Conference Services Manager

Conference Services Coordinator

Manage, coordinate, and execute group assignments turned over by the Sales Department. Monitor all contractual agreements pertaining to guest room blocks, meeting space, food and beverage and special concessions. Effectively communicate to all hotel departments the information necessary to successfully execute the group's needs while maintaining a good client relationship. In addition, this position is responsible for Conference Services Coordinator duties as listed within this job description.

Essential Job Functions

1. Maintain strong client relations and ensure that conference specifications are communicated and executed for a successful meeting experience for the meeting planner and attendees.
2. Monitor and manage room blocks according to contract utilizing group history reports and information given by clients to maximize hotel revenue, making adjustments as necessary.
3. Review sales contracts as well as other important information, i.e., room block, cutoff date, special concessions and attrition clauses and validate with client via turnover letter.
4. Monitor and enforce program deadline dates and work with clients to release meeting space not needed to maximize hotel revenues.
5. Service conference and catering groups, as well as handle any resort wide special projects as assigned.
6. Produce and distribute conference resume two weeks prior to first day of main group arrival and communicate any changes and updated information to hotel departments.
7. Distribute BEOs for group and affiliates 10-14 days prior to events.
8. Accurately forecast group rooms and group food and beverage revenues for assigned groups and affiliate business within a 5% variance.
9. Check sleeping room and suite block, special room concessions and rates as outlined in contract with group reservations agents, as well as updating group reservations agents with any changes.
10. Participate in site visits and plan meetings for upcoming groups and potential affiliate business.
11. Verify credit information submitted in account management software system at point of turnover, to include estimated amount of billing, billing type, and appropriate contact and update information as necessary until departure.
12. Participate in Pre/Post-Conference meetings and review bill with client.
13. Responsible for overseeing the daily duties of the Conference Services Coordinator as listed within the job description.
14. Responsible for invoice generation and payment collection prior to groups arrival.
15. Ensure accuracy of Banquet Checks and provide bill review on completion of program or event.
16. Supervise the execution of banquet events.

In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to perform a combination of the following supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the manager based upon the particular requirements of the resort:

• Introduce and recommend house vendors as preferred vendors as determined with the revenue goal of the resort.
• Establish checklist trace dates using appropriate computer programs.
• Generate VIP, limousine and amenity forms as required.
• Maintain solid and open communication with all hotel operating departments.
• Maintain good working relations with preferred vendors of the hotel.
• Maintain up-to-date information on program and food and beverage events in hotel's inventory management system.
• Attend all department and hotel meetings as necessary.

Education/Experience

High School diploma or general education degree (GED); Bachelor's degree preferred.

At least one year of Sales and Conference Services experience preferred.

Prior experience of 2 or more years directly working with a hotel or resort within the conference services department.

Requirements

• Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace.
• Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process.
• Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Most tasks are performed independently or in a team environment with the employee acting as a team leader. There is minimal direct supervision.
• Extensive knowledge of food and beverage products, proper preparation and presentation of food and beverage items.
• Extensive knowledge of meeting room capacities, banquet set-up, audio-visual and any other pertinent details as they relate to function room set-up.
• Ability to assess/evaluate employees performance fairly.
• Ability to supervise, train and motivate multiple levels of managers and employees.
• Knowledge of hotel and competitive market.
• Must possess basic computational ability.
• Must possess computer skills, including, but not limited to, accounting programs, Microsoft Word, Excel and Delphi.
• Excellent inter-personal and sales-related skills.
• Exceptional organizational, supervisory skills.
• Exceptional food and beverage knowledge and pricing.
• May be required to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form; to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

• Most work tasks are performed indoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems.
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to 5 hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day. This includes traveling to and from meetings. Length of time of these tasks may vary from day to day and task to task.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously.
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs. occasionally.
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity.
• Talking and hearing occur continuously in the process of communicating with guests, supervisors and other employees.
• Vision occurs continuously with the most common visual functions being those of near vision and depth perception.
• Must have finger dexterity to be able to operate office equipment such as computers, printers, 10-key adding machine, electric typewriter, multi-line touch tone phone, filing cabinets, FAX machines, photocopiers, dolly and other office equipment as needed.

Work Environment

• Must be able to work effectively in a stressful environment, communicate with others, effectively deal with customers and accept constructive criticism from supervisors.
• Must be able to change activity frequently and cope with interruptions.