Director of Sales & Marketing - Rubenstein Forum at The University of Chicago (Chicago)

Company: Benchmark Hospitality
Location: Cicero
Posted on: December 4, 2019

Job Description:

Job Description:
QUALIFICATIONS: EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, & WORK EXPERIENCE
* Extensive knowledge of sales, marketing and revenue management
* Conference and food & beverage experience
* Experience with the University of Chicago or another university a plus
* Ability to analyze data and establish appropriate sales strategies
* Bachelors degree with experience preferred
* Minimum five to seven years of sales and marketing leadership in similar sized operation preferred
* Excellent written and oral communication skills
* Supervisory and personnel management experience required
* Assertive, outgoing and self-motivating individual with pleasant personality
* Demonstrated skills in supervising and building a team high performing sales team
* Hotel industry work experience, demonstrating progressive career growth and a pattern of exceptional performance
* Must have valid driver license and ability to travel
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Be the Difference:
* Understand all aspects of Benchmark's Be the Difference culture
* Set the example
* Lead and inspire all employees to Be the Difference
* Hold each team accountable for delivering the experience
Leadership:
* Know the business
* Set a positive direction
* Build an outstanding team by employing the best talent
* Uphold philosophy and values of owner and Benchmark
* Lead and inspire all employees to work to their highest capabilities to achieve the highest possible standards
* Hold team accountable for results
* Provides day to day leadership to sales associates to achieve property sales objectives with overall responsibility for achieving booking goals and property revenues
Sales & Revenue Management:
* Develop rates, group ceilings and deployment strategies through review of competitive data, demand analysis and mix management
* Negotiate local hotel agreements and maintain positive relationships with the local hotel community.
* Analyze and estimate total value of each piece of business and negotiate best situation for achieving optimum revenue while ensuring excellent customer service
* Develop and execute the marketing plan to uncover new and potential business
* Actively participates in the sales account management process
* Direct the solicitation efforts of the sales staff through effective oral and written communication while overseeing rate, date and space commitments for sales within the conference center
* Coordinate ongoing research of the travel industry to detect market trends and related information for development of new marketing strategies.
* Collaborate with other UChicago venue managers to optimize sales and marketing opportunities across facilities
* Researches competitor's sales team strategies to identify ways to grow occupancy and increase market share
* Conduct sales strategy meetings to provide input on weekly and overall sales strategy
* Identify public relations opportunities and coordinates activities to augment the overall marketing communication strategy
* Implement the strategy and applicable initiatives in all aspects of the sales process and focuses on building long-term, value-based customer relationships that enable achievement of the property sales objectives
Budgeting & Forecasting:
* Ensure accuracy for forecasting of revenues with most updated information
* Maintains successful performance by increasing revenues, controlling expenses and providing a return on investment for the owner
* Achieve and exceed revenue goals annually
* Manages the marketing budget to enable development of property specific campaigns, promotions and collateral to drive revenue and meet property objectives
University Client Relations:
* Professionally represent The Forum in community and industry organizations and events
* Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with similar university venues and local hotels
Employee Development:
* Conduct one-on-one meetings with employees to provide direction and constructive feedback
* Utilize employee feedback to improve performance and engagement
* Communicate clearly with all employees and keep them informed of important matters
* Develop creative recruiting strategies and tactics to attract top talent
* Create employee development and succession plans
* Stimulate self -development programs for all employees and provide opportunity for growth
* Ensure that quarterly Career Conversations and First Impression touch-points are being conducted on-time consistently and effectively
Event Planning:
* Assist with managing, training and counseling conference services staff.
* Assist with coordination and execution of group assignments after contracts are signed
* Serve as a facilitator to assist Event Planning team with client issues and communication.
* Maintain clean system management, such as Delphi, to record historical group data and report efficiently through event orders to all operating departments
* Create operational standards for group guidelines for efficient planning
* Ensure planning team adheres to appropriate timelines of group detailing and forecasting to operators
Operational Excellence:
* Implement and support program to enhance product and service at a AAA four/five diamond level
* Direct programs for training and development of the management employee staff so that all areas of the operation are supervised properly and are geared to perform at the highest level
* Direct the overall activities of the management team so that quality food, beverage, conference services, and other services of the property are consistently provided
* Utilize guest feedback to continuously improve performance
* Identify meaningful achievement goals. Provide standards to measure performance. Review periodically
* Institute a program of regular inspections to see that standards are maintained
* Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs
MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:
* Respond to any reasonable task assigned by General Manager
* Assist in the sales calls, cold calls or in whatever capacity needed
ENVIRONMENT:
Indoors, dimly lit, carpeted, climate-controlled environment. Hard kitchen floors with occasional slippery or greasy areas. Outdoors, cement surfaces, with exposure to outdoor climate and elements.

Keywords: Benchmark Hospitality, Cicero , Director of Sales & Marketing - Rubenstein Forum at The University of Chicago (Chicago), Sales , Cicero, Illinois