Catering Sales Manager

Company Description

Fairmont Pittsburgh, a 4 diamond LEED certified luxury hotel, is located at the heart of Pittsburgh’s business, cultural and retail hub.  Fairmont Pittsburgh offers superb and distinctive guest services and accommodations in a luxury setting.

Drawing from Pittsburgh’s rich history, fl.2 showcases a wide selection of local beers, craft cocktails, and an elevated Modern American menu with unique signature items that have the power to transform guests into regulars. Vibrant and inviting, the restaurant and bar offers a space that allows for an open, airy atmosphere with a modern framework incorporated with architectural elements.

Job Description

What You Will Be Doing:

• Consistently offers professional, engaging and friendly service
• Responsible for meeting and exceeding personal sales food, beverage and rental revenue goals, monthly, quarterly and yearly.
• Effectively solicits new sales prospects and former clients for the purpose of selling catering services and banquet space
• Develops list of prospective local clients through sales calls, sales blitzes, referrals or inquiries.
• Discusses catering requirements, calculates costs, negotiates price and prepares sales proposals, suggests menu modifications in response to customer needs, and up sell services and resources to clients whenever possible.
• Solicits and maintains ongoing contact with active accounts to promote repeat business; continuous contact with former accounts to identify the need for additional catering services and to solicit repeat business.
• Promotes catering services, food and beverage and banquet facilities through direct client contact to maximize profits from food & beverage revenues and meeting room rental.
• Facilitates pre-conference meetings and testing’s, with clients and key hotel staff.
• Maintain a high level of service by continually providing accurate and timely information and feedback to all departments.
• Maintains ongoing relationships with hotel clients and negotiates contracts and agreements.
• Establishes client base of organizations, associations, social and corporate businesses through direct outside and inside sales effort.
• Clearly communicates details of events to client and hotel departments in a professional, thorough and timely manner, i.e., conference resumes, Banquet event orders and internal correspondence.
• Conducts tours of the hotel function space and guestrooms; entertains qualified potential clients.
• Accurately forecasts individual booking revenues and cancellations; accurately tracks consumption on all bookings.
• Assists the client in menu planning; coordinates food, beverage, meeting room set-up, and other services as requested by the client; assures that all requirements are communicated and completed to the clients’ specifications.
• Adhere to all Fairmont Opera Sales & Catering Standards and procedures including appropriate trainings
• Responsible for the successful outcome of the event - Develop menus and agendas, insure BEOs are issued, and complete all pertinent correspondence with outside vendors.
• Adjust function space in order to ensure maximum potential revenues.
• Payment of Functions – Establish payment methods of catered functions.

Participate in daily lead meeting to maximize revenues and communicate potential new business, weekly catering sales meeting, daily BEO meetings as necessary and monthly department meetings

Qualifications

Your Skills and Qualifications:

• Previous experience is an asset
• 3 years related experience in social catering or similar management position at a First-Class hotel preferred.
• College degree or diploma in Hotel Administration preferred.
• Long hours sometimes may be required. 
• Strong culinary and beverage knowledge and interest.
• Proven ability to plan and organize events effectively with an accurate sense of detail.
• Able to work independently within a very busy environment while assertive, professional and positive.
• Understanding of computers and applications with a strong working knowledge of Property Manager, MS Word and Excel.

Physical Aspects of Position (include but are not limited to):

• Extended periods of sitting, computer and administrative office work
• Frequent standing and walking throughout shifts, including up/down stairs
• Light work – Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 pounds of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Additional Information

What is in it for you:

• Competitive salary and flexible benefit plans
• Generous PTO allowances