Director of Catering - Holiday Inn Gurnee Convention Center

The Director of Catering will solicit large catering functions from the following market segments SMERF, corporate, non-profit and social events.

Job Responsibilities: 

• Develop catering market segments and solicit new customer relationships while maintaining and growing existing relationships.
• Assist in the design and develop creative food and beverage menus to meet and exceed customer expectations.  
• Focus on meeting and exceeding catering sales revenues and operation budgets
• Prepare and present weekly and monthly detailed catering sales reports generated from Sales system and those required by General Manager and hotel Management Company.
• Conduct conference calls and external sales presentations to groups and prospective customers in order to solicit, explain, negotiate and secure catering business.
• Proficient at negotiation of prices and services that maximize hotel revenue and profitability.
• Selling, implementation and follow through of catering promotions on quarterly basis.
• Proven track record in catering sales demonstrated by achievement of sales revenue and activity goals on a consistent basis.
• Executes and supports the operational aspects of booked business (e.g. generating proposal, providing client with standard hotel contracts and professional customer correspondence.)
• Host and entertain clients to grow strong client relationships in order to gain multiple bookings.
• Monitors the effective resolution of guest issues that arise as a result of the sales process by creating mechanisms to channel issues to the property leadership and/or other appropriate stakeholders.
• Interacts effectively with sales, kitchen, outside vendors, competitors, local community, and other hotel departments in order to monitor guest satisfaction.
• Works to have a continued understanding of the hotel property’s producing catering market segments and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business and business issues and concerns to offer better business solutions both prior to and during the event.

Qualifications: 

• 5+ years hotel catering sales experience
• Experience in the hotel industry
• Proven track record of closing sales and exceeding budgeted catering revenue
• Must be flexible to work night and weekends dependent of events
• Must be available to work Tuesday through Saturday

Benefits: 

• Medical/Dental/Vision insurance coverage
• Competitive salary and bonus program
• 401k w/ corporate matching program.
• Short/Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Competitive Vacation package
• Paid Time off
• Paid Holidays
• Free employee parking
• Discounts at all branded hotels around the world

Please apply today to join the team!