Event Manager - Ottawa

Position Overview

The Event Manager is responsible for preparing all event documentation and coordinating with Sales department, and Clients to ensure consistent, high level service throughout pre-event, event and post-event phases of venue events. Ensures their venue events have a seamless turnover from sales to service back to sales. Recognizes opportunities to maximize revenue opportunities by up-selling and offering enhancements to create outstanding events. This position reports to Area Director, Venue & Production Center.

Key Job Responsibilities

Managing Event Logistics and Operations

• Ensures that events progress seamlessly by following established procedures, collaborating with other employees, and ensuring accuracy.
• Greets Client during the event phase and hands-off to the Event Operations team for the execution of details.
• Adheres to all standards, policies, and procedures.
• Ensures billing accuracy and conducts bill reviews with the clients prior to processing the final bill.
• Manages group room blocks and meeting space for average to large-sized assigned groups.
• Identifies operational challenges associated with his/her group and determines how to best work with the venue staff and Client to solve these challenges and/or develop alternative solutions.
• Uses his/her judgment to integrate current trends in event management and event design.
• Acts as liaison between field salesperson and client throughout the event process (pre-event, event, post-event).
• Participates in client site inspections and assists with the sales process as necessary.
• Solicits feedback from the venue partners to identify areas for improvement to enhance the Event Planner’s experience.

Ensuring and Providing Exceptional Customer Service

• Delivers excellent customer service throughout the client experience and encourages the same from other employees.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Sets a positive example for guest relations.
• Coordinates and communicates event details both verbally and in writing to the customer and property operations.
• Makes presence known to client at all times during this process.
• Oversees his/her customer experiences from file turnover through the post event phase until turnover back to sales.
• Follows up with client post-event.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.
• Uses personal judgment and expertise to enhance the customer experience.
• Stays available to solve problems and/or suggest alternatives to previous arrangements.
• Works to continually improve customer service by integrating obtained feedback and personal judgment into action plans.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.
• Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
• Ensures hourly employees understand expectations and parameters for event activities.

Leading Event Management Teams

• Conducts formal pre- and post-event meetings as required to review/communicate group needs and feedback.
• Leads formal pre-event and post-event meetings for average to large-sized assigned groups.
• Facilitates various meetings as he/she perceives necessary (Banquet Event Order meeting, block review, etc).

Supporting and Coordinating with the Sales and Marketing Function

• Assists in the sales process and revenue forecasting for customer groups.
• Up-sells products and services throughout the event process.
• Forecasts group sleeping rooms and event revenue (catering and audio visual) for his/her groups.

Conducting Human Resources Activities

• Reviews comment cards and guest satisfaction results with employees.
• Observes service behaviors of employees and provides feedback to individuals and/or managers.
• Assists in the development and implementation of corrective action plans.
• Take initiative to use his/her experience to improve service performance according to his/her evaluation of the issue and resolution.
• Works with the venue staff and clients to address operational challenges associated with his/her group.

Job Qualifications

• Professional attitude and behavior (teamwork, autonomy, dynamism, interpersonal skills, honesty, versatility, initiative and organization)
• Focused on customer service
• Good interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail and quality 
• Judgment, negotiation and decision making skills 
• Ethics and integrity
• Creativity and bringing new ideas to service delivery
• Minimum 3 years experience in a similar position in the hotel industry or related field
• Degree in hotel management (an asset)
• Excellent knowledge of the tourism industry, as well as the establishment's products and services
• Knowledge of job-related software (an asset): Word, Excel, Outlook, CI/TY, Social Table, PMS/Marsha 

Competencies (by Core Values)

• Communication

• Concern for Quality

• Exceeds Customer Expectations
• Problem Solving
• Teamwork

Physical Requirements

Team members must be able to meet the physical demands above in order to successfully perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Frequency options consist of: Continuously, Frequently, Occasionally and Never.

Work Environment

Hotel

Work is performed in a hotel/convention center environment with moderate exposure to outdoor temperatures and to dirt, sand and/or dust.  The working conditions will vary between moderately quiet to noisy volumes.  Team members will use high-end audio visual equipment and electrical components, and will be exposed to heights via lifts and ladders.  Team members may be asked to work in multiple hotel locations.  Working times will include irregular hours and on-call status including days, evenings, weekends and holidays.   Team members must adhere to appearance guidelines as defined by Encore based on an individual hotel or a representation of hotels in that city or area.