Conference Associate Jobs in Lakeland, FL (NOW HIRING)

Conference Services Manager

Our Culture:

We are a highly entrepreneurial company limited only by our imagination. Diversity and teamwork are major aspects of our culture. Our property associates are a highly team-focused group bringing out the uniqueness of each associate to provide great products and services. Success comes to those who continuously seek opportunities to learn and pass on new knowledge. We always strive to be better, never bored, and never complacent. Our teams thrive on hard work, inclusivity, and producing outstanding experiences. We endeavor to make our fellow associates feel comfortable and entrepreneurial so that they can engage unhindered. Finally, giving back to the community is also vital to our culture. Our properties live by the philosophy that they are an important part of their communities and look for ways to partner in the local community to make a difference.

Job Description:

Client & Event Management

• Serve as the primary contact for assigned groups after the sales turnover.
• Conduct pre-conference meetings and maintain consistent communication with clients.
• Detail all group requirements including room setup, audiovisual, food & beverage, billing, and special requests.
• Prepare Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) and ensure accurate distribution to operational departments.
• Coordinate and lead weekly BEO and operations meetings.
• Oversee on-site group execution and provide floor coverage during events.
• Conduct post-event follow-up to ensure satisfaction and identify future opportunities.

Revenue & Financial Management

• Maximize food & beverage revenue through upselling.
• Ensure accurate forecasting of group revenue, including F&B minimums and ancillary services.
• Monitor billing accuracy and reconcile final invoices with clients.
• Collaborate with sales to protect contracted revenue and enforce hotel policies.

Operational Coordination

• Work closely with Banquets, Culinary, Front Office, Housekeeping, AV, and other departments to ensure execution.
• Communicate last-minute changes effectively and proactively solve operational challenges.
• Ensure compliance with brand standards and hotel service expectations.

Marketing, Activations & Brand Engagement

• Develop and manage the hotel's monthly activation calendar, ensuring a balanced mix of guest experiences, community events, and brand initiatives.
• Coordinate, schedule, and execute monthly activations in partnership with outside vendors, local businesses, and internal hotel departments.
• Manage the hotel's social media presence across Facebook and Instagram, including planning and creating monthly feed posts, stories, and Reels that align with brand standards and marketing objectives.
• Coordinate influencer partnerships, including outreach, scheduling, on-property experiences, and post-visit follow-up in accordance with brand guidelines.
• Ensure all activations and marketing initiatives reflect brand standards while enhancing guest engagement and strengthening the hotel's presence within the local community.

Administrative Duties

• Maintain organized event files and documentation.
• Update event management systems (Delphi, CI/TY, etc.) with accurate details.
• Track group histories and maintain client profiles for future business.

Qualifications:

• 1 or more years of hotel conference services, event management, catering, or banquet management experience.
• Experience managing corporate meetings, social events, weddings, and group room blocks.
• Proficiency with hotel property management and sales/catering systems such as Delphi, FOSSE PMS, Amadeus Sales & Event Management, Instagram, Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Experience reviewing banquet event orders (BEOs), rooming lists, and event diagrams.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage multiple events simultaneously.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other departments at the hotel such as Sales, Banquets, Food & Beverage, Front Office, Housekeeping Engineering
• Audio/visual coordination.
• Budget awareness and revenue optimization.
• Group billing and contract interpretation.
• Upselling catering and meeting enhancements.
• Understanding of hotel profitability and guest satisfaction metrics.
• Help to coach and mentor banquet and catering staff.
• Build positive client relationships from contract turnover through event completion.
• Remain calm under pressure and adapt to changing client needs.
• Ability to walk meeting spaces and guest areas throughout the day.
• Occasionally lift up to 25 pounds.
• Flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as business demands.

Vision Hospitality Group is an equal opportunity/AA/Disability/Veteran employer. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Vision Hospitality Group celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment and a sense of belonging for all associates. We do not discriminate and believe everybody should be proud of who they are, represent their culture and heritage, and live by the Golden Rule.

Vision Hospitality Group LLC, offers the following benefits:

• Paid Time Off
• Optional Health, Wellness and Care benefits
• Health Reimbursement Program
• Flexible Spending Account
• Stay Discounts
• Optional Company paid Life Insurance
• 401(k) and 401(k) matching
• Employee Assistance Program
• Several Voluntary and Supplemental Insurance Options
• Select Paid Holidays and One Personal Floating Holiday
• Loyalty Incentives and Other Unique Incentive Programs