Director Sales and Events

Graduate Hotels is seeking an experienced Director of Sales and Events to join The Randolph Hotel and its brilliant team of hospitality enthusiasts! The landmark 151-bedroom Randolph Hotel in Oxford is part of the Graduate Hotels collection. The boutique hotel takes inspiration from the prestigious Oxford University, with nods to college architecture and crests, as well as "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," created by alumnus Lewis Carroll.

THE ROLE

As a Director of Sales and Events, you will lead and manage the Sales and Events department to its fullest potential, ensuring both the current and future needs of the business are met. You will work with the General Manager, the Revenue team, and the Regional Director of Sales to continuously align and devise sales strategies and activities to retain and grow the business and maximise revenue in all sales segments.

YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To lead and manage the Sales and Events department to its fullest potential, ensuring the current and future needs of the business are met.
• To own all accounts in your area of remit & to actively maintain relationships with key local customers.
• To ensure that effective processes are in place for the recruitment, induction, training, and development of all sales & events Team Members.
• To set and monitor effective targets for Sales & Events Team Members and manage team performance.
• To target new business opportunities for the hotel.
• To manage key internal and external stakeholders.
• To create and implement effective planning in line with the commercial strategy.
• To manage negotiations and contracting through Delphi, Lanyon, Cvent and RFP processes.
• To play an active part in supporting the team to convert key opportunities as and when required.
• To play an active part in networking with the M&L and Graduate Sales Team & Global Accounts Managers to increase awareness of the hotel's needs and objectives and drive inbound business.
• Participate in sales initiatives such as client workshops, roadshows, trade missions, and tradeshows as and when required.
• Ensure the team arrange all details of events to include room set-ups, staging, lighting, audiovisual, traffic flow, menus, décor, entertainment, group room blocks, and VIP services.
• Reviews demand calendar and pricing and establish actions to fill the gaps in need periods.
• Monitor budget and drive upsell products and services.
• Negotiate food and beverage prices, function space, and hotel services within approved departmental booking guidelines.
• Create and implement sales plans that drive measurable incremental occupancy, increase average rates, increased volume, food and beverage and banquet sales.
• Ensures all bookings and account management activity is recorded in Delphi.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR FROM YOU

• Strong Hotel Sales and Events experience at Director level (A minimum of 3 years is a must).
• Ability to use and train Delphi. (Knowledge of OnQ would be advantageous)
• 5 years of management experience in recruiting, training, and developing people.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experience in delivering strategies and working with targets.
• Strong experience in hospitality forecasting, pricing, and inventory control.
• Strong analytical skills to understand key business indicators and competitive trends.
• Strong customer relationship management skills and ability to negotiate.
• Knowledge of revenue management and account profitability, and RFP.
• Proficient in using CRM, MS office software applications, including M.S. Office, Excel, PowerPoint etc.

This is an on-property role - 5 days a week.

THE PERKS

• Company Discount on rooms
• Generous recommend a friend scheme
• Access to discounts and cashback through a huge range of retailers and service providers via our online benefits portal
• Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program
• Discounts on the hotel food & beverage
• Recognition incentives
• Team Member Events
• Complimentary meal on duty in the Team Member canteen

ABOUT GRADUATE HOTELS

Graduate Hotels is a unique collection of handcrafted hotels in the most dynamic university towns around the globe, including Graduate Cambridge and The Randolph Hotel in Oxford. We give life to physical spaces through thoughtful design and strong community ties. Graduate Hotels provides students, locals, and visitors alike a place to reflect and celebrate the unique energy of each Graduate community. As a Graduate Hotels Team Member, you are the one shaping guest experiences. You like to wear multiple hats and consider yourself a local expert, storyteller, team player and creative thinker.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

We are committed to recruitment practices that do not discriminate against any job applicant because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy and maternity.

RIGHT TO WORK

In line with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, we do require all applicants to have the eligibility to live and work in the United Kingdom.