Now Hiring - FAIRFIELD INN & SUITES MARRIOTT - Sales Manager (Catering) in Charlotte, NC

Job Purpose

The Beautiful Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Charlotte Uptown is seeking a successful Catering Sales Manager with preferred Marriott brand, Fosse and Delphi experience. The primary purpose of the Catering Sales Manager is to increase revenues and profits by increasing and generating catering sales and business (both social and corporate) through aggressive proactive sales efforts against assigned local, regional and national markets and / or clientele and to assist in assuring the overall success of the hotel by meeting or exceeding the company’s expectations for top line revenue.

Essential Job Functions

• Expectation to dedicate significant portion of time to direct telephone solicitation sales.
• New Business development for property, predominantly from Association Group Market.
• Meet or exceed assigned revenue goals; Rooms, F&B, Meeting Room Rental, Incremental.
• Represent AURO Hotels professionally to our clients/guests and business partners.
• Assure that all transactions with guests are handled in a legal, ethical manner.
• Providing prospects with complete and accurate information on hotel. Determine client needs and possible objections; provide persuasive arguments to close the sale. Negotiate rates to maximize revenues.
• Develop positive working relationships with existing clients by anticipating needs and acting promptly to rectify any problems; maintain frequent contact with established and prospective clients.
• Practice effective revenue/yield management to include wise negotiation and booking function space, focused solicitation during soft occupancy periods and effective rate and price negotiation.
• Consults with representatives of client group or organization to plan details such as number of persons expected, display space desired, and food service schedule. Have a comprehensive understanding of the property and its offerings.
• Notifies various department heads of arrangements made to ensure high level of service and guest satisfaction. Manage time effectively, maximize sales time, focus on priorities, and complete assigned reports and projects in a timely manner.
• Possess strong working knowledge of business development and sales techniques, catering and banquet operations, yield management, service standards and techniques, guest relations and etiquette, food and beverage, service ware and equipment, menu development and general hotel knowledge and practical ability to apply business knowledge in a hotel setting.
• Execute rate negotiations and pre‐qualification, issue contracts, and establishes files, process bookings and appropriate follow‐up correspondence with clients.
• Responsible for maintaining lost business report files and tracking tentative and definite business by market segments.
• Conducts FAM tours, site inspections and represents AURO Hotels at trade/consumer shows, presentations and other functions as designated.
• Responsible for group departure interview, follow up thank you letters with critique form and evaluation of suggestions to improve servicing of groups. Re‐solicit groups.
• Responsible for the maintenance of mailing list to be used in soliciting future business.  Maintain a strong knowledge of competition
• Meets assigned market segment's budgeted sales and profit margin by soliciting, selling, and confirming business as required
• Achieves budgeted goals by executing sales activities within assigned market segment
• Assists in the development of annual sales goals
• Assists in the completion of monthly booking report
• Ensures assigned area operates within cost constraints
• Prepares proposals with the Director of Sales that are geared to maximize profit while satisfying client needs
• Contacts in‐house customers to foster additional business, repeat bookings, or referrals to other AURO Hotels
• Maintains proper flow of information within the hotel by reviewing sales work file of assigned accounts
• Attends yield management and staff meetings in the absence of Director of Sales
• Achieves KSO's on a timely basis and prepares critiques every 6 months for Director of Sales
• Increases sales volume and profitability by assisting in developing and executing projects for assigned market areas as stated in the hotel marketing plan
• Insures maximum occupancy on a daily basis by performing follow‐ups on progress of groups booked with Front Office
• Participates in solving problems with other departments as required related to business booked in the hotel including space conflicts, threatened cancellations, and compromises between customer needs and hotel facilities
• Conducts market analysis to determine client needs, occupancy potential, rates desired, etc.
• Develops plans, special sales activities, and promotions
• Conducts effective associate meetings and counseling sessions
• Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties, work hours and/or responsibilities for this job at any time.

Experience/Education

College degree in Hotel Administration Preferred; 2‐3 years hotel Sales Manager/Supervisor experience or equivalent combination of education and experience in hotel of similar size and nature. Marriott brand, FOSSE and Delphi experience preferred.

Auro Hotels is an Equal Employment Opportunity and E-Verify Employer. All applicants are subject to background and substance abuse screening prior to any offer of employment.