Manager, Special Event Sales

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Overall Purpose:

Lower.com Field opened in July of 2021 as a premier destination for sports entertainment, in the rapidly growing downtown Columbus neighborhood. This transformative facility is not just home to the Columbus Crew, but also hosts additional major public and private events throughout the calendar year.

Off the pitch, Lower.com Field boasts 6 premium club spaces, the Chase Plaza and the Biergarten to create a world-class experience on both matchday, and for a variety of events ranging from largescale programming to corporate parties, meetings, weddings, trade shows, to small break-out meetings and personal gatherings.

The Manager of Special Event Sales is responsible for prospecting and cultivating new relationships with area individuals and organizations who would benefit from using our facility for their event needs. The ideal candidate for this role will have a proven track record of developing, cultivating, and maintaining strong industry relationships, with an ability to create a private event business that rivals any venue in the country. This person will be a strategic and able to ideate outside the box concepts that can be executed and monetized to provide best-in-class programming for consumers year-round. The Manager of Event Sales will work closely with Levy, our concessionaire, as well as Columbus Crew ticketing, corporate partnerships and the Director of Event Development.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Manager of Special Event Sales will be responsible to help increase overall facility revenue for the Crew and assist other departments in reaching their own goals. As such, key responsibilities for this role are as follows:

Prospect, sell, and close private event business including corporate events, social gatherings, nonprofit events, and more.

Manage the full sales cycle - from initial inquiry and proposal to contracting and hand-off to event operations.

Proactively solicit new business through sales calls and presentations, attending local trade shows, and engaging in other client prospecting to increase the size of the Organization's potential client database.

Research, analyze, and develop special event profit-generating opportunities and clients

Responsible for building and maintaining strong client relationships ensuring all event specifications are communicated to and executed by all operating departments making for a successful experience for the meeting planner and attendees

Maintain constant communication with private Event Operations Manager as it applies to the client at hand

Attend event meetings to ensure contractual needs are being met for each client and ensure accuracy for client and event contracts

Direct interaction with guests always in a professional and polite manner; promote and maintain the highest level of customer service to all guests

Respond to sales inquiries in a timely manner and convert to sales: answering e-mails, scheduling meetings/tours, conducting planning meetings

Generate proposals, contracts, invoices, and banquet event orders

Work with other stadium departments to identify specific needs related event sales

Monitor changes, trends, and new developments in the special events industry

Work cross-functionally with marketing, operations, and partnerships teams to ensure seamless event execution and brand alignment.

Special projects as assigned by the Director, Event Development

EDUCATION/JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor's degree required

3+ years of experience in event sales, venue sales, or related hospitality sales roles.

Works well under pressure while maintaining a positive attitude

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Must be a team player, reliable, and dependable

Must be detail-oriented and must be able to multi-task while managing time successfully

Availability to work a varied schedule including, nights, weekends, holidays and early mornings, as needed for events, maintain full time status hours and full calendar year availability

The ideal candidate will be upbeat with a positive and flexible attitude; work well in a fast-paced environment; exhibit a calm confidence and ability to prioritize key tasks; be able to handle unexpected situations with elegance and finesse; and display excellent verbal and written communication skills

Someone who understands that building and maintaining relationships throughout the entirety of guest experiences is the foundation to any successful event

The ability to assess situations and problem-solve to find effective solutions should challenges arise

Knowledge of industry terminology, event-related services and technical requirements for the types of events anticipated at the stadium.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Standing for extended periods of time

Walking throughout the stadium and stadium grounds

Lift at least 30 pounds

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This job operates in an outside environment and in a stadium facility at times which may include inclement weather conditions.