Catering Sales Manager - Dollywood Resorts - Exempt

Catering Sales Manager - Dollywood Resorts - Exempt At Dollywood Parks & Resorts, we create memories worth repeating. We do this every day at Dollywood Resorts, which include over 600 rooms and 15 Food & Beverage outlets, all located in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Our future plans include growing our resort footprint to over 1200 rooms across five resorts at Dollywood. We want to work alongside someone who acts as an extension of our mission, values, and culture. This individual is driven to create meaningful experiences for our hosts, guests, and community while ensuring the success and profitability of our unique offerings. They also bring fun, authenticity, collaboration, creativity, and genuine hospitality to their life and work. We seek an individual who can bring the vision of the resorts to life. The right Catering Sales Manager checklist will include equal parts curious learner, innovator, administrator, detail driver, mentor, and motivator.

Summary Of Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Prospect, negotiate and generate definite business working through the appropriate hospitality channels such as phone calls, sales system database on past business/existing maintenance accounts, daily follow up with RFP requests through CVENT and direct internal channels, referrals, event follow up, and other means to find qualifying business for the resorts

Responsible for planning, executing and managing all the details for each meeting/event booked

Finalize BEOs and resumes and attend weekly BEO meeting with operational departments

Attend hospitality related industry events specifically to identify new potential business

Plan and conduct site visits with clients that best represent and showcase our resorts and overall brand

Actively participate with industry (SMWA, Wedding Professional, NYP) and local organizations to generate leads for the resort

Daily communication with key accounts, decision makers to identify future business for both resorts. Engage in relationship building with those accounts to ensure proper follow up on an ongoing basis

Respond to all inquiries in a timely manner and ensure the client receives the best customer care that exceeds their expectations

Assist with the development of key action plans that align with our overall core values and sales and catering goals

Attend daily, weekly and monthly department meetings and participate in other resort core culture events

Prepare weekly report to highlight sales activities and review with the team to ensure set goals are met. Track monthly production towards quarterly catering sales goals set forth by the Area Director of Sales

Has a thorough understanding of resort facilities & amenities, Dollywood Park offerings and ability to effectively communicate the entire brand experience to potential clients. Conduct tours of property to potential guests/clients and entertain them on property during site inspections and pre-planning trips when appropriate. Complete required site forms to alert the hotel of the tours.

Ability to access and understand internal sales system (delphi.fdc), and Salesforce

Maintain current knowledge of comp set, changes in the market/area to best position our resorts to the clients

Ability to work in a team environment, share best practices, train, encourage and support our hosts

Communicate effectively with our resort team, especially food & beverage, event technology, and operational departments to ensure the success of each group booked

Conduct meet and greet with clients and coordinate handover to Director of Banquets and/or Banquet Manager

Collaborate with catering and sales team to develop marketing plans, budget analysis and menu

Assists marketing through monthly/weekly updates of wedding websites and social media with photographs, testimonials, and special promotions

Conduct post-event evaluations to determine how future events could be improved

Education And Experience Required

Minimum two (2) years of upscale hotel and resort catering sales preferred but not required

Good working knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and CRM system preferred

Must possess strong communication, listening, facilitation and problem-solving skills, computer skills and financial acumen

Ability to analyze, forecast data, and make judgments to ensure proper business is booked

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

Must display and live out Lead with Love qualities strongly rooted in the Dollywood Company culture by being patient, kind, humble, respectful, selfless, forgiving, honest, and committed

Able to make a friendly impression when speaking to or corresponding with guests, vendors, and other employees

Must reflect Dollywood’s image by being genuinely friendly and caring and by taking pride in work

Must be self‑motivated and disciplined

Must be able to prioritize and complete work assignments on a timely basis

Must maintain strict confidentiality and judgment regarding privileged information

Must be committed to continuous improvement

Must have a professional appearance with good personal hygiene

Must promote and support a “team” work environment by cooperating and helping co‑workers

Must be able to be productive in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment

Must maintain dependable work attendance and flexibility with assigned work schedules including any required overtime, evenings, weekends and holidays

Must be sensitive to the needs of our Guests and feel empowered to act to meet their needs within company guidelines

Must be able to utilize effective communication, problem solving, conflict management and interpersonal skills

Must show appreciation of others

Can get along with other employees to work out problems and resolve conflicts

Can comprehend instructions and retain information

Can perform duties consistently while creating a safe and secure environment for hosts and guests

Can be flexible and handle frequent changes in priorities

Can add, subtract, multiply and divide with accuracy

Can communicate effectively using standard English grammar and punctuation

Can tolerate various temperatures while working outdoors

Must have a valid TN Driver’s License with current automobile insurance and be able to drive company vehicles as required

Must successfully complete a background check including motor vehicle and pre‑employment drug screen

Can meet the physical demands of the job

The Dollywood Company is an equal opportunity employer Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. The Dollywood Company drives a welcoming culture where ideas and decisions from all people support our efforts to be relevant in an ever‑changing world.

Seniority level

Entry level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Sales and Business Development

Industries

Entertainment Providers

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