Director of Catering
The Doubletree by Hilton Annapolis is hiring our next Director of Catering. In this exciting role, you will drive the sales process for our catering amenities. The Director of Catering will oversee all aspects of a profit and service-driven Catering Department.
Responsibilities include supervision of the catering team in their day-to-day roles and maintaining and monitoring the accuracy and effectiveness of all written communications, including but not limited to: Contracts, Proposals, Banquet Event Orders, forecasts, and daily reports.
- Develop and maintain training and retraining programs for all Catering Sales and Conference Services associates.
- Execute the personnel functions of the department by interviewing applicants, evaluating, reviewing, and disciplining current employees
- Develop and conduct persuasive verbal sales presentations to prospective clients.
- Schedule and assign in detail, specific duties to all associates under supervision for the efficient operation of the Catering and Convention Services Department, coverage of functions in accordance with productivity standards.
- Solicit new accounts, review previous event contracts, and lost business reports to generate business.
- Formulate compelling and persuasive proposals; negotiate and prepare contracts.
- Ensure accurate and timely Banquet Event Orders.
- Facilitate Banquet Event Order meetings with catering, convention services, and operations teams.
- Ensure timely and accurate information is logged into Sales CRM in accordance with departmental SOPS.
- Formulate and make revisions to weekly, monthly and annual forecasts.
- Assist in the development and update of beverage minimum spend expectations, room rental schedules, free sell date and upselling benchmarks to respond to market demands.
- Optimize revenue generation by ensuring rental, food and beverage minimums and upselling initiatives are in place and deployed by catering sales team.
- Create and drive the event timeline from contract negotiation to post-conference wrap-up.
- Create menus, special themes and signature items in tandem with Culinary team.
- Maintain close communication with the setup team & AV Department sales, and setup.
- Maintain open communication with Director of Sales & Marketing, Food and Beverage Director, and General Manager.
- Perform any reasonable request as assigned or directed by Director of Sales & Marketing
- Perform any other job related duties as assigned.
- Three or more years of catering sales experience, ideally in a hotel environment.
- College degree preferred or similar experience.
- Good organizational skills.
- Ability to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- High level of creativity
Off US-50, we offer a free shuttle within five miles, including to Westfield Annapolis Mall, restaurants around Annapolis Town Centre, and the US Naval Academy. Enjoy free parking, our Olympic-sized pool, and dining at our on-site restaurant, Ports of Call. We’ll welcome you with a fresh DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie.
