Barbara Shafik
Hotelier
Bayonne,NJ
Summary
Motivated Sales & Event Manager bringing 14 years of experience delivering small to large-scale events on-time and within stringent budgets. Talented at identifying potential problems, promptly mitigating obstacles and actively resolving conflicts to ensure client satisfaction driving high sales and achieving targets. Background managing small teams up to 4 persons.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
4
4
Languages
Work History
Senior Events Manager
The Westin Jersey City Newport
Jersey City, NJ
08.2022 - Current
- Planned and coordinated all event logistics, including seating arrangements, catering, audio and visual equipment, décor, and entertainment.
- Developed detailed timelines for each event to ensure deadlines were met.
- Oversaw the setup of events to ensure that all elements were in place according to plan.
- Provided onsite management for large-scale events with up to 500 attendees.
- Sourced and negotiated contracts with vendors for event materials and services.
- Managed budgeting process from planning through execution of events.
- Designed a comprehensive post-event evaluation system to measure success of events against goals.
- Resolved any issues or problems that arose during the course of an event.
- Responded promptly to inquiries regarding availability of venues or other related questions.
- Analyzed data from past events in order to identify areas for improvement in future projects.
- Conducted research on current trends in the industry in order to stay ahead of competitors.
- Maintained relationships with existing clients by providing ongoing customer service.
- Facilitated communication between internal teams and external vendors and suppliers prior to the start of an event.
- Handled client questions and concerns via different communication channels to deliver exceptional customer service.
- Created detailed timelines for events based on scope of work required by each department involved in process.
- Reserved space, equipment and personnel needed to facilitate events.
- Maintained adherence to client-event requirements through delegation, prioritizing and management of production phases from concept to execution.
- Developed relationships with vendors to facilitate quality service at competitive rates while maintaining financial responsibility within budgets.
- Met with potential clients to perform site inspections and give tours of facility, meeting rooms and offered activities.
Catering Sales Manager
Hanover Marriott
Whippany, NJ
03.2021 - 08.2022
- Inspected banquet room and checked with banquet team before functions to verify correct room set-up, schedule of events, staffing and audio-visual configuration.
- Grew business through outside catering sales, executed food deliveries to perfection and devised and implemented marketing and promotional campaigns.
- Established details of sold catering events with clients and followed up personally, resulting in satisfied clients.
- Secured unprecedented levels of new business and maintained repeat customers for catering service provider via sales calls, networking, advertising and social media.
- Maximized profit through contract negotiation with vendors and venues.
- Continuously met or exceeded corporate sales goals for annual and quarterly timelines.
- Participated actively in community and civic activities to maintain visibility and to create booking opportunities and exceeded budgeted booking goals and revenue in every special event area.
- Conducted market research, analyzed trends, monitored competitors' activities, and identified potential target markets.
- Created catering menus for corporate events and weddings while maintaining a cost-effective approach.
- Established relationships with clients by providing superior customer service.
- Monitored budgets closely to ensure profitability on each event.
- Maintained accurate records of sales activity utilizing CRM software systems.
- Prepared detailed proposals outlining menu options, costs, delivery times, payment terms.
- Analyzed customer feedback data to identify opportunities for improvement within the catering department.
- Identified new sources of revenue through cross-selling other hotel amenities such as audio and visual equipment rentals or meeting room reservations.
- Proposed and sold customized, innovative set-ups, menus and functions for diverse groups in coordination with head of catering and chef on pricing specialty menus.
Business Transient & Groups Sales Manager
Intercontinental Hotels Group
12.2017 - 03.2021
- Provided onsite management for large-scale events with up to 800 attendees.
- Managed budgeting process from planning through execution of events.
- Designed a comprehensive post-event evaluation system to measure success of events against goals.
- Facilitated communication between internal teams and external vendors and suppliers prior to the start of an event.
- Utilized software programs such as Microsoft Office Suite for tracking expenses associated with each project.
- Handled client questions and concerns via different communication channels to deliver exceptional customer service.
- Met with potential clients to perform site inspections and give tours of facility, meeting rooms and offered activities.
- Designed contracts, collected fees and booked venues for events.
- Coached and counseled employees to reflect company service standards and procedures.
- Oversaw work of up to 4 staff seamlessly executing professional events.
- Identifies new business to achieve personal and location revenue goals.
- understands the overall market - competitors' strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand etc. and knows how to sell against them.
- Closes the best opportunities for the location based on market conditions and location needs
- Gains understanding of the location's primary target customer and service expectations; serves the customer by understanding their business, business issues and concerns, to offer better business solution.
- Supports the company's service and relationship strategy, driving customer loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer experience.
- Provides excellent customer service consistent with the daily service basics of the company.
- Interacts with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
- Managed hotel sales and marketing plans to accurately interpret and support business objectives.
- Submitted weekly and monthly sales reports and attended sales and management meetings to support business objectives.
- Attended trade shows, community events and industry meetings to build and maintain rapport with competitor hotels, lead sources, clients and local community.
- Developed and implemented sales strategies to increase revenue and profitability.
BT Assistant Sales Manager
Fraiser Suites
Doha, Qatar
12.2016 - 12.2017
- Helped sales professionals finalize customer sales and handled escalated concerns.
- Utilized company selling model to engage and connect customers with brand.
- Submitted weekly and monthly sales reports and attended sales and management meetings to support business objectives.
- Identified potential customers, accounts and markets and cultivated relationships to achieve assigned revenue goal.
- Developed long-term relationships with venues and clients by maintaining consistent communication and excellent customer service.
- Quoted pricing and met with clients and hotel management to plan and organize functions.
- Attended trade shows, community events and industry meetings to build and maintain rapport with competitor hotels, lead sources, clients and local community.
- Negotiated contracts with corporate clients.
- Responded to customer inquiries in a timely manner.
- Collaborated with other departments within the hotel organization to promote sales initiatives.
- Researched competitors' activities in order to gain insight into their strategies.
- Maintained up-to-date records of all contacts made with customers.
- Enhanced sales volume through skilled support to both new and inactive customers.
- Built sales forecasts and schedules to reflect desired productivity targets.
Assistant Event Manager
Marriott International, Inc.
12.2015 - 12.2016
- Assisted in the development of event concepts and plans.
- Coordinated with vendors to ensure timely delivery of services.
- Provided customer service and support during events.
- Oversaw logistics, scheduling, and setup of events.
- Developed presentations for management review meetings.
- Coordinated staff assignments to ensure proper coverage at each event.
- Monitored inventory levels to maintain adequate supplies for events.
- Collaborated with other departments to coordinate resources needed for successful execution of events.
- Handled client questions and concerns via different communication channels to deliver exceptional customer service.
- Met with potential clients to perform site inspections and give tours of facility, meeting rooms and offered activities.
Catering Sales Executive
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Pacific Rim
11.2013 - 12.2015
- Key responsibilities will be coordinating all event room needs, as well as sales support. This involves direct sales calls, sales blitzes, and hotel tours. In addition, maintaining good working relationships with existing clients while exploring ways to increase revenue.
- To include but not limited to point of inquiry, quoting rates, contract development, detailing of needs, arranging of food and beverage, audio visual requirements, communication of group requirements to hotel staff, management of meetings on day of event, posting of charges, presentation of bill and follow up.
- Responsible for working with all clients to provide professional client services support in the planning, organization, and management of events within the facility, monitoring the logistics of these events and all event related tasks after events are concluded. Their duties will include but not be limited to working with space requirements, scheduling of events, equipment rentals, tastings, menus, invoicing, theme concept/decorating and servicing the client as necessary.
- Handles group bookings – to include but not limited to point of inquiry, quoting rates, contract development, detailing of needs, communication of group requirements to hotel staff, management of group on day of event, and follow up.
- Solicitation of new and existing accounts to meet/exceed revenue goals. This involves making cold calls, direct sales calls, sales blitzes, and hotel tours. In addition, maintaining good working relationships with existing clients while exploring ways to increase revenue.
- Preparing contracts, reports, and other paperwork related to the sales department.
- Meets with clients. Effectively and professionally conveys necessary fundamentals and details of the sale to the client.
- Composes and types routine correspondence, reports or contracts based on organizational practice, policies and procedures at the direction of the Director of Sales & Catering.
Sales Coordinator
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Pacific Rim
08.2012 - 11.2012
- Account Management of CRM ensuring all information is accurate and up to date.
- Process conference inquiries ensuring they are entered correctly in Opera in accordance with Client's requirements.
- Management of Sales Manager diaries ensuring clear communication channels between all Sales Manager and Operations.
- Assist each Sales Manager by collating research materials and establishing key contacts
- Prepare and send proposals pro-forms, invoices and contracts on behalf of the Sales Managers.
- Prepare and handover client event files to Events Department.
- Complete site visit, complimentary focus and co-ordinate Client site visits.
- To answer and serve all incoming inquiries
- Assist Sales Managers in road shows and sales blitzes through preparing the trip paperwork, allowances, accommodation, sales kit …etc.
- A proper filling system for all key accounts and international tour operators
Corporate Event Planner
Splendid Travel
Dubai, UAE
09.2009 - 08.2012
- Planned and coordinated all event logistics, including seating arrangements, catering, audio and visual equipment, décor, and entertainment.
- Developed detailed timelines for each event to ensure deadlines were met.
- Oversaw the setup of events to ensure that all elements were in place according to plan.
- Provided onsite management for large-scale events with up to 1000 attendees.
- Managed budgeting process from planning through execution of events.
- Sourced and negotiated contracts with vendors for event materials and services.
- Designed a comprehensive post-event evaluation system to measure success of events against goals.
- Monitored progress of each project throughout the entire planning process.
- Resolved any issues or problems that arose during the course of an event.
- Coordinated transportation needs of guests attending the event.
- Responded promptly to inquiries regarding availability of venues or other related questions.
- Analyzed data from past events in order to identify areas for improvement in future projects.
- Maintained relationships with existing clients by providing ongoing customer service.
- Facilitated communication between internal teams and external vendors and suppliers prior to the start of an event.
- Utilized software programs for tracking expenses associated with each project.
- Managed accounts and worked to continuously develop new revenue from existing clients.
- Organized resources for events with up to 1000attendees and $1M budgets.
- Assisted in the preparation of budgets and monitored expenses throughout the duration of an event.
Education
Post Graduate Diploma - Sales Management
American University
02.2015
Bachelor of Arts - French Language And Literature
Ain Shams
06.2013
Skills
- Logistics Coordination
- Contract Negotiations and Administration
- Catering Coordination
- Team Leadership and Supervision
- Budget Development
- Schedule Management
- New Business Development
- Project Oversight
- Managing Events Start to Finish
- Vendor Relationship Management
- Food Service Knowledge
- Operations Oversight
- Customer Needs Assessment
- Business Development
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
French
Full Professional
Arabic
Native/ Bilingual
Spanish
Limited
Affiliations
- Salesperson Of the month
- Best Team Player
Quote
Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right!
Henry Ford
Accomplishments
- Planned over 150 events in 2023
Timeline
Senior Events Manager
The Westin Jersey City Newport
08.2022 - Current
Catering Sales Manager
Hanover Marriott
03.2021 - 08.2022
Business Transient & Groups Sales Manager
Intercontinental Hotels Group
12.2017 - 03.2021
BT Assistant Sales Manager
Fraiser Suites
12.2016 - 12.2017
Assistant Event Manager
Marriott International, Inc.
12.2015 - 12.2016
Catering Sales Executive
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Pacific Rim
11.2013 - 12.2015
Sales Coordinator
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Fairmont Pacific Rim
08.2012 - 11.2012
Corporate Event Planner
Splendid Travel
09.2009 - 08.2012
Post Graduate Diploma - Sales Management
American University
Bachelor of Arts - French Language And Literature
Ain Shams
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