Senior Convention Services Manager

Senior Catering And Convention Services Manager

Overview : Omni Fort Lauderdale will provide South Florida with 120,000 square feet of event space, new food and beverage options, a Natural Spring inspired full-service spa and entertainment pedestrian plaza featuring high-end shopping, amphitheater, charter boat docking and beautiful promenade. The new iconic landmark offers unforgettable views of the Atlantic paired with unrivalled convenience and intelligently designed meeting spaces. The hotel will be directly connected to the Broward County Convention Center, immediately adjacent to Port Everglades cruise terminal and less than two miles from Fort Lauderdale Airport.

Job Description : Be a part of the pre-opening team for the Omni Ft. Lauderdale Hotel! Opening Fall 2025, the Omni Ft. Lauderdale Hotel is a 29-story hotel, located at 1950 Eisenhower Blvd, and connected directly to the Broward County Convention. The property offers 801 guest rooms and suites, multiple restaurants, a vibrant rooftop bar, a sprawling pool, spa, and fitness center. The hotel will also have over 120,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom, junior ballroom, 25 breakout rooms and pre-function meeting space with waterfront views. We are looking for a Senior Catering and Convention Services Manager to be responsible for enforcing the terms of sales and catering contracts and guiding meeting planners through the planning process. The manager will serve as the liaison between the meeting planner / client and the hotel, ensuring that all information has been communicated correctly. This position details catering and convention services events at the hotel and is eligible for the Omni Sales Incentive Plan.

Responsibilities : Essential duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Negotiate with customer through the use of creative and attractive menu presentations and event proposals to achieve both maximum revenue / profit potential and fulfillment of contractual responsibilities.
• Obtain all event-related information (to include, but not limited to meeting specifications, audio visual, rooming list, food and beverage requirements, forecasting food and beverage revenue at least 60 days in advance of program arrival).
• Drive function space optimization / maximization, to ensure best utilization of space for guest experience and financial performance of hotel.
• Produce and distribute accurate and clear group resumes, banquet event orders and diagrams etc. to all operating departments in a timely manner.
• Yield sleeping room block and function space accurately and calculate all applicable attrition with accounting.
• Initiate / follow up on billing procedures, ensuring deposits and / or credit applications are received within acceptable time frames.
• Conduct pre-convention and post-convention meetings with customers and pertinent departments to confirm all relevant details are communicated.
• Conduct any / all planning site inspections as required.
• During convention, will ensure the meeting arrangements are to the meeting planner's specifications. Ensures all on-site changes are managed efficiently.
• Available to meeting planner during convention through phone, email, and in person in order to trouble shoot any questions that arise.
• Establish and maintain rapport with customers, prior to, during and post-convention, exceeding their expectations and encouraging repeat business.
• Attend all necessary meetings within hotel that affect / are affected by the Catering and Convention Services Department. (Daily standup, Hotel standup, BEO, Resume Review as needed, Guest Room Pickup, etc)
• Find solutions to the inevitable challenges that arise while the convention or event is on property and represents the hotel in a professional manner.
• Mentor and develop administrative staff and management staff for future growth as assigned.
• Responsible for accurately forecasting all food and beverage events, on a monthly and yearly basis. Assist in forecasting guestroom revenue along with the Group Housing Coordinator.
• Assist Catering & Convention Services leaders with oversight, training, and development of the Event Concierge and Administrative Assistant roles.

Qualifications : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Language Skills : Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Reasoning Ability : Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands : The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment : The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Omni Hotels & Resorts is an equal opportunity employer - vets / disability.