We are seeking a dynamic Conference and Events Sales professional to join our pre-opening team of dedicated professionals at Crowne Plaza Melbourne Carlton.
Job Description
The Conference and Events Sales Executive will play a critical role in driving revenue through the development and implementation of strategies, building strong business partnerships, and securing business for the hotel. The successful candidate will be responsible for maximising reactive sales opportunities, planning and executing events, and implementing sales and marketing strategies.
Key responsibilities include:
* Undertaking daily sales activities, planning and undertaking work, and working proactively with hotel and cluster hotel colleagues to ensure hotel revenue goals are achieved.
* Championing a great working environment for teams to thrive – connecting departments to create a sense of one team.
* Interacting with outside contacts: guests, vendors, and other contacts as needed.
* Developing and maintaining great working relationships with key clients and outside contacts to increase revenue.
* Hitting all personal/team sales goals and maximising profitability.
* Assisting in the preparation of budgets and financial plans, including the hotel marketing plan.
* Implementing sales plans that drive measurable incremental occupancy, increase average rates, increase volume, food and beverage, and banquet sales.
* Assisting in the production of monthly reports and sales forecasts to analyse current/potential market and sales trends, coordinate activities to increase revenue and market share, and monitor performance to ensure actual sales meet or exceed established revenue plan.
* Helping create and develop special events and sales campaigns to showcase the hotel to potential clients. Attending trade shows, industry events, and major market events locally and nationally to promote new business and increase sales and marketing opportunities for the hotel.
* Building and maintaining a list of prospect clients. Contacting prospects with the goal of showcasing the hotel, contracting business, and ensuring work translates into room nights at the hotel.
Guest Experience
The Conference and Events Sales Executive will provide guests with information to enhance their experience, coordinate scheduling of conferencing and/or group accommodation at the hotel, and communicate to appropriate departments all pertinent information requirements and special needs for arriving VIP's, large groups, and other key guests.
Responsibilities include:
* Providing guests with information (e.g. loyalty programmes, area attractions, restaurants, facility information) to enhance guest experience.
* Coordinating scheduling of conferencing and/or group accommodation at the hotel and coordinating with other departments to deliver services and events.
* Communicating to appropriate departments all pertinent information requirements and special needs for arriving VIP's, large groups, and other key guests.
Responsible Business
The Conference and Events Sales Executive will work closely with key business leaders, officials, and representatives of local community groups within the city to ensure constant high-profile exposure for the hotel. Responsibilities include:
* Working closely with key business leaders, officials, and representatives of local community groups within the city to ensure constant high-profile exposure for the hotel.
* Effectively communicating and marketing aspects of the hotel that are sustainable or 'green' and using information to gain new business opportunities.
* Working with advertising agencies, consulting firms, and vendors to maximise advertising investments and ensure ads represent brand identity.
* Raising the awareness and reputation of your hotel and the brand locally – occasionally acting as hotel representative for media-related enquiries.
* Identifying improvements to marketing activities and overall hotel sales performance and working with other departments.
* Ad-hoc duties – unexpected moments when we have to pull together to get a task done.
Accountability
This role has considerable autonomy reporting directly to the Business Development Director. You will work closely with the broader Hotel and Owners Group - Sales and Marketing Team and other departments to ensure a harmonious and productive working environment.
What We Need From You
To be successful in this role, you will require:
* A Bachelor's degree/higher education qualification/equivalent in business development or related field.
* Previous experience in a hospitality or hotel business development sales and marketing setting.
* Strong knowledge of local businesses and business trends.
* Sound IT skills.
How Do I Deliver This?
At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we genuinely care about people and show this through living out our promise of True Hospitality each and every day. It's what connects every colleague in all IHG hotels. Each IHG hotel brand delivers True Hospitality in their own way, and at the heart of it all are specific, core service skills.
* True Attitude: being caring, wanting to make a positive difference, and building genuine connections with guests.
* True Confidence: having the knowledge and skills to perform your role, and giving guests the confidence that they can trust you, to help and support them during their stay.
* True Listening: focusing on what your guest is saying, picking up on body language that is often overlooked, and understanding what the guest wants and needs.
* True Responsiveness: providing guests with what they need, and doing so in a timely and caring manner.
What We Offer
We'll reward all your hard work with a great salary and benefits – including great worldwide accommodation discounts and superb training.
Join us and you'll become part of the global IHG family – and like all families, all our individual team members share some winning characteristics. As a team, we work better together – we trust and support each other, we do the right thing, and we welcome different perspectives.
At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to an individual's race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or familial status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.