Sales & Events Manager, The Bedford Swan Hotel
£40,000- £45,000 per annum + 10% performance related bonus
Job Summary
The Bedford Swan Hotel, located right on the Great Ouse River, is one of Bedford's landmark hotels. A busy 137-bedroom hotel with a thermal spa, high-end brasserie, afternoon tearoom, and a thriving meetings, weddings and events business, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional guest experiences.
We are part of Distinct Group Ltd, operating hotels and hospitality venues focused on service excellence, teamwork and guest experience. We are proud members of the Hoteliers' Charter, committed to fairness, inclusion and employee wellbeing.
We are looking for an ambitious and commercially driven Sales & Events Manager to drive sales activity and grow event and accommodation revenue at The Bedford Swan Hotel. This is a varied, hands-on role combining proactive sales, account management and event sales.
You will be responsible for generating new business, developing relationships with corporate and local clients, maximising weddings and event opportunities, and ensuring our clients receive an exceptional experience from initial enquiry through to their event.
What you will be doing
You will take ownership of the hotel's sales activity, developing and implementing plans to increase corporate business, bedroom bookings, meetings, conferences, weddings and private events. This is an especially exciting time to join the business, with the recently announced Universal Studios development in Bedford set to bring significant investment, growth and new opportunities to the area. You’ll have the chance to capitalise on this momentum, building new relationships and positioning the hotel at the heart of Bedford’s evolving business and leisure landscape.
You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of a small team of Wedding & Events Coordinators, providing clear direction, support and development to ensure enquiries are handled efficiently and every opportunity is maximised. You will coach and motivate the team, monitor performance and conversion, and ensure consistently high standards of communication and service throughout the customer journey.
A key part of your role will be proactively generating new business. You will identify and approach potential corporate clients, visit local businesses and business parks, attend networking events, conduct show-rounds and represent the hotel at trade shows, exhibitions and industry events.
You will build and maintain strong relationships with corporate clients, event planners, wedding clients and local businesses, developing repeat business and identifying opportunities to grow existing accounts. You will maintain a strong pipeline of opportunities, negotiate corporate agreements and look for ways to drive additional business during quieter and underperforming periods.
Working closely with clients, you will understand their requirements and create tailored proposals and event packages across weddings, meetings, conferences and private celebrations. You will provide a professional and personal service throughout the sales journey and ensure confirmed business is handed over seamlessly to the hotel's operational teams.
You will work closely with the Revenue, Reservations, Conference & Banqueting, Food & Beverage and wider hotel management teams to maximise commercial opportunities across the property. You will monitor competitor activity and market trends, track account performance and room nights, and regularly report on sales activity, pipeline, performance and future opportunities.
You will also play an active role within the local business community, developing relationships with local organisations and tourism partners and representing The Bedford Swan Hotel at networking events, familiarisation visits and other opportunities to showcase the hotel.
What you will bring to the team
You will ideally have previous experience within hotel sales, conference and events sales, corporate sales or wedding and events sales, with a strong understanding of how to convert enquiries and develop new business.
You will be naturally confident building relationships and comfortable picking up the phone, meeting new clients, networking and proactively seeking out opportunities rather than waiting for enquiries to arrive.
You will be commercially minded and understand how sales activity translates into bedroom, meeting, event and food and beverage revenue. You will be confident working towards targets, managing a sales pipeline and using market knowledge to identify new opportunities.
Excellent communication, negotiation and presentation skills are essential, along with strong organisation and attention to detail. You will be comfortable conducting client meetings and hotel show-rounds and able to manage multiple accounts, enquiries and events at the same time.
Most importantly, you will be proactive, personable and passionate about hospitality, with the drive to develop new relationships, deliver results and create memorable experiences for our clients.
What's on Offer?
- £40,000- £45,000 DOE + performance-related bonus up to to 10%
- Full-time position, predominantly Monday to Friday, with some evening and weekend flexibility required for events, networking and client activity.
- Genuine career development within a growing hotel group.
- Staff discounts on accommodation, food and beverage.
- Access to our retail, leisure and lifestyle discount platform.
- Wellbeing support, including 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and Virtual GP.
- Cycle to Work and salary sacrifice pension scheme.
- Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year rewards and annual trip.
- Length of Service rewards and annual celebration.
If The Bedford Swan Hotel sounds like the perfect place for your next career move, we would love to hear from you.
Pay: £40,000.00-£45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
