Senior Event Sales Manager

COMPANY

Crew
Crew is an innovative hospitality group that creates and operates experience focused restaurants and nautical ventures in New York and beyond.
With a focus on stunning locations, committed employees, engaged leadership, and appealing food and beverage offerings, Crew has created an outstanding work environment with leading industry pay and great opportunities for advancement.
Crew is built on a simple premise: creating experiences that we love and sharing them with the world. Whether it's sipping cocktails on a historic schooner overlooking New York Harbor or enjoying sustainable oysters in a cozy New Orleans hideaway, we focus on making the places we wish existed.
Crew's award-winning restaurants include Grand Banks (Tribeca), Holywater (Tribeca), Pilot (Brooklyn Heights), High Tide (Dumbo), Drift In (West Village), Island Oyster, (Governors Island), and Seaworthy (New Orleans). And there are more on the way.
Crew's flagship restaurant, Grand Banks, was named "The Absolute Best Waterfront Restaurant in New York" by New York Magazine, one of the "Best Waterfront Restaurants in the World" by CNN Travel, "Best Outdoor Dining in New York City" by The Village Voice, "Best Oyster Bar in New York City" by The New York Observer, and one of the "Three Best Bars in New York" by Conde Nast Traveler.
Seaworthy topped Eater's monthly Heatmap of New Orleans Restaurants for six months post opening, and was named "Seafood Restaurant of the Year" by New Orleans Magazine, and one of New Orleans "Five Best New Restaurants" by the Times Picayune.
Vogue has named Grand Banks, Island Oyster, and Pilot the top three places to drink outside in New York City; AM New York named Pilot the Best Boat Bar in New York City; and Island Oyster was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award for Restaurant Design.
Holywater, Crew's most recent venture, spent it's first six months on Eaters list of NYC's Hottest New Cocktail bars and it's launch was celebrated by The New York Times, Town & Country, Elle Decor, and more. https://crewny.com/

DETAILS

Job Overview

Position Summary
Crew is actively seeking a Senior Events Sales Manager to represent our portfolio of award-winning restaurants, offering experiential opportunities to a diverse base of clients. With a current portfolio of six venues and a significant number of concepts in development, Crew offers a unique opportunity for a thoughtful, growth-minded candidate to join the team and to pilot the events department to its most fulfilling and successful iteration.
In this role, the Senior Events Sales Manager will collaborate closely with company executives, directors, and venue management to optimize sales and ensure flawless event execution. Responsibilities encompass generating new client relationships, cultivating existing ones, and leading the events team to ensure thorough vetting and follow-through on all organic inquiries. This position entails overseeing the entire booking process, from initial contact to the close of the sale and through event execution and close out procedures. Additionally, the Senior Events Sales Manager may be involved in the hiring and training of subordinate team members.

A successful Senior Events Sales Manager at Crew is able to identify opportunities across the brand portfolio and utilize the diverse set of spaces to meet client expectations. The candidate must be comfortable engaging new clients through outreach, while simultaneously ensuring the appropriate level of attention to organic inquiries. The candidate must possess a natural curiosity and aptitude for persistence and proactivity in a lively, usually outdoor, environment.
The ideal candidate possesses a robust background in hospitality, demonstrating a successful track record in high-end event sales and coordination. They are a team leader and thrive in a fast-paced environment, prioritize delivering outstanding hospitality, and exhibit impeccable organizational skills. This person is motivated, reliable, and adept at sourcing, building, and managing teams. The ideal candidate is a quick learner capable of adapting to existing systems while contributing their ideas for improving and streamlining. Strong communication skills, both with guests and colleagues, along with a passion for problem-solving and creating positive outcomes, define this candidate. Attention to detail is paramount, as is a willingness to embrace the elements and creatively problem solve.
Note: Please understand that most of the venues are outdoors and seasonal. The role requires the ability and willingness to travel between venues during the hot summer months, and the possibility for rain and other elements. Some venues are also aboard historic wooden vessels which do not sail, but do rock and present the possibility for motion sickness. Great sunsets, though, are guaranteed.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Source, qualify, negotiate, and close events business across all Crew venues.
• Cultivate and sustain existing client relationships while actively fostering new relationships through active digital and in-person outreach.
• Provide full cycle sales leadership to the sales team.
• Formulate and implement strategic plans for each location to attain weekly, monthly, and annual sales objectives, as set forth by the executive leadership team.
• Supervise lead generation and formulate and implement departmental strategies to identify opportunities and successfully convert them into new business.
• Achieve results by implementing and training junior staff on screening assessments and conducting effective follow-up questioning during the established interview and onboarding processes.
• Coordinate and participate in site visits, walk-throughs, and tastings as required.
• Communicate with clients regarding items including but not limited to event menus, floorplans, timelines, activation, insurance, transportation, permitting, and any equipment needs.
• Produce all proposals, contracts, and client-facing materials, and initiate the distribution of initial proposals. Verify the accuracy of pricing on estimates and invoices. Manage complete billing process for events.
• Create and deliver Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) in a thorough, well-organized, and timely fashion.
• Provide on-site support for events where necessary.
• Navigate client concerns or dissatisfaction to ensure relationship integrity.
• Supervise all event activities to guarantee client satisfaction and promptly resolve any issues that may arise.
• Engage in weekly meetings with chefs and managers to effectively communicate all catering and operational details for upcoming events.
• Effectively utilize proprietary events booking protocols and uphold information database in accordance with company standards.
• Analyze quarterly success through standardized reporting; provide insight and direction for departmental growth.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years experience in high end event sales and events planning
• Must be able to work weekends and holidays
• Strong understanding of both front of house and back of house restaurant operations
• Able to multitask and prioritize in a demanding environment
• Exhibit professionalism and etiquette across all forms of communication
• Tech savvy with knowledge of Toast, ResyOS, and Google Suite a plus
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced, high pressure environment

Physical Demands and Work Environment
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the functions of this job, an employee must walk, stand, or remain stationary during entire the shift. Employee must be able to continuously reach, bend, lift, carry, stoop and wipe with the potential for slipping or tripping. Employee must frequently wash their hands and lift or move up to 35 pounds.

Benefits

• Time Away From Work
• Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Paid Safe and Sick Leave
• Employee Discount
• 401(k) Plan