Manager of Event Sales and Venues

Department: Hospitality Services
Supervisor: CFO & VP of Operations
Supervises: Event Sales Associates, Venue Coordinators and Venue Hosts
FLSA Salary Classification: Exempt, Full Time
Availability: Regular business hours on weekdays with occasional extended work hours, evenings, and weekends.
Revision Date: May 2023

General Summary: The Manager of Event Sales and Venues works in conjunction with all members of Hospitality Services & other Garden Departments to sell and host a wide variety of both private and corporate events such as weddings, receptions, business meetings, parties, luncheons, and more facilitating the ongoing progress of the Garden’s mission-oriented initiatives. Directly manages the sales team and the scheduling and daily plans for Garden Venues to meet established revenue goals. Maintains excellent customer service while generating sales for rental of Garden venues.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead sales team in meeting revenue goals within the guides of the Garden’s mission-orientated initiatives and providing an engaging guest experience.
• Identify new sales initiatives as well as build and promote strong, long lasting customer relationships to achieve growth in event sales.
• Design, process, and present data to support informed decision-making regarding trends, forecasting, budgeting and venue scheduling and management.
• Maintain monthly and annual reporting to track sales goals, trends, revenues, expenses, and other reports as needed. Collaborate/communicate with leadership team providing awareness about upcoming events.
• Hire, train and mentor sales associates and coordinators on the Garden’s venues, policies and procedures, and comprehensive event knowledge.
• Work with clients to confirm event details and communicate those to event staff. Supervise, manage and train Venue Hosts to ensure client compliance with Garden policies.
• Works with the Facilities department to coordinate needs (cleaning and repairs) for venues and events.
• Collaborate with Marketing to provide photographs/videos, sales trends and goals.
• Work with the Advancement department to support corporate partners and help facilitate their events.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with vendors, guests and Garden team members and performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree in business or related field preferred. Minimum of 2 years in event planning and/or sales strategies and customer service management. Must have strong analytical skills to interpret data and identify sales opportunities, in order to meet revenue goals. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Must be polished and maintain a professional demeanor and work well in a team atmosphere. Ability to multi-task in an active, dynamic, environment, return all emails and phone calls in a timely manner. Self-disciplined and able to keep calm while under pressure. Extreme efficiency/organizational skills. Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel. Ability to multitask, prioritize, meet deadlines, attention to detail and accuracy.

Management Duties and Responsibilities: Ability to manage, motivate, and direct a sales team and Venue Hosts to exceed customer satisfaction and realize increased revenue growth. Responsible for hiring, training, and coaching sales associates and Venue Hosts. Ability to analyze multiple factors in making decisions, based on data and Garden policy.

Success Factors: Ability to communicate well in a team and work toward shared goals, prioritize tasks, and strive for continuous improvement. Desire to collaborate with others to better a process, idea, or task. Possess a desire for excellent customer service, sets high standards and realizes impact of work on the department and entire Garden. Exemplifies the Garden’s Core Values and embraces the Garden’s mission of plant conservation, education, and research.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Work Environment: Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment. On occasion may be required to work outdoors, in all weather conditions.
• Equipment: General Office equipment, audio-visual equipment, two-way radio, tablet, operation of garden shuttle.

Job descriptions are guidelines that attempt to characterize major duties and responsibilities of employees, and are subject to change as needs and programs change. At Huntsville Botanical Garden they are considered neither inclusive nor exclusive. It is expected that up to 20% of your duties may change annually.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden supports a culture of inclusion that attracts, inspires, and engages people to achieve success. The Garden is committed to hire and develop employees based on job-related qualifications irrespective of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or veteran status. To increase diversity in professions related to the public garden realm, we encourage applications from underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans.