Events And Guest Relations Manager

Role: Events / Guest Relations Manager Reports To: Director of Operations
Direct Reports: Reservations and Events
Classification: Exempt
Key Relationships: General Managers, CDCs, Apres Cru
The Events / Guest Relations Manager serves as internal and external point of contact for all events within L'Esperance Restaurants. All inquiries for reservations of any size flow through their department and their team works to find the best options based on the needs of the guests. 
They are responsible for running their department as a business within a business through forecasting, proactive outreach to generating inquiries, marketing the venues, cross-selling venues, maximizing seating and revenue opportunities, managing waitlists, creating P&L's, budgets, reports and analytics for their events.
On the Catering and Events side, they will keep all event materials current, maintain guest databases, ensuring that Tripleseat and Resy are sharing information for guests to elevate the level of hospitality. They are the liaison between guests, the kitchen and managers holding the guest's hands all the way through the planning phases, liaising with third party vendors and sharing detailed information with the venue for all events and following up with guests to ensure their complete satisfaction.
The Guest Relations department is also the first point of contact for many of our guests, so through their leadership, the entire team embodies a culture of hospitality that comes through the phone and finds creative opportunities to wow our guests. They are responsible for building profiles and preferences for our guests and ensuring that the restaurants have all the necessary details to exceed the guests expectation.
Restaurant Event Sales and Coordination (50%)
Actively involved in the sales, planning, communication and execution of all catering and private events.
Ensure all menus, websites, marketing and promotional materials are accurate and up to date. Play offense in obtaining future clients interested in social, corporate and catering events. Leverage Tripleseat as a tool for effective communication, sales and marketing. Negotiate final pricing, prepare contracts, secure guest signatures, deposits and final payment when applicable. Coordinate menu selection, floor plans, timelines, dietary restrictions, and anticipated guest experience with clients. Provide on-site support as needed during training, pre-opening, and opening to support the operations team. Create strategic outreach strategies including cold calling and networking to build brand awareness. Design private events and large group menus in tandem with the Head Chef and GM to maximize profit while maintaining value. Follow up with all clients post-event via phone and/or email to gather feedback and create lasting relationships. Be proactive in exceeding client expectations and creating custom curated memorable moments within the event scope. Create and distribute event orders (or BEOs) for all events and review with GM's on a weekly basis. Plan and manage the logistics, including vendor needs, timelines, and design of all restaurant events. Maintain detailed logs, files, and database of client correspondence, client event notes, signed contracts, event invoices, and new client drop offs and tastings for tracking success ratios. Develop a Special Events checklist for inbound/outbound calls and execution of events. Track all events, event financials and develop targets/benchmarks to lead path towards meeting goals Prepare and complete an accurate bill to the event host at the completion of the event and collect final payment. Requisition equipment and supplies needed for events including but not limited to floral arrangements, linens, business cards, table decor as necessary. Catering (25%)
Build a catering department in conjunction with Director of Operations and Culinary Director in order to grow offsite event sales.
Event Planning:
Coordinating catering events from menu planning to execution on site. Develop event timelines and update as plans evolve. Effectively communicate with clients, vendors, and staff. Research and source vendors, venues, and suppliers as needed. Help maintain accurate records and documentation related to event planning. Logistics Management:
Create kitchen and front of house rental orders, updating as needed. Assist with the operational aspects of events, including installs, venue compliance, vendor management, service, and client relationships. Manage inventory and supplies for events, including ordering, pick-ups and drop-offs as necessary. Communication and Correspondence:
Serve as a point of contact for event-related inquiries and correspondence. Communicate event details and updates to team members, vendors, and clients. On-Site Event Support:
Provide on-site support during events, including setup and breakdown. Address any issues or concerns that arise during events in a proactive and professional manner. Guest Relations (25%)
Bring to life the L'Esperance values through every guest interaction and setting front line employees up for success in personalizing our guest experience.
Guide the Reservation team to ensure teams embody the warmth and graciousness that is the Hospitality hallmark with the common goal of exceeding guest expectations in every phone or email interaction. Oversee the hiring, training and developing a Reservations Department that is technically proficient in each restaurant's reservation system. Drive top-line sales through reservations, maximization of the book & wait lists. Establish a system for building out guest profiles through conversations with guests, Google, and social media to help our teams find unique opportunities to connect with our guests and personalize their experience. Establish systems for communicating pertinent guest information to each restaurant's front door team so that a guest's experience, from the phones to the front door, is seamless. Maintain proper staffing levels at all times to ensure restaurants are supported and the department does not incur overtime. Develop process of confirming reservations and actively utilize each restaurant's waitlist to maximize our books and accommodate our guests Collaborate with Managers to proactively and continuously fine-tune Resy. Support Private Dining Room Managers in fielding event inquiries to grow private dining business. Share forecasts, highlight revenue driving opportunities, and best practices across restaurants. Hold employees accountable to all standards and practices, coach and discipline when necessary. Manage creation and distribution of daily guest detail reports to restaurants. Assist restaurant management teams in responding to guest feedback (Resy, Google, Yelp, Facebook, Trip Advisor, etc.) Business Acumen
Operate smarter, play offense with sales, build trust with guests and investors.
Monitor accounts receivable and ensure timely collection of payment for all events. Create and update a weekly forecast and tracking system to monitor effectiveness of sales efforts and identify opportunities for additional sales Develop and maintain all necessary reporting as it pertains to event sales, and reservations to proactively drive our strategy by week, month, and season. Monitor impact of various outreach and marketing initiatives to shape future strategies by restaurant, company wide, and by time of year. Develop an actionable monthly sales strategy based on learnings and forecasts. Engage with 3rd party platforms to aid in lead generation for events and catering. Seek opportunities to maximize revenue through table management, flexible pricing of events, proactive outreach, off-season promotions and seasonal strategies. Hospitality and Leadership
Identify/hire great people and create memorable experiences for all stakeholders.
Retain talent by inspiring, teaching, and embracing a culture of development. Effectively lead by demonstrating a professional approach with coworkers through great leadership skills, ethics, and team development. Hold all employees accountable to the L'Esperance cultural values, goals, and standards.  Properly communicate and create an environment where new company initiatives are supported and embraced by the staff.  Additional Skills and Responsibilities:
Excellent communicator, time management, and problem-solving skills. Hands-on leader who possesses an ability to adapt and lead change. Analytical and organizational skills, as well as the ability to define and effectively solve a variety of changing situations under stress. Must possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to resolve conflicting interests with the goal of obtaining cooperation. Passion for exceptional hospitality, food, and beverages. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. Self-driven, results-oriented, and possesses a solid track-record of leading high-caliber teams including at upscale restaurants. Flexible work schedules, including nights and weekends. Travel between restaurants is expected. May be required to lift, carry, push, or pull heavy objects up to 50 lbs. Kneel, bend, stoop, ascend, descend stairs; be on feet for long periods of time. Working in an environment that may be exposed to hazardous situations and conditions that produce cuts or minor burns Prefered Experience:
Minimum 2 years' experience selling & planning events and catering Culinary Arts Degree Preferred High Volume Experience a plus Proficient in a variety of technology systems, especially Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint), G-Suite, Toast POS, Triple Seat, Resy, etc.