Director of Catering - InterContinental San Antonio (Hotel Opening)

*NEW* InterContinental San Antonio, located on the celebrated San Antonio River Walk!

IHG Hotels & Resorts, is seeking a dynamic leader to join the new InterContinental San Antonio team as Director of Catering. The InterContinental San Antonio will be a 391-room luxurious, first-class destination serving visitors to San Antonio as well as the city’s robust business and convention industry with an anticipated opening date in late 2024. Following a complete transformation, InterContinental San Antonio will include 40,000 square feet of meeting space, world-class restaurant and bar experiences, and luxury rooftop amenities. Guests will discover touches of subtle luxury and a refined ambiance throughout their experience. A new rooftop design will maximize the expansive and distinctive outdoor space, creating a feeling of openness. In addition to the outdoor pool, multiple levels of dining and gathering spaces will allow guests to meet, eat and relax. 

The hotel represents the first property for the InterContinental brand in San Antonio, catering to the city’s strong convention and business travel market, as well as expanding the city’s presence in the high-end leisure market. IHG has the second largest luxury and lifestyle portfolio in the hospitality industry, with more than 450 hotels open globally across six distinct brands, including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. 

Job Overview: We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Catering Sales Manager to lead the sales and marketing strategies for our catering department. In this role, you will be responsible for securing new accounts, maintaining existing ones, and executing tactical plans to maximize hotel profitability while ensuring guest satisfaction.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Direct day-to-day activities of the catering team, advising on policies and procedures.
• Recommend staffing and HR-related actions in accordance with Company rules.
• Establish a client base through direct outside sales efforts, producing and reviewing all sales contracts and agreements.
• Develop, train, and motivate a catering team to achieve revenue goals and maximize profits.
• Negotiate prices and services within guidelines, collaborating with the Executive Chef on menu design.
• Achieve budgeted revenues and personal sales goals; assist in preparing the annual departmental operating budget.
• Identify and solve operational problems affecting catering sales performance.
• Conduct facility tours and entertain clients; assist with menu planning and event details.
• Review daily charges, resolving discrepancies promptly; ensure guest satisfaction.
• Plan and conduct pre-event and post-event meetings with clients, guests, and staff.
• Promote teamwork through communication with other departments and key contacts.
• Interact with guests, vendors, and other contacts as needed.
• Serve as manager on duty when required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

 This job requires ability to perform the following:

• Frequently standing up or moving within and outside of the facility
• Carrying or lifting items weighing up to 25 pounds
• Handling objects
• Bending, stooping, kneeling

Accountability: This role is the top catering sales job for a large, full-service hotel with high-volume catering facilities, managing a small team of professional and administrative support employees.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in marketing or a related field or equivalent.
• 3 years of experience in catering or a related field, with direct supervisory experience over a sales/catering team.
• Fluent in English; other languages preferred.
• Ability to perform physical tasks and work nights, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Valid Driver’s License may be required.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong communication skills with guests, employees, and third parties.
• Proficient in reading, writing, and basic math for paperwork, reports, and training.
• Problem-solving, reasoning, motivational, organizational, and training abilities.
• Willingness to travel for workshops, tradeshows, conventions, etc.