At least two years of experience in luxury hotels.
Strong leadership and analytical skills.
Ability to adapt quickly to a constantly changing market while positively affecting revenue.
Proactive approach to achieving event and group revenue goals.
Relevant experience in event and group management.
Responsibilities
Assist the Groups and Events Sales Team with concentrated sales efforts and provide assistance to other professional sales team members when requested.
Assist the Director of Groups and Events with department management, especially in the Director's absence.
Attend meetings and client events in place of the Director of Groups and Events when needed.
Direct the receipt, qualification, and coordination of event and group requests, including leads and requests for proposals, as defined by the direct supervisor.
Handle requests according to relevant standards within five business hours of receipt.
Apply the Kempinski meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions standard operating procedures from group enquiry through contracting.
Ensure effective utilization of meeting and conference rooms.
Conduct site inspections with potential meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions clients in coordination with the Field Sales department.
Identify upselling opportunities to meet and exceed group and event budget goals.
Input, supervise, and maintain requests in the Opera Sales and Catering system according to data input standards.
Create activities to maintain bookings on an ongoing basis.
Prepare proposals and contracts.
Follow up on proposals within 24 hours (one working day) to confirm receipt and clarify questions or issues.
Handle enquiries through conversion to definite bookings, including negotiation, contracting, and pre-booking site inspections, then hand them over to the Event Manager or Groups and Events Coordinator.
Hand over converted business to the Event Manager or Groups and Events Coordinator with all relevant information.
Introduce the Event Manager or Groups and Events Coordinator to the client.
Conduct exit interviews with important customers after their events to pursue future business.
Cross-sell to other hotels within the Kempinski Group and Global Hotel Alliance.
Conduct regular competition checks.
Review monthly results and forecasts and recommend and execute activities to increase hotel market share and maximize revenue.
Maintain LOS/CAN and UNC business.
Perform further administrative tasks and other duties assigned by management.
Desired Qualifications
Previous experience in groups and events management, reservations, or sales is preferred.
Hotel operations experience is a plus.
Responsibility for assisting the concentrated sales efforts of the Groups and Events Sales Team and to extend that assistance to other professional sales team members when requested.
Assist the Director of Groups and Events in the Management of the Department especially in the absence of the Director of Groups and Events.
Attend meetings and client events in the absence of and / or instead of the Director of Groups and Events.
Direct receipt, qualification and coordination of event & group requests (incl. leads, RFPs, etc.) defined by her/his direct supervisor.
Handle requests according to the relevant standards within a maximum of five (business) hours of its receipt.
Apply the Kempinski MICE SOP’s from Group Enquiry to Contracting.
Ensure the ideal and most effective utilization of the Meeting and Conference Rooms.
Carry out site inspections with potential MICE clients in coordination with the Field Sales department.
Realize up sell possibilities to meet and surpass Group & Event budget goals.
Thoroughly input, supervise and maintain the requests in the Opera S&C System according to the data input standards.
Create activities to ensure ongoing maintenance of bookings.
Generate proper proposals and contracts.
Follow up on sent out proposals within 24 hours (1 working day) to ensure the client has received the information and to clarify possible questions and issues.
Handle the enquiries until conversion to definite bookings including negotiation, contracting, and site inspection before handing over to the Event Manager (or to the Groups & Events Coordinator).
Ensure a proper handover of the converted business to the Event Manager / Groups & Events Coordinator with all relevant information forwarded.
Introduce the Event Manager / Groups & Events Coordinator to the client.
Conduct Exit Interviews with important customer after their event – asking for future business.
Cross-sell to other hotels within the Kempinski Group (and GHA).
Regular competition checks.
Review monthly results and forecasts to recommend and execute activities required to ensure the hotel increases the market share and maximizes its revenue.
Properly maintain LOS/CAN and UNC business.
Further administrative tasks and other possible assigned duties.
Perform any other duties as assigned to them by management.
EXPERIENCE: Previous experience of minimum two (2) years in luxury hotels is required. Previous experience in Groups & Events management, Reservations or Sales preferred.
COMPETENCIES: To fill this position the candidate must have:
Strong leadership and analytical skills
Ability to quickly adapt to a constantly changing market with a revenue positive effect
Be proactive in achieving Event & Group revenue goals
Relevant experience in Event & Group management. Hotel Operations experience a plus
Analytical approach to problem solving and demonstrated ability to “think out-side of the box”