Events Sales Executive - London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf

This role is responsible for the hotel's event sales, reactively selling the hotel by managing incoming group and catering enquiries from the sales phase through to contract stage. The position works closely with Sales & Revenue and Operations departments to ensure high service delivery and strengthen customer relations. The role involves qualifying business opportunities, creating quotations, conducting follow-ups, converting enquiries into bookings, and ensuring smooth handover to the Events Team. It also includes conducting site visits, post-event calls, and building long-term partnerships with clients.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the reactive sales of group bedroom and catering enquiries from start to contract handover.
• Enquiries will be mostly corporate, with a few exceptions. Communication channels include telephone, e-mail or 3rd party intermediary sites and in person.
• Qualifies business opportunities by understanding customer needs and recommends the appropriate features and services of hotel to exceed customer expectations; sells according to the business and operational strategy of the hotel
• Creates quotations and proposals based on customer requirements, conducts regular follow-up calls to identify changing needs, converts enquiries into confirmed bookings, issues contracts and ensures a smooth handover to the Events Team
• Inputs enquiries into the relevant booking systems and ensures data integrity
• Ensures accurate forecasting of event and group revenue
• Ensures that all enquiries received via the telephone meet the required Test Call standard
• Communicates with the accounts department regarding credit checks to ensure correct payment is set up for all groups
• Conducts site visits to showcase hotel
• Conducts post-event calls to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels and secure repeat business
• Builds long-term partnerships with new and repeat business customers and builds loyalty to the hotel and company
• Identifies potential opportunities for the wider business and turns over to the proactive Sales Team
• Engages with hotel Operations Team to ensure client expectations can be met and exceeded
• Executes exemplary customer service according to company’s standards to ensure customer satisfaction in the sales phase
• Carries out tasks as assigned by the Director of Event management or any other sales leaders.
• Adapts to changing market conditions
• Understands local market including competitors' strengths and weaknesses
• Understands event satisfaction results to ensure continuous improvement
• Collaborates with Sales Team to ensure effective diary management of function rooms
• Collaborates with Revenue Team to ensure effective management of bedroom enquiries and completes accurate projections
• Ensures balance scorecard criteria is met
• Works on additional projects set by the Director of Event Management
• Works collaboratively with on- and off-property sales channels to optimise sales process for client
• Attends hotel events as required to develop key relationships with internal stakeholders.
• Performs other related tasks as assigned by management

Requirements

• Strong communication skills (verbal, listening, writing) and a high standard of English is essential
• Confident communication style across different channels (telephone, e-mail, intermediary websites etc.)
• Confident sales and planning skills; ability to negotiate; strong problem-solving skills, and ability to seek solutions
• Strong organisation and time management skills in a fast-paced environment
• Good with administration, processes and has a high level of attention to detail
• Adaptable to change and evolving processes
• Builds relationships easily
• Team player
• Effective interpersonal skills

Nice to have

• Previous experience of working in a hotel sales & events environment would be advantageous but not essential
• Previous experience of SFA/Web, Opera would be advantageous but not essential