Catering Sales Manager

About the role

From fine dining restaurants to residential dining, USC Hospitality serves over 65,000 students, athletes, faculty, and staff, as well as our many visitors. Hospitality is one of the six core business units that comprise USC Auxiliary Services and one of the largest employers on campus. We are renowned for our fresh take on self-operated food concepts with 43 restaurants between both campuses.

The team at USC Hospitality is led by innovative executive chefs and directors who strive every day to craft nourishing and wholesome alternatives for our hungry Trojan Family and our guests. Auxiliary Services works tirelessly to welcome all visitors into the Trojan family.

We are seeking a Catering Sales Manager to join our rapidly growing team.

The Opportunity

If you’re looking for an opportunity to develop as a Catering Sales Manager and exceed your professional expectations, then our team wants you! You will be expected to use your depth of experience to train, develop, and motivate our team to achieve new records in sales. Professional relationships, with clients and vendors, will be an important piece of the puzzle and you will need to grow these to help us build our business. We set high goals for our team and we need you to help us get there.

The Accountabilities

• Plan, implement, and manage daily sales and operations and activities for department. Sell and coordinate event space on behalf of the University. Participate in developing business plan and strategies to meet department and sales goals. Promote and maintain exceptional customer service while maximizing sales profitability. Pursue opportunities to increase event sales and food and beverage revenue. Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts. Seek public relations, networking, and marketing opportunities to expand client pool.
• Meet with prospective and current clients and conduct tours of event facilities. Address question and provide solutions to clients’ concerns and issues. Address client needs and make suggestions regarding equipment, facilities, and food/beverage needs. Provide excellent customer service, seek to improve customer satisfaction, create customer loyalty, and provide guidance and feedback.
• Counsel, discipline, or terminate employees. Resolve problems referred by staff.
• Negotiate contracts with customers within established pricing parameter. Prepare detailed sales/event reports, including sales data worksheets, cost projections, and other financial metrics. Analyze and reconcile disparate sales/event details, and consolidate the information into actionable sales/event plans.
• Negotiate and contract with vendors for a variety of goods and services related to events planning. Monitor delivery of goods and services to ensure contract terms are satisfied.
• Develop budgets and approve budget expenditures. Provide regular projections and reports for development and administration of budget. Monitor expense and labor costs to meet budget guidelines. Oversee administration and maintenance of accurate records, scheduling, and forecasting and payroll duties.
• Oversee and manage event logistics for events at facility. Set clear expectations for event deliverables and due dates.
• Liaise with other events staff to ensure adequate staffing, space, facilities, food and beverage, and services are provided as requested by client(s). Build and maintain working relationships with internal and external partners.
• Oversee and/or maintain automated systems used for sales and event management and purchasing functions such as inventory control, vendor contract information, pricing schedules, cost control, and bid analysis. Maintain currency on latest products and trends by reading trade publications, attending seminars and trade shows, and developing and maintaining vendor contacts.
• Develop and implement security related procedures such as office opening and closing routines, recognition of duress signals and key controls. Coordinate security activities with University Public Safety Department. Promote and maintain standards for security conscious awareness and behavior. Maintain knowledge of University’s crime prevention and suppression programs and services. Ensure dissemination of security related information to staff.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The Qualifiers

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree.
• Experience: 3 years.
• Expertise:
• Convention center sales management and marketing experience.
• Experience organizing and managing events, such as individual business travel, conventions, corporate meetings, trainings, luncheons, weddings, and other events.
• Thorough knowledge of sales, marketing, and business management.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, concepts, and methodology of sales and marketing.
• Demonstrated interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Customer service experience.

What We Prefer

• Master’s Degree.
• 5 years of experience.
• Experience in a sales driven role.

The Trojan Family Rewards

• We pride ourselves in creating the BEST USC EXPERIENCE, and that begins with our employees! We offer a wide variety of benefits and programs that support our staff and their families.
• This support advocates work-life balance and employee well-being. As members of the Trojan family, employees are connected by the traditions and history that make us proud to be Trojans!

• USC has great minds that transform the world with their talents and research.
• Will you be one?
• Join us!

FIGHT ON!

Pay and benefits

The annual base salary range for this position is $86,133. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Minimum Education

Bachelor's degree, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 3 years

Minimum Field of Expertise: Convention center sales management and marketing experience required. Experience organizing and managing events, such as individual business travel, conventions, corporate meetings, trainings, luncheons, weddings, and other special occasions. Thorough knowledge of sales, marketing and business management. Knowledge of the principles, practices, concepts and methodology of sales and marketing. Demonstrated interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills. Valid CA driver's license required.

• Notice of Non-discrimination
• Employment Equity
• Read USC’s Clery Act Annual Security Report
• USC is a smoke-free environment
• Digital Accessibility

Additional information

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