Job Description

The Luskin Conference Center (LCC) is designed as a 300,000 square foot, 7-story, International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) certified property on the UCLA campus. The LCC is comprised of 254 guest rooms, approximately 25,000 square feet of meeting space, a 160-seat restaurant, a fitness center, and a business center. The total staff anticipated for the LCC is approximately 165-180 FTE, with total revenue projected at $30 million annually. The LCC is an academic meeting and conference destination supporting UCLA’s education and research mission.

The Group Sales Manager is responsible for identifying new business partnerships to secure revenue streams for LCC, and is the point of contact for actively managing external vendors and affinity partners to: develop and outline contract parameters, establish event timelines and deadlines, select appropriate media channels, establish group sales performance goals and collaborate with senior level corporate, business and community leaders to identify and develop opportunities for key relationships designed to maximize event sales and revenue-generating programs.

The position develops and defines comprehensive marketing plans, defines components, timelines, sales media and goals. Responsible for ensuring effective relationships and open communications with external colleagues to coordinate revenue generation, marketing plans and strategic placement of communications with consistency of messages regarding LCC Group Sales and presents and negotiates rates with clients.

Works directly with senior managers to develop annual fiscal forecasts; maintains performance statistics and prepares reports and analyses for management. The Group Sales Managers maintains overall responsibility for a given sector and is responsible developing goals and achieving respective contribution toward the LCC in its goal of obtaining $4.1M in group room revenue in 2015/2016 and $6.6M in group room revenue in 2017/2018.

The individual must possess strong business acumen in order to make appropriate decisions with minimal guidance relating to revenue management based on current business analytics. The ideal candidate must have thorough understanding of the hotel sales industry to support and promote global sales efforts of other revenue generating entities within Housing and Hospitality Services such as Lake Arrowhead and UCLA Catering/Conference Services.

Travel is required up to 50% of the time, representing UCLA and the Luskin Conference Center in international, national and the local markets with the goal of expanding the client base. The incumbent exercises significant discretion in the negotiation of large scale contracts (which include room pricing, food/beverage pricing, audio visual pricing and other ancillary revenue/service pricing). Must be able to work a varied schedule that may include nights, weekends and holidays.

Candidates should note that although the primary schedule is Monday through Friday, from 8am – 5pm, some nights, weekends, and holidays are expected.

Job Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of three years in a Hotel Group Sales Manager position.
• Proven successful track record of closing sales and negotiating large dollar volume financial contracts.
• Proficiency in the English language sufficient to interact effectively and graciously with clients, and to write clear and grammatically correct business correspondence such as proposals, memorandums, and event orders
• Skill in prioritizing and organizing assignments when faced with a heavy workload, deadlines, and compelling requests for service.
• Interpersonal skills to work diplomatically and effectively with a diverse public clientele, University officials, colleagues, and students.
• Working knowledge of catering and conferencing business, including menu- planning, current trends in food and entertaining, basic room set-ups and capacities, and audio/visual equipment.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, initiative, and follow-through on assignments with minimal direction.
• Analytical skills sufficient to contribute to marketing & sales strategic plans.
• Effective public-speaking skills to conduct sales presentations and site inspections.
• Accounting and arithmetical skills needed to prepare cost estimates, proposals, and billing explanations.
• Ability to maintain workflow with changing priorities, frequent interruptions, and conflicting deadlines.
• Ability to work with detail, prepare and review a large volume of work rapidly and accurately.
• Demonstrated skill in working as part of a team, collaborating with colleagues and maintaining cooperative working relationships.
• Proficient with MS Office programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Ability to encourage and motivate individuals to work together to achieve department’s goals and objectives.
• Ability to work a varied schedule that may include nights, weekends and holidays.
• Skill in operating standard office equipment such as personal computer, fax and photocopy machines.
• Ability to travel to national and international destinations to conduct business trips.

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of Account Management systems (i.e. Delphi system). Proficient in the use of social media and other technology for prospecting purpose.
• General/ working knowledge of University accounting forms and policies sufficient to accomplish standard departmental accounting transactions. (UCLA specific knowledge is preferred).