Senior Meeting & Events Manager

Job Description

The Role

• The Senior Meeting & Events Manager is responsible for proactively driving Meetings & Events business to the hotel through new business acquisition, development of existing accounts and conversion of MICE opportunities.
• The role has a strong focus on external sales activity, account development and lead generation, with the objective of maximizing Meetings & Events revenue, group room nights and Food & Beverage contribution.

Key Deliverables and Responsibilities

Planning & Organizing:

• Proactively identifies, targets and develops new Meetings & Events business opportunities for the hotel.
• Develops business from corporate accounts, government entities, DMCs, PCOs, event agencies, associations and other potential MICE partners.
• Conducts regular external sales calls, client appointments, sales blitzes, networking activities and client entertainment to generate new MICE opportunities.
• Develops and maintains a qualified pipeline of prospect, tentative and definite MICE business and ensures consistent follow-up to maximize conversion.
• Identifies new prospect accounts and prepares individual account action plans with clear revenue potential and conversion objectives.
• Proactively targets business for hotel need periods and low-demand dates in coordination with the Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing and Revenue team
• Assess group business to maximize contribution from available public space, generating room revenues whilst achieving Meetings and Events budgets
• Yields all leads prior to the offer letter being sent out, in terms of, venue assigned or rates offered – especially in an area set up, and seeks the required approval to take the booking
• Ensures that Sales and Catering PMS is well managed, maintained and updated as per company policy & standards
• Supervision and communication with Meetings and Events Operations during events and assuring guest satisfaction throughout the event.

Operations

• Maintains a sales call pattern averaging 25 calls a week.
• Minimum two accounts entertainment per week.
• Establishes and maintains histories on every account with his/her market segments.
• Seeks intelligence information from accounts and competition.
• Interacts and liaise closely with Front Office, Reservations, Food & Beverage, and Banquet & Conference Departments.
• Assist with Sales Blitz, coordinated by the Asst. Director of Sales.
• Solicits and service both Corporate and Groups business
• Arranges site inspections of hotel.
• Where applicable, closely coordinate and communicate with the international sales office with regards to RFP accounts/markets that are serviced by Outbound Sales
• Maximizes up selling opportunities whenever possible.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in Hospitality Management, Hotel Management, Business Administration, Event Management, Marketing, or a related field.
• Professional certifications in Event Management or Hospitality Management are an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in Meetings & Events, Conference & Banqueting, Event Management, or Sales within the hospitality industry in Dubai, U.A.E.
• At least 1-2 years in a supervisory or management role preferred.
• Experience in a 4-star or 5-star hotel environment is highly desirable.
• Proven track record of successfully planning and executing corporate events, conferences, weddings, and social functions.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of banquet and event operations.
• Experience with hotel PMS, sales and catering systems (Opera Cloud, Anis, Cvent, Passk, or similar platforms).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Ability to prepare event proposals, contracts, budgets, and forecasts.

Key Competencies

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Excellent negotiation and sales skills.
• Ability to manage multiple events simultaneously and work under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
• Leadership and team management capabilities.
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences.
• Financial awareness with the ability to manage budgets and maximize revenue.

Additional Information

Language Requirements

• Fluent in English (written and spoken).
• Additional languages such as Arabic, Russian, German, French, or other international languages are an advantage.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.