Event Services Manager

Recognized as one of Top 21 Iconic Hotels in the World by National Geographic Traveler magazine, honoured with Travel + Leisure Magazine’s World’s Best Award for Top 10 City Hotels in Canada, and awarded Best Historic Hotel in the Americas, Fairmont Empress is located in Victoria, BC overlooking the city’s sparkling Inner Harbour.

This Forbes Four-Star, 4-Diamond property offers 464 beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, Willow Stream Spa with signature West Coast experiences, Q at the Empress Restaurant featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine and award winning wine list, and Q Bar with its regionally focused cocktail culture was recently named to Canada’s 50 Best Bars list. World famous Tea at the Empress is a bucket list experience in the hotel’s sophisticated Lobby Lounge. Located on Vancouver Island, Canada’s Castle on the Coast is the ideal starting point to explore British Columbia’s stunning natural beauty.

What is in it for you: 

• Employee benefit card offering discounted rates at Accor properties worldwide 
• Exclusive Employee and Friends & Family Discounts at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver 
• Exclusive access to the Pacific Northwest Food & Beverage Discount Program with 50% off at our dining destinations in Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler
• Opportunity to develop your talent and grow within your property and across the world! 
• Complimentary meal during your shift through our Colleague Dining Program 
• Complimentary uniform laundering
• Access to our comprehensive benefits and wellness programs, including extended healthcare benefits and RMT, dental, vision, and complimentary counseling, wellness sessions, financial and family planning through LifeWorks
• Access to our company-matched Defined Contribution Pension Plan (DCPP)
• Opportunity to develop your talent through coaching and our Leadership Mentoring Programs
• Competitive annual salary commensurate with experience, starting at $62,800

What you will be doing:

Reporting to the Director of Events Sales & Services, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: 

• Solicit and confirm event related information with client to fulfill contractual timelines and commitments
• To conduct necessary site inspections; upsell of the hotel’s services, suggesting suitable menus, events and activities.
• Plan creative experiences in collaboration with the Banquet Chef to curate custom menus
• Coordinate various production elements and logistics including: electrical, internet, telecommunications, audio-visual, exhibit and third party requirements
• Create floor plans that optimize space and ensure a memorable guest experience
• Finalizing event setups in planning phase to ensure banquet operations and client are in agreement prior to set up of meeting and event spaces
• Obtain guarantees of food and beverage events for banquets and culinary operations to manage and control labour and food costs
• Initiate billing procedures, ensuring client credit is established and deposits and/or credit applications are received with adequate information and within an acceptable timeline
• To relay all details of conferences and events to all departments in a professional thorough and timely manner using Conference resumes, Banquet Event Orders and internal memos effectively
• Conduct pre-conference meetings to ensure key operational departments are fully engaged and prepared to exceed expectations of our client programs
• Conduct and/or attend daily meetings to review event logistics to ensure last minute revisions are communicated with accuracy to banquets, culinary, stewarding and on-site audio-visual provide
• Establish good business and social relationships with industry clients and partners by participating in activities to further increase sales opportunities for the Hotel
• To effectively use function space to maximize revenues
• Responsible for the managing of guestroom blocks and food and beverage covers in order to maintain forecast accuracy
• To maintain high quality of service standards required by the hotel and by the Company
• Work closely with the client and Hotel departments throughout the duration of the event ensuring the successful outcome of the client’s program from arrival to departure.
• To foster a co-operative team spirit with and between Sales, Banquets & Culinary
• To handle general inquiries
• Additional duties as assigned by the Director of Event Sales & Services

Your experience and skills include:

• Hospitality Management Degree or equivalent an asset
• Minimum 2 years’ experience as a Conference Services Manager or similar role
• Must be able to work independently and maintain a positive attitude within a very busy environment
• Proven ability to plan and organize events effectively, with an acute sense of detail
• Computer literate with Opera software
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Knowledgeable on food and beverage trends and the luxury hotel market
• Knowledge of hotel banquet operations and reservations are an asset
• Must have ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously

Physical Aspects of Position (include but are not limited to): Constant standing and walking, Occasional bending and kneeling, Occasional carrying and lifting

Visa Requirements: Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. The hotel is unable to assist candidates in obtaining Canadian work authorization.

Your team and working environment: Welcome to Canada’s Castle on the Coast. The Empress Hotel sits proudly at the centre of culture and history in Victoria, British Columbia. This is the best of all worlds – where contrast meets distinction, opulence blends harmoniously with the understated and fabled history meshes with contemporary affairs. This award-winning Victoria hotel and National Historic Site is an alluring blend of classic and contemporary, vintage and cutting-edge: Where Modern meets Iconic. Come join our wonderful team of hospitality experts!

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:
We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.

Why work for Accor?
We are far more than a worldwide leader. We welcome you as you are and you can find a job and brand that matches your personality. We support you to grow and learn every day, making sure that work brings purpose to your life, so that during your journey with us, you can continue to explore Accor’s limitless possibilities.
By joining Accor, every chapter of your story is yours to write and together we can imagine tomorrow's hospitality. Discover the life that awaits you at Accor, visit https://careers.accor.com/

Do what you love, care for the world, dare to challenge the status quo! #BELIMITLESS