Catering Sales Manager

Position Summary:

The Local Catering Sales Manager is responsible for proactively developing, soliciting and securing new local catering business, with emphasis on corporate events, weddings and social celebrations. The position builds qualified opportunities through outside sales calls, networking, relationship development, site inspections, proposals and effective negotiation, while achieving assigned catering revenue and profitability goals.

This role strengthens the hotel’s local catering base and drives repeat business through excellent client service, accurate contractual commitments and effective collaboration with Event Planning and Operations.

Essential Job Functions:

· Develop and execute a proactive local catering sales plan targeting corporate events, weddings and social celebrations.

· Conduct outside sales calls, networking, client appointments and site inspections to generate qualified new business.

· Build relationships with local businesses, executive assistants, HR and office managers, wedding planners, event professionals and community organizations.

• Solicit corporate receptions, holiday parties, employee appreciation events, weddings, rehearsal dinners, milestone celebrations and other local events.

• Maintain an active sales pipeline; document prospecting activity, proposals, follow-up, conversion, lost business and forecasted revenue.

• Respond promptly to inquiries, develop customized proposals, negotiate within approved parameters and secure signed agreements and required deposits.

· Increase profitable revenue through appropriate food, beverage, rental and event enhancements.

· Maintain current knowledge of competitor offerings, local demand, pricing and market trends.

• Document client requirements and contractual commitments accurately and ensure a timely, complete handoff to Event Planning and Operations.

· Coordinate with Event Planning, Culinary, Banquets, Food & Beverage and Finance to clarify contracted expectations and billing instructions.

· Respect approved event orders as contractual operating commitments; obtain Sales Manager and/or Event Planning Manager consent before changes to contracted details.

• Escalate operational concerns first to the responsible Operations manager; involve Sales or Event Planning when contractual, commercial or significant client relationship issues arise.

• Monitor definite revenue, booking pace, conversion and performance against assigned catering goals.

• Attend sales meetings, represent the hotel at industry events, follow hotel standards and perform related duties as assigned.

Demonstrated prospecting, negotiation, presentation and closing skills, including telephone and in-person selling.

· Excellent written and verbal communication; accurate proposals, contracts and client records.

· Strong organization, judgment, confidentiality and ability to manage competing deadlines.

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office and hotel sales/catering systems; experience with Envision or comparable systems preferred.

· Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings, weekends and holidays as business needs require.

· Professional client service and relationship management.

· Understanding of catering revenue, pricing and profitability.

· Ability to collaborate effectively across hotel departments.

· Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays

Supportive Job Functions:

Help position the hotel as a preferred Orange County venue for corporate events, weddings and social celebrations.

· Contribute ideas to differentiate the hotel’s event offerings and strengthen its market position.

· Support higher-rated local catering business through value-based selling and thoughtful enhancements.

· Support growth of higher-rated local catering events with emphasis on corporate events and weddings

Build long-term relationships with clients, planners, referral partners and internal stakeholders.

· Generate repeat business and referrals through proactive communication and follow-up.

· Capture post-event feedback, send appropriate thank-you communications and support meeting planner surveys.

· Support the hotel’s 90% meeting planner satisfaction objective through coordinated service delivery.

· Assist with client logistics questions through the Event Planning team; do not assume primary event execution responsibilities.

· Assist customers with event setup and logistics

Qualification Standards:

EDUCATION

Four-year college degree in hospitality, business, marketing, communications or a related field preferred.

Four-year college degree preferred, preferably with hospitality, communications or sales and marketing focus

EXPERIENCE

· Minimum three (3) years of hotel catering sales experience, preferably in a full-service hotel, with demonstrated success generating and closing corporate, wedding and/or social catering business.

· Orange County market relationships and Hyatt experience preferred.

· Envision or comparable sales and catering CRM experience preferred.

· OPERA or comparable hotel property-management experience a plus.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office and relevant sales systems required.

· Freedom Pay

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Frequency Key: Never – 0 hours; Rare – up to 1 hour; Occasional – 1-3 hours; Frequent – 3-6 Hours; Constant – 6-8 hours

Physical Activity Occasional

Sitting Frequent

Walking Occasional

Climbing stairs Never

Standing Frequent

Crouching/Bending/Stooping Rare

Reaching Occasional

Grasping Occasional

Pushing/Pulling Rare

Near Vision Constant

Far Vision Constant

Hearing Constant

Talking Constant

Smell Frequent

Taste Rare

Lifting/Carrying (# lbs.) Rare

Travel Rare

OTHER DUTIES

Assimilate into the Hyatt culture through understanding, supporting and participating in all elements of the 6 core values of Hyatt: Empathy, Experimentation, Inclusion, Integrity, Respect, and Wellbeing. Demonstrate working knowledge of the service standards.

I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE POSITION DESCRIPTION INFORMATION AND HEREBY STATE THAT I CAN PERFORM THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB WITH OR WITHOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.