Job Description

Event Manager

Reports to: Director of Sales and Catering

Department: Sales

The Forester Hotel is the natural selection for modern comfort and evolutionary service. Founded on the motto of "Love of Science and Nature", the city of Lake Forest has always been at the crossroads of preservation and progress with its open lands backing up to office parks and the cobblestone streets of historic Market Square leading to Starbucks and Williams Sonoma. We're blazing new trails with boutique offerings including an upscale bistro + bar and over 4,500 square feet of flexible event space.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package
• Full benefits package, including 401K and paid time off
• Professional development
• Hotel discounts at locations worldwide

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Represents the hotel to customers in the role of executing on negotiated sales agreements
• Negotiation of pricing and terms and conditions of products, labor and services not specifically articulated in negotiated sales agreements.
• Up-sells products and services throughout the event planning process.
• Proactively identifies operational challenges associated with his/her group and works with the property staff and customer to solve these challenges and/or develop alternative solutions.
• Produce and distribute formal hotel communication such as EOs, Resumes, etc. on a regular basis and within agreed upon internal deadlines.
• Attend banquet event order (EO) meetings on a regular schedule and directs operations teams in the execution of EO's.
• Works closely with the Banquet Manager and Banquet Captains to ensure and maintain levels of service.
• Monitors use and planning of function space to maximize usage and revenues.
• Communicate guest room, meeting and event logistics to respective departments and team members and delegate tasks where appropriate.
• Uses independent judgment to forecast group sleeping rooms and event revenue (catering and audio-visual) for his/her groups.
• Reviews billing with clients and ensures timely collection of all outstanding balances.
• Greets customers at the start of every event. Make proper introduction and hand-off with the Event Operations team for the execution of details.
• Monitor and enforce contractual deadline and obligations.
• Directs customer relationships in a proactive manner relative to payment structure, room block management, food and beverage, incremental and affiliate revenue streams, performance damages and master billing process.
• Ability to handle multiple customer and operational demands with a high degree of professionalism, operating often with time sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to operate independently and with a high degree of autonomy requiring excellent organization, time management skills and self-motivation.
• Participates in customer site inspections and appointments as necessary.
• Collaborates with the Director of Sales (DOS) to support the hotel's overall sales strategy and planning by providing valuable research and informed insights.
• Consistently achieve and surpass revenue-driven upsell sales targets by utilizing a profitable, solution-oriented sales approach that benefits both the company and the client
• Lifting of supplies occurs occasionally, usually not more than 10 lbs. but may be up to 50 lbs.
• Able to stand and walk 40% of the workday.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Strong and effective organizational skills.
• Highly developed customer service skills.
• Effective business writing and presentation skills.
• Reliable transportation and ability to make outside sales calls.

Education and/or Experience

• Experience in a hotel is preferred with a proven track record of success.
• A degree in Hospitality Management is desirable.
• Hyatt operating system experience preferred but not required, such as Opera, Envision, and PrO.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) designation a plus, but not required

Hours

Due to the business demands of the hospitality industry, and the fact that the hotel provides guest services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, work schedules will vary according to business needs, including some weekends and night shifts.

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