Job Introduction
We ensure you're rewarded for all your hard work, which is why we offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:
- Contributory pension scheme
- Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
- Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
- Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
- Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
- Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
- Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
- Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
- You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families
Sales Manager (Maternity Cover)
This is a hands-on sales leadership role with responsibility for maximizing revenue from weddings and social occasions, while also driving new business from the local corporate market and retaining and growing existing Conference & Events (C&E) accounts.
You will bring a strong understanding of key market segments and clients, with a clear focus on optimizing conversion, driving revenue, and achieving agreed financial targets. Working closely with the events planning team, you will lead the delivery of effective sales strategies, ensuring venue KPIs, sales objectives, and profitability targets are consistently met.
This role operates on a 50:50 split between proactive and reactive sales activity, combining strategic business development with high-quality enquiry management.
Who You Are
Highly competent in C&E sales processes and revenue management
Proven experience in wedding and social occasions sales, with strong enquiry management and conversion performance
Able to maximize revenue opportunities and develop strong partnerships with wedding planners and industry contacts to raise the venue’s profile
An effective people manager, able to motivate, organize, and develop a small sales team
Confident communicator who builds positive working relationships across teams and with clients
Outgoing and personable, with a genuine enjoyment of social interaction
Experienced in producing high-quality proposals with excellent attention to detail
Fully confident in delivering venue showrounds and customer appointments
Proactive, driven, and ambitious, with confidence in decision-making
Self-motivated with a strong focus on achieving and exceeding sales targets
Competent in database management and Microsoft 365
Thorough, organized, and professional in approach
Excellent customer service and communication skills
Confident in proactive telesales and rebooking calls
A collaborative team player and key member of the venue’s management team
What You Will Be Doing
Delivering the overall C&E sales and marketing strategy for the venue
Owning and driving the wedding sales strategy
Identifying opportunities for C&E sales growth and working collaboratively to implement new initiatives
Conducting proactive sales activity to secure new business and retain existing accounts, including targeted telesales, showrounds, and appointments
Maintaining strong awareness of competitor activity and taking a proactive, creative approach to staying ahead of the market
Representing the venue at networking events, fam trips, wedding showcases, and fairs
Managing reactive sales activity, including handling enquiries and producing compelling proposals within agreed response times
Effective diary management, including internal client bookings
Following up enquiries and proposals and arranging site inspections to drive conversion
Achieving agreed sales targets through strong conversion performance
Leading daily, weekly, and monthly sales meetings, including weekly forecasts and monthly reviews
Ensuring all promotions are effectively implemented and demonstrate return on investment
Participating in central sales campaigns and initiatives
Producing accurate sales reports and forecasts with clear proactive plans for future months
Monitoring team performance, conversion rates, and venue standards, including exceeding mystery shopper benchmarks
Managing the day-to-day performance of the onsite Event Planner, including regular 1:1s, training, and development plans
Demonstrating a consistent “can do” and solutions-focused approach
Key Responsibilities
Achievement of the C&E sales budget
Delivery of the wedding sales strategy
Ownership of the venue’s sales and marketing plan
Management of marketing and promotional activity, ensuring all websites and online listings are up to date and on brand
Management and delivery of local corporate account plans (in collaboration with the BDM)
Oversight of both proactive and reactive sales activity, including internal bookings
Production of accurate sales reports and forecasts and delivery of venue performance standards
Management of the onsite C&E Event Planner
Ongoing communication with the central sales team and Head of Business Development
Experience Required
Previous experience within hospitality sales
Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar role
Strong working knowledge of key market segments, particularly weddings
Awareness of local, national, and global wedding industry trends
Good working knowledge of sales systems and Microsoft 365
Proven experience managing and developing a team to achieve and exceed targets
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong commercial awareness with an understanding of the relationship between sales and profitability
About Us
Part of Compass Group UK&I, Restaurant Associates provides brilliant hospitality through our food, drink and services. We work with our partners and collaborate with our clients to achieve great things together.Every day, our teams of passionate hospitality professionals strive for excellence in delivering employee dining and hospitality to some of the UK's leading workplace as well as inspiring exceptional experiences in iconic cultural and heritage destinations.
Job Reference: com/0902/64305001/52789449/SU #RA Venues
Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!