Assistant Director, Event Services

WELCOME TO SWISSÔTEL CHICAGO

Swissôtel Chicago is a luxury 4 star/4 diamond hotel with 662 rooms and suites located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Inspired by our brand pillar, Vitality, our Swissôtel Chicago family is united by a common vision to re-engage, re-inspire and re-vitalize our commitment to delivering quality service, building quality relationships and living quality lives. 

 At Swissôtel Chicago, we put the emphasis on our people. We are extremely proud of our Vitality initiatives and offer a variety of wellness programs for our Colleagues, who – in turn – aspire to bring quality of life into our guests’ lives. Our goal is to provide a motivating and rewarding environment that attracts talented individuals who wish to develop their careers within a culture that values creativity and innovation in order to execute winning results aligned with our Vitality vision. Through our initiatives and Vitality culture, we have been named a Top Workplace by the Chicago Tribune for 8 years in a row!

Be Bold, Be Inspired, Be You.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:
You are a creative and passionate about delivering incredible experiences for your guests. You enjoy the thrill of exceeding goals and bringing spectacular events to life - and it just so happens you’ll be doing just that in an award-winning hotel.

Reporting to the Director, Event Sales & Services, the Assistant Director, Event Services is responsible for the servicing of group business with ranging sizes and markets.

• Lead by example and be invested in our Heartist and Vitality culture
• Mentor and manage Event Service Managers and coordinators
• Ensure all department standards are being met
• Assist in problem solving with event managers and coordinators and assist with client resolution when needed
• Provide detailed resumes and banquet event orders for each event to ensure all important information is communicated to the all departments, including 3rd-party outlets 
• Conduct site tours for existing clients
• Attend weekly pick up meeting and manage room blocks for all assigned groups
• Walk event space to ensure proper set up and all requirements per the Banquet Event Orders
• Meet with event contacts for pre-planning, on-site, and post-meeting critiques
• Represent the hotel in a positive manner, on property and in the community
• Maintain working knowledge of all departments in the hotel 
• Meet Food and Beverage revenue goals through maintaining business on the books and upselling
• Knowledge of trends in order to make recommendations for pricing/menus/service
• Report on department financials
• Assist in Budget and Forecasting
• Assist in leading other Event Service Managers and being a strong voice and representative for the Events Department
• Implement new processes and SOP for the Events department  where needed
• Any other tasks that may be assigned

YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS INCLUDE:

• A minimum of 5 years of combined hotel catering sales or services experience
• Current or previous experience in the Chicago market preferred
• Previous experience in a luxury or 4 diamond/4 star establishment preferred
• Guest focused with a passion for service excellence
• Works well under pressure in a fast paced and constantly changing environment
• Ability to multi-task
• Strong selling skills to include negotiation and the closing process
• High level of creativity, enthusiasm and flexibility
• Proven ability to effectively lead, motivate and develop team members  
• Knowledge of Opera or Property Manager, Microsoft Office and Windows XP preferred
• Excellent written and verbal interpersonal and communication skills 
• Available to work weekends and holidays as needed
• Ability to work independently and prioritize responsibilities

WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU:

• Salary Range: $97K - $102K
• Employee Benefit Card offering discounted rates at Accor worldwide
• Learning & Development programs through our Academies
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within our property and across the world!
• Ability to make a difference through our Corporate Social Responsibilities, such as Sustainability, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
• Comprehensive Benefit Package which offers:
  •  Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability & AD&D insurance, Accidental Injury Insurance, Hospital Support, Critical Illness Insurance, 401K plan, Paid leave such as Vacation, Personal, Maternity/Paternity and Holiday.