Senior Conference & Catering Services Manager

Senior Conference & Catering Services Manager (FT)

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Acme, Michigan, United States of America

Posted Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 5:00 AM

SUMMARY

The Senior Conference & Catering Services Manager will plan and execute events, collaborating with departments ensuring excellent guest experience while mentoring and leading the Conference Service team.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Must maintain a visible presence with customers while on-site
• Directly supervise, train, schedule, mentor, coach, evaluate, give feedback and discipline Conference Service Managers, Assistants, Coordinators and Interns
• Participate in the hiring process for Conference Services team members
• Establish departmental goals in partnership with the Director and work with team members to ensure goals are met
• Personally manage high-profile/high-revenue groups along with Ownership accounts and In-house events
• Forecasting weekly food/beverage revenue and meeting room rental projections
• Yearly collaboration with the Director on completing accurate budgets for Convention Services, Catering, and Destination Management
• Assign groups/events to Conference Service team members based on complexity, workload, and team strengths.
• Ensure through training and oversight the accuracy and clarity of Banquet Event Orders (BEO’s), resumes, and event documentation
• Delegate daily, weekly, and monthly assignments to Conference Service team
• Leads and/or participate in pre-conference meeting, post-conference meeting, resume, client cut-offs and Food and Beverage meeting
• Collaborate with the Director to maximize revenue through strategic planning, food & beverage upselling and ancillary services
• Establish and maintain a strong working relationship with clients, other departments, frontline staff and upper management
• Attend trade shows, client contact/appreciation events, Sales team client contact events when requested by Sales Manager, or other business partnership events (may require travel and overnight stay)
• Establish a recurring meeting with the Sales team to ensure communication is at a high level
• Complete all assignments requested in a timely fashion; at times may require longer than usual hours
• Maintain a high standard of sanitation and safety
• Maintain open lines of communication with the Director of Conference and Food Services
• Understand and abide by environmental practices of the resort
• Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred but associates degree or equivalent work experience is required.
• Minimum of 6 years progressive management experience in a large resort/hotel type setting
• Must have a Food & Beverage background with menu planning focus
• Ability to manage and lead professional staff

OTHER

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Must have a sense for timing & urgency
• Must be able to complete tasks and projects in a timely manner by prioritizing obligations and time
• Must have excellent customer service and communication skills, both written and verbal
• Must be highly motivated with a positive attitude and can multi-task
• Must possess the ability to work with various personalities while maintaining impartiality
• Must accept constructive criticism as a means of growth
• Ability to come in early and stay late at times with or without prior notice
• Ability and flexibility in schedule as no two days will always be the same
• Must have computer knowledge and experience with Delphi, LMS, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Micros POS systems and payroll processes.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES (If applicable)

Direct supervision of Conference Services staff.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 25 pounds.

TYPICAL MENTAL DEMANDS

• Requires the ability to interact with people beyond giving and receiving instructions
• Must be adaptable to perform under stress and when confronted with an emergency or an urgent matter, while managing emotions and reactions effectively
• Must be able to effectively handle stressful and compromising situations while remaining focused and professional
• Must be able to deal with difficult people without losing perspective
• Must be able to work productively under strict time restraints with variable deadlines

WORKING CONDITIONS

The noise level is usually moderate

Native American Preference will apply. Must be able to pass a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee will also perform other reasonable related job responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor and/or other management of the Resort to meet the current needs of the department or business.

Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd, Acme, Michigan, United States of America