Convention Services Manager

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate's portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition. Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry's most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

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Follow your passion all the way to paradise at TradeWinds Resort, a consistently rated Tampa Bay Times Top Workplace! TradeWinds features two destination resorts just 200 flip flops from one another along the gorgeous Gulf Coast on St. Pete Beach.

Manage, coordinate, and execute group assignments turned over by the Sales Department. Monitor all contractual agreements pertaining to guest room blocks, meeting space, food and beverage and special concessions. Effectively communicate to all hotel departments the information necessary to successfully execute the group's needs while maintaining a good client relationship.

Maintain strong client relations and ensure that conference specifications are communicated and executed for a successful meeting experience for the meeting planner and attendees
• Monitor and manage room blocks according to contract utilizing group history reports and information given by clients to maximize hotel revenue, making adjustments as necessary
• Review sales contracts as well as other important information, i.e., room block, cutoff date, special concessions and attrition clauses and validate with client via turnover letter
• Monitor and enforce program deadline dates and work with clients to release meeting space not needed to maximize hotel revenues
• Service conference and catering groups, as well as handle any resort wide special projects as assigned.
• Produce and distribute conference resume two weeks prior to first day of main group arrival and communicate any changes and updated information to hotel departments
• Distribute BEOs and resumes for group 1014 days prior to events
• Check function room set ups prior to guest arrival, ensuring all details are in agreement with client's requirements and hotel standards. Ensure deficiencies are corrected by appropriate personnel
• Welcome group contact upon arrival at function and ensure guest satisfaction
  Follow up with clients regularly during and after departure to ensure satisfaction and secure future bookings
• Accurately forecast group food and beverage revenues for assigned groups
• Participate in site visits and plan meetings for incoming groups
• Prepare estimated invoices of all master account charges for group pre-payment
• Participate in Pre/PostConference meetings and review bill with client
• Responsible for overseeing the daily duties of the Conference Services Coordinator as listed within the job description
• Promote teamwork and quality service through daily communication and coordination with other departments. Key departmental contacts include all hotel departments

• Degree in Hospitality Management, Event Planning, or related field
• Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation preferred
• Minimum of two years of Conference Services experience required

Requirements

• Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language(s) used in the workplace
• Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process
• Requires good communication skills, both verbal and written
• Most tasks are performed independently or in a team environment
• Extensive knowledge of food and beverage products, proper preparation and presentation of food and beverage items
• Extensive knowledge of meeting room capacities, banquet set-up, audio-visual and any other pertinent details as they relate to function room set-up
• Knowledge of hotel and competitive market
• Must possess basic computational ability
• Must possess computer skills, including, but not limited to, accounting programs, Microsoft Office, Delphi, Opera, and Social Tables
• Excellent inter-personal and sales-related skills
• Exceptional organizational skills
• Must possess conflict resolution skills
  
  

Physical Demands

• Most work tasks are performed indoors and outdoors
• Must be able to sit at a desk for up to 5 hours per day. Walking and standing are required the rest of the working day
• Must be able to exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously
• Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs. occasionally
• Requires grasping, writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, listening and hearing ability and visual acuity