Sales Executive Outdoor Catering Sales

POSITION SUMMARY

The Sales Executive – Outside Catering Sales is responsible for leading the strategic and proactive catering sales efforts for JW Marriott Marquis Dubai. This role is pivotal in achieving catering revenue goals, enhancing guest and associate satisfaction, and implementing Marriott’s brand service strategy across all aspects of the outside catering sales process. The Sales Executive actively upsells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity, accurate forecasting, and strategic decision-making around the hotel’s outside catering initiatives. Ensure business is turned over properly and in timely fashion for proper service delivery in accordance with compliance policy of Marriott International / JW Marriott Operating Standards to maintain brand integrity.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and execute the properties outside catering sales strategy in alignment with overall business goals.

Drive proactive sales efforts to secure new business and grow existing accounts.

Collaborate with operations and culinary teams to ensure seamless execution of catered events.

Accurately forecast catering revenues and monitor performance against targets.

Identify market trends and customer needs to tailor offerings and enhance competitiveness.

Ensure compliance with brand standards and service excellence in all client interactions.

Maintain strong relationships with key clients, partners, and vendors to support long-term business growth.

Represent the hotel at industry events, trade shows, and networking opportunities to promote outside catering services.

Candidate Profile

Experience:

• Must have (1+) years of progressive sales experience

• Previous experience in the hospitality industry preferred; experience selling luxury brands and experiential services preferred

• Experience of selling in catering segment is essential.

• Marriott sales experience is desirable but not essential.

• Handling outside catering business is essential.

• Fluent Arabic both oral and written is desirable but not essential.

Skills and Knowledge

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Basic Computer Skills - Using basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).

• Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

• Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

• Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.

• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Analytical/Critical Thinking - The ability to gather and organize information using a logical and systematic process; recognize patterns and relationships in complex data; examine data to identify implications, problems and draw appropriate conclusions; generate alternative solutions to problems; evaluate strengths, weaknesses and consequences of alternative solutions and approaches to solving problems.

• Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about products, services or situations, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

• Create and Maintain Relationships with Clients - Reach out to clients to help manage the business process, set and meet client expectations and deliver according to the budget.

• Exceeding Customer Expectations - Providing services that are above and beyond for customer satisfaction and retention.

• Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

• Proactive Selling - Taking action to go out and get clients and close sales whilst demonstrating understanding of strategy to ensure of achieving budgeted revenue goals in Group Room Revenue, Catering Revenue and ADR.

• Demonstrating Knowledge - Demonstrating knowledge of job-relevant issues, products, systems, and processes.

• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Education or Certification

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; 4 years’ experience in the sales and marketing or related professional area.

• 4-year bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management

Core Work Activities

The following are specific responsibilities and contributions critical to the successful performance of the position:

• Works collaboratively with off-property sales channels (e.g., Event BookingCenter, Market Sales, Strategic Accounts) to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary and not duplicative.

• Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.

• Partners with group/catering counterpart to effectively manage the business opportunity.

• Responds to incoming group/catering opportunities for the hotels that are outside parameters of the Event Booking Center.

• Handles all opportunities if hotels does not participate in an EBC.

• Identifies, qualifies and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and each hotel’s revenue goals.

• Focuses efforts on group/catering accounts with significant potential sales revenue.

• Handles complex business with significant revenue potential as well as significant customer expectations.

• Develops effective group/catering sales plans and actions.

• Designs, develops and sells creative catered events.

• Maximize revenue by up selling packages and creative food and beverage.

• Understands the overall market - competitors’ strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.

• Close the best opportunities for each property based on market conditions and individual property needs.

• Uses negotiating skills and creative selling abilities to close on business and negotiate contracts.

• Utilizes MarrWeb for resources and information (e.g., Training Energizers, etc.).

• Leverages available eTools (e.g., eRooming Lists, eProposals, Passkey, etc.).

• Build and strengthen relationships with existing and new customers to enable future bookings. Activities include sales calls, entertainment, FAM trips, trade shows, etc.

• Develop relationships within community to strengthen and expand customer base for group/catering sales opportunities.

• Manage and develop relationships with key internal and external stakeholders.

• Uses sales resources and administrative/support staff.

• Conducts site inspections.

• Create contracts as required.

• Supports brand’s Service and Relationship Strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence through each customer experience.

• Provides excellent customer service in order to grow share of the account.

• Executes brand’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.

• Executes and supports Marriott’s Customer Service Standards and hotel’s Brand Standards.

• Executes and supports the operational aspects of business booked (e.g., generating proposal, writing contract, customer correspondence).

• Participates in and practices daily service basics of the brand (i.e., MHR Spirit to Serve Daily Basics, RHR Savvy Service Basics, Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn Basics of the Day, Residence Inn Daily Huddle, or TownePlace Suites Morning Meeting).

• Executes exemplary customer service to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty by assisting the customer and ensuring their satisfaction before and during their program/event.

• Serves the customer by understanding their needs and recommending the appropriate features and services that best meet their needs and exceed their expectations, while building a relationship and loyalty to Marriott.

• Gains understanding of the hotel’s primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution both prior to, and during the program/event.

• Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs

Leadership

• Adaptability - Determines how change impacts self and others; displays flexibility in adjusting priorities; and communicates both the reasons for change and how it impacts the workplace.

• Communication - Customizes approach to conveying complex information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner; appropriately interprets verbal and non-verbal behavior; and models active listening to ensure understanding.

• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Models and coaches others on breaking complex issues into manageable parts, identifying and evaluating alternatives and their implications before making decisions, and involving and gaining agreement from others when making key decisions.

• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values.

Managing Execution

• Building and Contributing to Teams - Leads and participates as a member of a team to move the team toward the completion of common goals while fostering cohesion and collaboration among team members.

• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.

• Planning and Organizing - Gathers information and resources required to set a plan of action for self and/or others; prioritizes and arranges work requirements for self and/or others to accomplish goals and ensure work is completed.

Building Relationships

• Coworker Relationships - Interacts with others in a way that builds openness, trust, and confidence in the pursuit of organizational goals and lasting relationships.

• Customer Relationships - Develops and sustains relationships based on an understanding of customer needs and actions consistent with the company’s service standards.

• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

Generating Talent and Organizational Capability

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of team assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.

• Talent Management - Provides guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.

Learning and Applying Professional Expertise

• Applied Learning - Seeks and makes the most of learning opportunities to improve performance of self and/or others.

• Business Acumen - Understands and utilizes business information to manage everyday operations and generate innovative solutions to approach team, business, and administrative challenges.

• Technical Acumen - Understands and utilizes professional skills and knowledge in a specific functional area to conduct and manage everyday business operations and generate innovative solutions to approach function-specific work challenges

• Basic Competencies - Fundamental competencies required for accomplishing basic work activities.

• Basic Computer Skills - Uses basic computer hardware and software (e.g., personal computers, word processing software, Internet browsers, etc.).

• Mathematical Reasoning - Demonstrates ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly, correctly, and in a way that allows one to solve work-related issues.

• Oral Comprehension - Demonstrates ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

• Reading Comprehension - Demonstrates understanding of written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

• Writing - Communicates effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.