Conference Services Manager in Dallas, Texas | Careers at The Joule - The Joule

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

The Joule Dallas, TX

Built in the 1920s, the neo-Gothic landmark building at 1530 Main Street was originally the Dallas National Bank. It dominated the downtown skyline during a thriving era of Dallas banking and West Texas oil booms. Downtown Dallas flourished through the ’80s, but as the 20th century drew to a close, it was a shadow of its former glory. A decade of development deals and massive renovations transformed the then-vacant bank building into a Forbes four-star boutique hotel. Aptly named after the international unit of energy, The Joule brought a charge to downtown Dallas when it opened in 2008. Through a series of further renovations and expansions as adjacent properties became available, The Joule has become a cultural, shopping, and dining destination—a forerunner in the renaissance of downtown Dallas.

Overview

The Conference Services Manager  is responsible for coordinating and supervising assigned group business after it is booked by the sales department, and through completion of the event or function, while maintaining profitable operations and high quality products and service levels. They are expected to market ideas to promote business. The Conference Service Manager is also responsible for acting as a liaison between client and operating departments to ensure a successful meeting and to generate repeat business as well as assisting with booking business when needed.

Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed budget numbers for Conference Services
• Capture the hotel's fair share of revenue through food, beverage, room rental and auxiliary
• Negotiate contracts, ensuring that all pertinent aspects of solicitation and closing are complete and documented
• Understand and respond to all guest needs and requests in a timely and professional manner
• Plan group's food and beverage events, including assistance with menu and wine selection, decorations, entertainment, and audio visual
• Communicate last minute changes in group functions to hotel staff and ensure accurate and satisfactory follow up
• Conduct post conference review with clients including the presentation of banquet checks when applicable
• Oversees contracted group room blocks to include cutoff, attrition, etc
• Ensure that all contracted groups are meeting or exceeding minimum food + beverage revenues, guest room revenues, meeting room rental revenues, and monitoring for potential attrition
• Build and influence relationships throughout the Banquets & Catering Team with open communications and genuine care
• Manage the daily operations resolving daily operational problems
• Review shift reports, follow up and address concerns to ensure healthy operations
• Prepare information, meet with, and entertain clients as deemed appropriate
• Build strong, long-lasting customer relationships by partnering with clients and understanding their needs
• Manage the meeting space agenda and adjust space in order to ensure maximum potential revenue
• Update on a consistent basis clients profiles with preferences, history and future leads
• Perform other reasonable job duties as requested by supervisor

Qualifications

• At least 3 years of progressive experience in a hotel or a related field; or a 4year college degree and at least 1 year of related experience; or a 2year college degree and 2 or more years of related experience.
• Must be proficient in Windows, Company approved spreadsheets and word processing.
• Flexible hours sometimes required.
• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns raised by employees and guests.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.