Conference Services Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

Located in beautiful downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, the Pan Pacific Vancouver is a luxurious Canadian iconic hotel towering over the Pacific Ocean with 23 stories of architectural beauty. The waterfront property eloquently boasts panoramic views of the Harbour Mountains, Stanley Park and the city skyline, like no other in the city. One of Vancouver’s leading hotels, the Pan Pacific Vancouver consists of 503 spacious guest rooms, over 42,000 square feet of event space, and offers a wide selection of modern hotel amenities including two waterfront restaurants. Catering exclusively to those who expect the best, our 75 Pacific Club guestrooms and suites are designed to ensure all your needs are met. In our Pacific Club Lounge, experience an oasis where associates recognize your name and remember those small details that make a difference.

We are currently recruiting for a driven sales and customer service individual to join our team as a Conference Service Manager. This opportunity will focus on delivering outstanding guest service and increasing financial profitability. The incumbent will be responsible for all needs of incoming groups ensuring that their stays are flawless. Selling the Hotel’s event facilities, food and beverage options the incumbent will ensure that the groups programs will be successful for the client and profitable for the hotel. Additionally this position will be responsible for managing guest room blocks and rooming lists to ensure accuracy and proper assignment of contracted concessions.

About You:

You are a focused sales individual with a can-do attitude. Your strong communication skills allow you to build solid relationships and your guest service skills allow you to close opportunities. You are driven to deliver a WOW product to our guests and continuously strive to exceed expectations. You are self-motivated and enjoy building connections with clients. Your experience and knowledge within the catering and events make you an ideal candidate for this position.

About Us:

We are an enthusiastic, driven and seasoned team who takes pride in what we do. We work hard and value a team approach to provide the best guest service. We not only create memories for our guests, but for our employees too, and have fun at various team building activities throughout the year. Pan Pacific Vancouver offers competitive compensation including a comprehensive benefits package and pension plan, hotel perks and a positive and enjoyable work environment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The key responsibilities of the Conference Service Manager include but are not limited to:

• Achieve all Catering goals as it relates to personal and team productivity and to meet the hotel budget.

• Create excellent guest and client relationship through attention to detail; follow through with a personalized touch, empathy for customer perceptions and needs and responds in a timely manner.

• Assumes total responsibility of finalizing small to large sized sales groups and creates excellent guest and client relationship through attention to detail; follow through with a personalized touch, empathy for customer perceptions and needs and responds in a timely manner.
• As the main hotel representative for your groups, you will proactively reach out and begin the planning process with clients.
• Proactively solicit and prospect new business, manage relationships with existing and lost business accounts, to meet/exceed revenue goals, and expand the Hotel’s client base through various mediums. This includes but is not limited to telephone solicitation, outside sales calls, tradeshows ad travel functions, site inspections, written communication, the web, and social media.
• Create detailed Banquet Event Orders and Group Resumes for events and groups to effectively communicate the expectations of the client.
• Act as the host for group while on site; introduce the Banquet Captain to the client at the beginning of each event and communicates to both clients and departments of any situations that occur.
• Uphold sales contracts and negotiate contract changes as required.

• Practice professional account qualification on a consistent basis (e.g., measure budget needs, date flexibility, space requirement, competitive information etc).

• Be resourceful in ensuring our client’s expectations are met. Work with the team to ensure programs run smoothly.

• Identify business trends and marketing opportunities that can improve hotel performance and short-term forecast in need periods.

COMPETENCY PROFILE

The successful candidate will be a committed, results-driven professional that has the ability to build strong relationships and can deliver on goals through skilled negotiations with new clients. This position will require the candidate to work independently and within a team environment and will be a strong communicator.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications and Technical Experience

• Minimum three (3) years of successful conference servicing, catering sales, or banquet experience at a managerial level in a Hospitality organization of comparable size with a proven track record of achieving revenue goals.
• A proven track record of excellent organizational skills and time management with an ability to multitask and meet deadlines in a high-pressure work environment is essential for this position.
• “Serving It Right” Certificate required.
• Experience in developing sales strategy and achieving revenue goals.
• Excellent oral & written business communication and interpersonal skills.
• Computer Skills - Demonstrated ability with regard to computer skills, including an intermediate level of Microsoft Office Suite, proficiency with e-mail, internet and database applications.Experience using hotel programs - Opera is an asset.
• Must have the flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required.