Cluster Groups Manager (Proactive) - Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road

JOB SUMMARY

Groups Manager – Proactive is responsible for proactively soliciting, developing, and converting group and events business across the assigned cluster hotels. The position focuses on generating new business, growing existing accounts, maximizing group room nights and total revenue, and building long-term customer relationships. The role works closely with Operations teams to ensure effective sales strategies, appropriate pricing, seamless business handovers, and exceptional customer service. The position is accountable for achieving individual and cluster group and events revenue targets while maximizing opportunities across all participating hotels.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED; 2 years experience in the sales and marketing, guest services, front desk, or related professional.

OR

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing, Hotel and Restaurant Management, or related major; no work experience required.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Duties & Responsibilities

• Responsible for proactively soliciting, developing, and converting group and events business across the assigned cluster hotels.
• Identifies new business opportunities and develops strategies to achieve individual and cluster group revenue targets.
• Builds and strengthens relationships with existing and new customers to generate new, repeat, and incremental group business.
• Conducts proactive sales calls, client visits, entertainment, lunches, presentations, FAM trips, trade shows, networking, and site inspections to generate business.
• Develops relationships within the local business and community network to strengthen and expand the cluster customer base.
• Works collaboratively with on-property and off-property sales channels to ensure sales efforts are coordinated, complementary, and not duplicative across the cluster.
• Identifies opportunities to cross-sell and refer business between cluster hotels based on availability, customer requirements, and revenue potential.
• Manages and develops relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to maximize group business opportunities.
• Maintains an active and qualified sales pipeline and ensures timely follow-up on all leads, enquiries, proposals, and opportunities.
• Ensures group and event enquiries are handled professionally and within the agreed response timelines, with a standard response time of within 24 hours.
• Ensures the approved Group/Event enquiry handling guidelines, BDRC procedures, and enquiry forms are consistently followed.
• Works closely with the Cluster Revenue Team on group rate strategy, availability, restrictions, and commercial conditions prior to communicating offers to clients.
• Understands market conditions, competitor strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand, and uses this knowledge to effectively position the cluster hotels.
• Takes responsibility for commercial decisions within agreed strategic guidelines and delegated authority.
• Maximizes total group revenue across rooms, meeting space, Banquet, Food & Beverage, and other ancillary revenue opportunities.
• Identifies opportunities to increase room nights, average rate, ancillary spend, repeat business, and overall account share.
• Actively shares market intelligence, competitor activity, customer feedback, and business opportunities with the DOS/DOSM/DORM and Revenue Team.
• Leads and actively contributes to the weekly Cluster Groups & Events Strategy and Operations meetings.
• Participates in joint sales calls with members of the Cluster Sales team to acquire new business and/or close opportunities.
• Ensures accurate, complete, and timely turnover of confirmed business to Event Management and the relevant operational teams.
• Conducts pre-event communication with clients and operational teams to confirm requirements and ensure a seamless event experience.
• Maintains appropriate client contact prior to arrival, during the event, and after departure to ensure satisfaction and identify opportunities for repeat business.
• Ensures Opera is fully utilized and consistently updated with accurate information relating to group blocks, rates, room reservations, pickup, and event requirements.
• Maintains strong knowledge and understanding of Opera, Empower, MI Leads, Marriott Bonvoy, Hotel Planner, and other relevant Marriott systems and platforms.
• Actively utilizes MI Leads and other approved lead-generation tools to achieve and exceed agreed targets.
• Actively promotes relevant hotel offers and promotions internally and externally to generate incremental and repeat group business across the cluster.
• Conducts professional and structured site inspections and show-arounds tailored to the client's requirements.
• Obtains customer feedback throughout the sales and event process and uses the feedback to strengthen customer relationships and improve future business opportunities.
• Takes ownership of lost business, identifies reasons for non-conversion, and develops opportunities to win back or redirect business within the cluster where appropriate.
• Supports the Cluster Sales strategy and contributes to achieving overall hotel and cluster commercial objectives.
• Demonstrates a proactive, commercial, and results-oriented approach to sales, with a strong focus on new business development and account growth.
• Provides excellent customer service consistent with company and brand standards and sets a positive example for guest and client relations.
• Completes any additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by Management.

Additional Responsibilities

• Performs other duties, as assigned, to meet business needs.