Associate Director of Catering Sales

at Loews Hotels Inc in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Associate Director of Catering Sales
Experience the Windy City from the heart of it all. Loews Chicago Hotel, situated steps from Navy Pier and Magnificent Mile, offers guests spectacular city skyline and lake views, while enjoying the comforts of home. Welcome to City Sophistication where convenience and relaxation meet.

Who We Are: Loews Hotels & Co is a leading owner and operator of luxury hotels with a portfolio consisting of 26 hotels and resorts in the United States and Canada. Located in major city centers and resort destinations from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards and embrace their uniquely local community in order to curate exciting, approachable and local travel experiences for guests.

What Were Looking For: Loews Hotels & Co seeks an experienced Associate Director of Catering. This role is a highly visible, senior level role that is not only responsible for booking and servicing Catering business in order to meet revenue goals but also help to develop strategies to grow Catering business.

Who You Are:
A Catering champion with a passion and expertise for relationship building and driving results
An entrepreneur at heart who excels in an exciting, ever-evolving environment
Forward thinker who finds excitement in strategic thinking and planning
Effective communicator who is comfortable with taking the lead in a variety of settings

What Youll Be Doing:
Promptly reply to incoming leads
Personally prospect and sell local Catering business and coordinate the sales efforts of all Catering Sales Managers
Participate in daily business review meeting, pre-convention meetings, training and other catering sales related meetings as required
Develop a customized Site Visit experience to support in converting business
Plan, coordinate and service all booked Catering events
Collaborate with the Executive Chef to create unique and tailored menus for each event along with Wedding Packages, etc.
Partner with Director of Meetings & Events on training for all Catering Managers
Partner with Director of Meetings & Events to develop annual Catering Sales strategy to retain and grow Catering business which may include special promotions to grow specific segments, sales blitzes, etc.
Host, or participate, in local events to attract new business
Analyze Catering sales performance and financial results to further refine the hotels Catering sales strategy
Work with the Loews Hotels Brand team and Corporate Catering Director to develop creative Sales and Marketing opportunities
Execute catering sales agreements, oversee client tastings, menu details, function set-ups as well as billing arrangements and communicate all pertinent details to the operational departments
Research the competitive catering environment to define potential sources of Catering business and to determine strengths and weaknesses of competitors
Partners with Brand and PR Team to maintain and optimize 3rd party website presence
Assist Director of Meetings & Events with research and preparation of yearly Catering budget
Assist Catering Managers in setting annual personal objectives and goals
Support Catering Managers in achieving personal objectives and goals
Block space effectively in Delphi to maximize potential revenues, following business review and space release policies on property
Distribute all necessary documents, including Banquet Event Orders and resumes, to all appropriate hotel departments to facilitate efficient operations
Accurately forecast groups anticipated revenue spend
Schedules and coordinates pre-convention and post-convention meetings when required
Discuss groups plans for future events, encouraging rebooking
Responsible for soliciting clients for feedback on Meeting Planner Survey and developing a plan to increase return of Surveys
Partners with Financial Service Center to ensure all aspects of credit and billing process are fulfilled
Attend all meetings as appropriate: Staff, Department, Resume Review and BEO Meeting, etc.
Works on special projects as assigned by Director of Meetings and Events
All other duties as assigned

Your Experience Includes:
Minimum five years Catering Sales experience in a full-service hotel environment with proven success
Certified Meeting Planner, Certified Professional in Catering and Events, or similar Designation strongly preferred
Extensive knowledge of all hotel support departments
Delphi experience preferred
Diagram Writing Software experience, such as Social Tables, preferred
Property Management System knowledge... For full info follow application link.

Loews Hotels & Co is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse and inclusive work culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, national origin, protected veteran status or any other basis protected under federal, state, or local law.