What does a catering sales manager do?
A catering sales manager is in charge of developing strategies to secure customers and establish a strong client base. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing research and analysis to identify business opportunities, coordinating catering staff, liaising with potential clients, negotiating with suppliers and other external parties, and overseeing the sales performance of the company, producing progress reports and presentations as needed. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while prioritizing customer satisfaction.
Catering sales manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real catering sales manager resumes:
- Leverage other sales office resources and administrative/support staff to achieve personal and team relate revenue goals.
- Generate revenue, monitor booking pace and book repeat business while keeping quality consistently high.
- Maintain efficient data activity in Delphi.
- Maintain reports that evaluate revenue management performance including source of business, booking pace and geographical analysis.
- Develop Delphi diagrams and other tools to efficiently organize key information, itemizing all resources and priorities for relevant departments.
- Develop, negotiate, review and process all RFP s and sales contracts before final submission to corresponding spa location.
- Assist with inputting and tracking in brand sales and marketing system for Marriott and Wyndham.
- Analyze and solicit RFP's ensuring the hotel meets/exceeds management and owner revenue/profit goals and expectations.
Catering sales manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Catering Sales Managers are proficient in Customer Service, Booking, and Event Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Customer-service skills, and Leadership skills.
We break down the percentage of Catering Sales Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 9%
Provided customer service by understanding clients' needs, developing relationships, and ensuring an exceptional customer experience.
- Booking, 8%
Developed sales techniques to create booking opportunities; maintained awareness throughout the community.
- Event Planning, 5%
Developed and implemented numerous event plannings.
- Wine, 4%
Collaborated with Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage to create restaurant menus, catering/banquet menus and the wine list.
- Culinary, 3%
Expanded the hotel and restaurant market penetration through networking and strategic business development at multiple local culinary events every month.
- Audio Visual, 3%
Work closely with the Banquet Manager, Kitchen, Audio Visual Manager and the Front Office to meet client's expectations.
"customer service," "booking," and "event planning" are among the most common skills that catering sales managers use at work. You can find even more catering sales manager responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a catering sales manager to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what catering sales managers do because "sales managers must collect and interpret complex data to target the most promising geographic areas and demographic groups, and determine the most effective sales strategies." Additionally, a catering sales manager resume shows how catering sales managers use analytical skills: "conducted cold calls, outside calls, and utilized the in house database to prospect for new business. "
Customer-service skills. Another essential skill to perform catering sales manager duties is customer-service skills. Catering sales managers responsibilities require that "when helping to make a sale, sales managers must listen and respond to the customer’s needs." Catering sales managers also use customer-service skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "build customer relationships-cold calling-sale banquet space-create beo's for events"
Leadership skills. catering sales managers are also known for leadership skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to catering sales manager responsibilities, because "sales managers must be able to evaluate how their sales staff performs and must develop strategies for meeting sales goals." A catering sales manager resume example shows how leadership skills is used in the workplace: "supervised a 45-member staff with a leadership role in promoting superior customer service and employee satisfaction. "
Communication skills. For certain catering sales manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a catering sales manager rely on this skill, as "sales managers need to work with colleagues and customers, so they must be able to communicate clearly." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what catering sales managers do: "developed and maintained communication lines with facility sales team, event coordinators, operations and culinary staff. "
The three companies that hire the most catering sales managers are:
- Aimbridge Hospitality60 catering sales managers jobs
- Compass Group USA31 catering sales managers jobs
- Goodwin Recruiting21 catering sales managers jobs
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Compare different catering sales managers
Catering sales manager vs. Banquet manager
A banquet manager oversees the daily operations of banquet-hosting establishments, from planning to execution, ensuring events run smoothly and efficiently according to client requirements and preferences. They coordinate with the banquet director and head chef, working together to establish goals, guidelines, budgets, schedules, and strategies to meet the events' needs. They have the authority to delegate responsibilities among staff, communicate with clients, and liaise with external parties to secure supplies. It is also their responsibility to manage the venue, decorations, seat plans, and other services, resolving issues promptly and professionally to ensure client and guest satisfaction.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between catering sales managers and banquet manager. For instance, catering sales manager responsibilities require skills such as "booking," "phone calls," "trade shows," and "site inspections." Whereas a banquet manager is skilled in "guest service," "quality service," "beverage service," and "cleanliness." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Banquet managers really shine in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $55,820. Comparatively, catering sales managers tend to make the most money in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $55,115.On average, banquet managers reach similar levels of education than catering sales managers. Banquet managers are 1.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Catering sales manager vs. Sales and event manager
A sales and event manager is responsible for overseeing event planning and preparations intended for marketing and sales purposes. Sales and event managers handle the contracts with suppliers and third-party vendors for equipment and materials to be used during the event. They also finalize the guests' list, as well as managing digital promotional content and announcements for public awareness. A sales and event manager works with the public relations team for press releases and media communications, attracting potential clients, and identifying opportunities to increase revenues.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real catering sales manager resumes. While catering sales manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "customer service," "phone calls," "client satisfaction," and "client relationships," sales and event managers use skills like "excellent interpersonal," "sales events," "caterease," and "client relations."
Sales and event managers may earn a lower salary than catering sales managers, but sales and event managers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $49,461. On the other hand, catering sales managers receive higher pay in the hospitality industry, where they earn an average salary of $55,115.In general, sales and event managers achieve similar levels of education than catering sales managers. They're 0.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for catering sales managers in the next 3-5 years?
Bill Thorne
Executive Director of the NRF Foundation and Senior Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs of NRF, National Retail Federation
Catering sales manager vs. Inside sales account manager
An inside sales account manager oversees the operations and workforce performance within an inside sales team, ensuring efficiency and profit growth. Their duties revolve around monitoring sales progress, devising new strategies to identify new business and marketing opportunities, maintaining records of all transactions, identifying inconsistencies and errors, performing corrective measures, producing sales forecasts, and supervising accounts. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach sales targets, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a catering sales manager is likely to be skilled in "booking," "event planning," "wine," and "culinary," while a typical inside sales account manager is skilled in "account management," "crm," "powerpoint," and "salesforce."
Inside sales account managers earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $80,276. Comparatively, catering sales managers have the highest earning potential in the hospitality industry, with an average salary of $55,115.When it comes to education, inside sales account managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to catering sales managers. In fact, they're 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Catering sales manager vs. Account executive/sales manager
An Account Executive/Sales Manager manages client accounts, building positive client relationships in the process. Part of their job is to secure sales, which requires them to conduct research and analysis to find new business and client opportunities, generate leads, offer products and services to clients through calls and correspondence, arrange appointments, and process payments. There are instances where they must assist clients by resolving issues and concerns, ensuring client satisfaction. Moreover, they are also responsible for developing sales plans and strategies while implementing the company's policies and regulations among staff.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between catering sales managers and account executive/sales managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a catering sales manager might have more use for skills like "booking," "event planning," "wine," and "culinary." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of account executive/sales managers require skills like "account executives," "product knowledge," "sales process," and "sales professionals. "
Account executive/sales managers enjoy the best pay in the media industry, with an average salary of $51,472. For comparison, catering sales managers earn the highest salary in the hospitality industry.The average resume of account executive/sales managers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to catering sales managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 2.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.Types of catering sales manager
Updated January 8, 2025
