Ensure hotel staff follows through on all requests.

The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Prohibits Discrimination and Harassment of Any Kind: Company is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Company are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. The Company will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics and encourages applicants of all ages

Qualifications:

• Interpersonal skills to provide overall guest satisfaction.
• Excellent communication skills- both verbal and written
• The ability to analyze, multitask, prioritize.
• Must have knowledge in all areas of banquet and event etiquette, guest relations and service standards.
• Ability to operate independently and with a high degree of autonomy requiring excellent time management skills and self-motivation.
• Hotel product and industry knowledge, i.e., staffing, operations, safety, security, union rules, structural, terminology, fire, police and health codes, hotel policies, city ordinances.
• Knowledge of hospitality
• Ability to handle multiple customer and operational demands with a high degree of professionalism, operating often with time sensitive deadlines.
• Proficient in the use and operation of computer systems with the ability to navigate efficiently through Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Delphi (or in house sales system), Market Vision, OnQ, InFocus, Internet and Intranet and Optimum Settings (or in house CAD program).
• Experience in a sales role with a proven record of accomplishment to close a sale.