CATERING MANAGER
Reports to: Director of Sales
WHO WE ARE
Hotels done differently. It's not just a slogan or catchphrase, it is who we are in everything we do. We believe in the power of People, Place + Character; ensuring our hotels are a place where individuals are valued and celebrated as a tribute to the neighborhoods and the people of the communities in which we operate; elevating our associates' pride in who they are, where they live and who we serve.
Surety Hotel is managed by Aparium Hotel Group which was founded in 2011. Since its founding, Aparium has grown into a new kind of hotel brand, one that ventures off the beaten path, both geographically and philosophically. It is a sophisticated hotel brand known for its singular ability to combine the business acumen of large hospitality companies with the charm of boutique hotels, bringing the disparate forces together in bustling, smaller markets.
THE ROLE
The Catering Manager reports to the Director of Sales. This role requires the tenacity to create memorable experiences and unique events within our event spaces. You will be deployed to support your hotels catering sales efforts by soliciting, negotiating, and confirming new and repeat business through various efforts (lead follow up, telemarketing, direct mail, referrals, internet prospecting, etc.) to maximize revenues to meet/exceed your individual revenue goals. If the demand is not there, you will use your creative mind to generate your own demand and help fill our space(s).
The Catering Manager will prepare and execute sales contracts, event orders and resumes to always ensure quality product delivery and customer satisfaction. The Senior Catering Manager will serve and assist in coordinating all function details with clients to include but not limited to space requirements, meeting times, equipment, menus, billing, etc.
You will quickly develop trusting relationships with clients, vendors, planners, and employees of the hotel. As a team member within Aparium Hotel Group you will work with a phenomenal group of peers who insist that you are collaborative, humble, experienced, and open-minded - no egos are allowed.
WHO YOU ARE
Your experiences have led you to understand that there is an art + science to the how and what a sales team member is responsible for; the passion to understand and support the direction of the business and the importance of knowing how people and clients drive the success of the company. You are an energetic, motivated self-starter with strong communication skills. You love problem solving and partnering with team members on how to fix the root causes of issues. You continually find ways to partner with your peers to identify how to improve the Sales team you are in.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Execute sales activities to achieve budgeted goals
- Assist in the annual budgeting plan
- Properly analyze business to ensure booking guidelines and parameters for proper function space to guestroom ratio is appropriate for hotel's best interests
- Aggressively build and maintain professional and active relationships with clients and parties and convention bureau managers recognizing these key sources as our primary lead generators
- Negotiate with clients and achieve maximum revenue/profit potential while satisfying clients' needs
- Communicate effectively with hotel stakeholders to ensure client's needs and expectations are satisfied
- Maintain files by proper and expedient client dialogue documentation, adherence to trace dates and maintaining files on active trace
- Support and plan special sales activities, promotions and client events
- Problem solve with other departments as needed to book business into the hotel e.g. salvaging of accounts threatening cancellation, groups that have outgrown confirmed space
- Prepare resumes for groups prior to group arrival
- Lead resume review meetings with applicable departments
- Conduct pre- and post-conference meetings as appropriate
- Enlist senior management and leverage relationships to interact with tentative or prospective clients in order to book business
- Enhance the hotel's community image by actively participating in associations, events, clubs and boards
- Stay ahead of hotel competition- their new developments, services and amenities to ensure competitive knowledge and strategy are current
- Assume active ownership of assigned sales territory and respond to specific market needs, initiates needed action and suggest to sales leadership any necessary actions
- Perform all responsibilities in a timely and efficient fashion, following established policy and projecting a favorable image of the hotel
- Discuss, support and innovate key service and product differentiators on an ongoing basis
- Comply with hotel standards for sales while working harmoniously and professionally with co-workers and Executive Committee
- Perform tasks and projects that support client schedules and sales revenue achievement such as assisting with telephone volume, walk-in site inspections, and evening and weekend appointments
- Excellent product knowledge of hotel facilities, capacities and room dimensions as well as to have same knowledge of competitive hotels
- Plan, attend and/or participate in meetings with hotel associates as well as pre-convention meetings
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum of three (3) years of hospitality Catering sales and servicing experience within a boutique or luxury hotel
- Delphi FDC system knowledge, preferred but not required
- Flexible in being present during events that occur in the evening or during weekends
- Bachelor's degree in related field of Hospitality Management or equivalent work experience
- Adaptable interpersonal skills to communication and address all employee levels of the hotel
- Professional proficiency of the English language in reading, writing and verbal communication
HOW YOU LEAD
- Engage others in general conversation tactics to build rapport quickly; leading and adapting communication and presentation tactics to engage your audience; displaying adaptable interpersonal skills for a wide range of audiences and clients
- Demonstrates business acumen and practices sound financial decisions by ensuring the actions and plans put into place support the achievement of Sales goals and budgets
- Approach fact-finding and discovery missions in a collaborative effort; valuing input and experiences of others that creates additional insight to uncover deeper issues that may need to be addressed or removed as a barrier to implementation.
- Value the importance of making decisions with integrity, maintaining confidentiality across internal workgroups, and knowing how to use discretion when appropriate; knows how to keep a secret by understanding the difference between transparency and confidentiality
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aparium Hospitality Services celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment for all employees to ensure they feel a sense of belonging. We do not discriminate and believe every individual should be proud of who they are, where they come from and take pride in who we serve.
Aparium Hotel Group
Apr 25, 2025 