Director, Event Planning

Position Overview

The Director of Event Planning manages event planning functions and staff on a daily basis. Core area of responsibility is the event planning team, including management and direct supervision of event staff. Position oversees the administrative processes associated with the pre-event and post-event phases of an event and the associated transitions between all event phases. Ensures a seamless turnover from sales to operations and back to sales while consistently delivering a high level of service. Ensures the team maximizes revenue opportunities by up selling and accurately forecasting (catering and group rooms) all events. The position is responsible for achieving guest and employee satisfaction and for managing the financial performance of the department.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Assigns all events turned over to Event Planning team.
• Oversees for turned opportunities’ function space and group room blocks.

• Communicates and executes departmental and property emergency procedures and ensures staff are trained in safety procedures.
• Leads execution of activities to support the Event Management strategy.
• Works with direct reports to review scheduled events and troubleshoot potential challenges/conflicts.
• Leads discussions to review event complexity and proactively avoid service challenges and failures.
• Ensures the property is apprised of all groups that will impact property operations.

• Manages customer budgets to maximize revenue and meet customer needs.
• Maintains inventories to maximize customer satisfaction and revenue opportunities.
• Works with highly complex or high-profile groups when financial impact will be significant.
• Leads the catering menu development process.
• Champions all standards, policies, and procedures for the Event Planning team.

• Leads Event Management meetings.
• Reviews comment cards, guest satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement.
• Shares plans with property leadership and ensures corrective action is taken to continuously improve guest satisfaction.
• Displays leadership in guest hospitality, exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.

• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Strives to improve service performance.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Develops working relationships with outside vendors and establishes prices and service agreements to enhance the event experience and to increase additional revenue opportunities for the property.
• Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.

• Establishes customer service guidelines so employees understand expectations and parameters.
• Ensures employees receive on-going training to understand guest expectations.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and or managers.
• Reviews staffing levels to ensure that guest service and planning needs are met.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management, Hospitality, Business, or a related field preferred.
• At least 4 years of related experience required.
• Knowledge of accounting systems preferred.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• High level of customer service.
• Ability to focus on details and resolve numerical problems.
• Ability to work independently (and in a team).

Work Conditions & Physical Demands

• Work is performed indoors and outdoors in a commercial setting with regular exposure to cold, heat, noise, people, and equipment.

• Able to work independently or as a team member and support managers with special projects.
• Strong collaboration skills – works well across functional areas—excellent relationship-building skills; able to collaborate with various levels of the organization.
• The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear, and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift or move up to 80 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Values We Seek

• Respect: Respect is shown by demonstrating a sense of self-awareness and reflecting on one's own words and actions to adapt, grow, and succeed. We embrace our differences while recognizing what brings us together.
• Collaboration: Collaboration begins with strengthening our relationships with our residents, owners, partners, and employees, relying on strong communication and a deep understanding of the values and needs of all those involved.
• Service-Focused: Understand what internal and external stakeholders value and anticipate their needs; strive to create a meaningful experience and build lasting relationships.
• Performance: Achieving exceptional performance requires us all to work on the right things at the right time and stay aligned with our business fundamentals and priorities. It also requires us to understand the business – carefully and critically analyzing our performance and metrics and weighing options and risks before making decisions.

Expected Hours of Work & Travel