Director, Celebrations & Special Projects

Reporting to the Director of Events, with a dotted line (in regard to Special Projects) to the Director of Commercial and General Manager, responsibilities and essential job functions include, but are not limited, to the below.The successful candidate has a passion for excellence, personalization and flawless execution, and would be seen as the mastermind of unforgettable celebrations in San Francisco, cementing Fairmont San Francisco as THE place to host special events – from wedding to anniversaries, to spectacular parties and hotel activations.The Director, Celebration & Special Projects would dedicate 80% of time towards booking celebrations and other social client events, and 20% towards the direction and management of all external guest facing hotel produced events and activations (in partnership with the Directors of Marketing and PR).What you will be doing: CelebrationsSell and contract events held within the hotel in the social market to include weddings, celebrations of life, birthday parties, other social events and other market segments as directed by hotel’s business strategy.Generate and execute a definitive sales strategy to meet and/or exceed departmental revenue and profitability goals consistently, working in partnership with the team.Network inside and outside the hotel to establish oneself as the go-to in San Francisco/Bay Area market for special events; build meaningful, long-term relationships with new and existing clients and vendors.Develop a highly satisfied and loyal guest event base through engaging, personalized, and genuine guest experiences.Work with the Executive Chef, Director of Food & Beverage and Director of Revenue, Food & Beverage, to establish profitable and competitive event menus that meet clients' needs.Maximize revenue potential throughout the booking journey, upselling where appropriate.Willingness to fully plan event functions from start-to-finish, including meeting with the clients to determine needs, and exceeding their expectations through detailed communication.Take responsibility of event functions, including maintaining the accuracy and effectiveness of all written communication. These procedures include but are not limited to: Proposals, Contracts, Daily Events Report, and Opera S&C Standards.Respond to event inquiries in a timely manner, scheduling in-person site tours of the venue.Develop business list of target contacts to solicit and update on a weekly basis.Track lead conversion and report monthly, including catering and rooms revenue generated.Review past business that has not returned and investigate why; prospect as appropriate.Partner with Director of Revenue to secure most strategic business opportunities for the hotel.Align with Director of Revenue, Food & Beverage in reviewing profitability of repeat events.Review and analysis of event sales and services guidelines, standards, procedures & policies.Complete required forecasts and reports essential in tracking the progress of the department.Generate Daily lead sheet and record Sales calls in Opera.Special Projects Head internal (hotel planned and ticketed) events, including submitting ideas for events and overseeing the development of all creative content, in partnership with the Director of Marketing & Communications and Director of PR.Propose and develop new event and brand activation initiatives in line with Fairmont brand, in partnership with or direction from Directors of PR and Marketing.Present project information, including deadlines, budgets and target goals, to General Manager and Executive Committee.Oversee the budget, in partnership with the Director of Events, remaining accountable and communicative to all departments in regard to overall budgets including Food Cost, Beverage Cost, and all operating expenses, while ensuring ROI.Direct oversight of third party vendors, décor teams, and lighting teams, as assigned by the Director of Events .Set project deadlines and measurable goals.Develop partnerships with vendors, companies, and beneficiaries to support incremental revenue and business opportunities.Ensure effective communication and execution of all initiativesOther duties as assigned.Salary Range: 98K to 131K USD Gross AnnuallyYour skills and experience include: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.Highly responsible and reliable, with dynamic can-do attitudePossessing the trait of being organized and multi-tasking, with attention to detailExcellent communication skills, both verbal and written requiredStrong interpersonal and problem solving abilitiesAbility to focus attention on guest needs, remaining calm and courteous at all timesPassion for working cohesively as part of a team while at the same time being a self-starterAbility to manage multiple projects under time constraints and within given deadlines, with ability to change between one activity to another seamlesslyExperience in Microsoft OfficeExcellent communication and organizational skillsUnderstands how to effectively deal with diverse range of clientele and team membersPresents a professional and polished appearanceMaintain confidentiality of proprietary information and protect company assetsPreferred experience: Minimum two years’ leadership experience (experience within 4- or 5-star hotels, award-winning event venues or restaurants, banquets and catering preferred)Familiarity with San Francisco/Bay Area marketKnowledge of events or food and beverage service and preparationUnderstanding and control food and labor costsUniversity/College degree in related discipline