Director - Banquets, Conferencing & Convention Sales

Elior Group

Position Summary

The Director of Banquets, Conferencing & Convention Sales is a strategic sales leader responsible for maximizing the venue's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), wedding, and social event revenue. This role involves developing and implementing comprehensive sales strategies, building strong client relationships, and overseeing the seamless coordination between the sales team and the operations department to ensure exceptional event delivery and guest satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Sales Strategy & Revenue Generation:

  Develop and execute sales plans to achieve and exceed banquet, conferencing, and convention revenue targets. Identify new business opportunities across various segments (corporate, social, weddings).

• Client Relationship Management:

  Build and maintain strong, long-lasting relationships with key clients, corporate partners, professional event organizers, and wedding planners. Conduct site inspections, presentations, and negotiations to secure high-value contracts.

• Team Leadership & Management:

  Lead, mentor, train, and manage the banquet and event sales team to ensure high performance and professional development. Foster a collaborative environment between sales and operational teams.

• Financial Oversight:

  Prepare annual budgets, forecast sales performance, monitor market trends and competitor activity to optimize pricing and packages, and manage departmental costs to ensure profitability.

• Event Coordination:

  Oversee the entire sales cycle from initial inquiry to post-event follow-up. Ensure all event details, known as Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), are accurately prepared and communicated to relevant departments (F&B, culinary, AV, security) for seamless execution.

• Compliance & Standards:

  Ensure all events adhere to health, safety, and hygiene standards (such as HACCP) and comply with local laws and regulations.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Education:

  A Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field is often preferred, though extensive practical experience is paramount.

• Experience:

  A minimum of 15+ of experience in hotel & resort sales, with a significant portion in a leadership role focused on banquets, events, and convention sales.

• Skills:

• Strong B2B sales, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent leadership, team management, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency in event management software (e.g., Delphi, Caterease, Salesforce) and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a customer-centric mindset.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple events simultaneously, and adapt to last-minute changes.

This role demands a dynamic professional who can balance strategic planning with hands-on operational oversight to drive business growth in a competitive market.