The Conference Services Manager will facilitate all aspects of conferences and events, including banquet functions and meeting room arrangements, acting as the liaison between the meeting planner/client and the hotel. The role involves preparing group resumes, adhering to standard operating procedures, ensuring successful site inspections, and driving high revenue for contracted rooms and catered events. The manager will also conduct pre- and post-conference meetings, communicate client requests to relevant departments, and remain available to hotel managers while on property.

Responsibilities

Prepare resumes for groups ten (10) days prior to group arrival and review all details in the weekly Staff Meeting.
Adhere to the Catering and Conference Services Department’s standard operating procedures.
Help establish and maintain the hotel’s marketplace position at the city’s most elite venue within social and corporate communities.
Follow the specific standard operation procedures for all staff to promptly and thoroughly handle all steps in the event planning process adhering to the standards of hotel protocol.
Ensure all site inspections and client visits to the hotel are successful by planning carefully and communicating accurate details in advance to all departments.
Proactively achieve consistently high Medallia scores through establishing a good rapport with the client, preparation work having been done accurately and being visible during the conference to ensure the client’s expectations have been met.
Generate high revenue yielding business for all contracted rooms, function space, and catered events.
Conduct pre- and post-conference meetings when it is agreeable with the client.
Ensure that all current and future client accounts are serviced in accordance with hotel standards.
Communicate with banquet managers for all related banquet functions and communicate client requests to relevant departments.
Ensure banquet event orders are accurate and provide all relevant information to departments concerned 15 days prior to event start time.
Adhere to selling policies as set forth by the Director of Sales and Marketing.
Remain available to hotel managers while on property.
Be aware of departmental revenue and upsell at every possible opportunity.
Participate in all regular and operational meetings as required.

Requirements

Flexible work hours include weekends and holidays to meet the demands of a 24-hour operation
Must have a minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in conference services, preferably as manager at a large convention hotel
Appropriate, professional appearance and presentation
Strong computer knowledge, with technical ability and/or aptitude to fully use Microsoft Word, Delphi, Excel, Outlook, and other management systems
Experience in citywide conferences required
Luxury or upper-upscale experience preferred
Exceptional attention to detail and ability to handle very large, complex, multifaceted conventions
Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
CMP or similar industry designation preferred