Executive Assistant Manager
Hotel Gokulam Park Doha
Total years of experience :19 years, 1 Months
Function:
Responsible for achieving optimal guest satisfaction and a good working environment to attain all set objectives. Run the hotel in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures and Policies as set out by Gokulam Park Group. Implementation of optimal and attractive products and services required to address the hotel’s target groups, based on pre-agreed marketing plans and budgets.
Job Accountabilities:
1. Guard the efficiency/productivity and the company results:
• Draw up plans and budget concepts (revenues, costs, etc.)
• Safeguard the realization, tracing and adjustment of deviations
• Developing improvement actions, carry out costs savings
• Guard/ controlling of cost price
• Delivering of data and proposals for the budgets and investments.
• Safeguard quality of operations (internal & external audits)
2. Manage the various Department Heads:
• Coordinate planning of Department Heads and Assistant Managers with regard to time-tables, work schedules, employment of employees within the different services; solving of bottle necks;
• Coordination of the execution of activities via instructions to the Heads of
• Departments/ Assistant Managers, supervision of the execution;
• Determination of the workforce, recruitment and hiring of new staff, supervision of sufficient introduction, execution of performance reviews and training of staff.
• Be accountable for responsibilities of department heads in their absence.
3. Implement the Gokulam Park brand standards optimally in the hotel and act as a flagship establishment for the Gokulam Park brand in the Middle East region.
4. Prepare a monthly financial reporting. Ensure an adequate administration, for the outgoing and incoming invoices, for the payment of invoices and for drawing up periodical management data. Justify deviations and differences to the Board.
5. Other tasks;
• Handling complaints, in the last resort.
• Other reliable to the above mentioned, tasks in order of the executive;
• Attending weekly Board Meetings with the Directors
• Leading various internal and external meetings;
• Supervise the fulfillment of the regulations of the employment legalization, Occupational Health & Safety Act, HACCP, legionella, fire regulations and other legal requirements
• Correct use of Gokulam Park’s corporate identity.
• Maintain contacts with public authorities
Function: To effectively succeed in attracting corporate clients by proposing innovative group itineraries for meeting, incentives, and events (MI&E) and provide quotations, ensuring that the same are processed, followed up and actioned accordingly. Overlook all requirements of the groups on ground from commencement to conclusion of the event and liaise with external suppliers and various sections within Arabian Adventures ensuring that quality service is provided in order to establish Arabian Adventures as a market leader in incentive organisation.
Job Accountabilities:
➢ Independently plan, schedule, organise and execute events from commencement to conclusion beginning from the quotation stage, inspecting sites and to overseeing the operation of the event thereby providing the customer with quality service.
➢ Attract and capture the client's interest in the destination by ensuring quality, cost effective/in depth proposals, resulting in competitive, innovative/creative tailor made programs, within the local laws and restrictions, in order to ensure the department's reputation as one of the most innovative and creative DMC in the region.
➢ Ensure that the Company's payment & cancellation policy is applied to the maximum by constantly liasing and following up with the clients to ensure that all deposits & payments are received before the group's arrival in the destination.
➢ Develop, maintain and enhance long term relations with external suppliers/service providers and effectively/assertively negotiate competitive rates and services at all levels on an independent basis ensuring maximum profitability for Arabian Adventures and assisting the department in achieving its annual targets.
➢ Ensure immediate turnaround/response time (48 hrs) for quotations & queries to/from clients, with regular follow-ups with all clients via email fax or telephone thereby projecting Arabian Adventures as a foremost service provider interested in servicing the customers to the maximum.
➢ To actively plan, participate in and entertain all visiting MI&E Familiarisation/Inspection trips (to Dubai and the UAE) to ensure maximum exposure of the destination, both for end users or only intermediate Incentive Houses, with minimum cost to the company. To utilise these visits as an opportunity to independently represent the company in the best style possible.
➢ To independently conduct regular hotel/suppliers inspections to keep up to date with current changes, in order to furnish his/her clients with the latest options available in the destination.
➢ To independently prepare in depth action plans and liaise with operations/suppliers prior to group's arrival and supervise and support the field operations, of each of his/her projects, pre-empting and foreseeing any problems making on spot decisions to find solutions / alternatives.
➢ In a guidance role, conduct on job training or induction of any new staff, familiarising them with all aspects of the job, including the IT systems.
➢ To constantly update/assist the MI&E Coordinator, to maintain and develop a comprehensive MI&E database to encourage repeat business.
➢ Regularly review and input all data /information in the EBMS system, in order to ensure accurate company's financial reports.
Function: To manage sales activities and events in line with the annual sales and marketing plan and to achieve/exceed budget and sales strategy for the hotel. To promote the desired work culture around the five core values of Trust, Integrity, Respect, One Team and Service of the InterContinental Hotels Group and the brand ethos.
Responsibilities:
➢ Sells to new, existing and prospective customers considering goals set forth in the sales strategy, negotiating optimum rate for the benefit of the business
➢ Services existing business through management of account bases
➢ Develop and maintain a regular pattern of sales calls, meeting with principals of target market
➢ Provides direction on, and conducts market research and analysis
➢ Monitors competitors activities and assists in marketing intelligence
➢ Refers sales leads to appropriate personnel within the InterContinental Hotels Group
➢ Plan and conduct familiarization tours and site inspections
➢ Assists with the preparation of new products and services
➢ Assists in the evaluation of sales and marketing activities
➢ Analyses sales mix and likely impact on hotel goals
➢ Prepare detailed orientation programs for new staff
➢ Maintain a comprehensive, current and guest focused set of departmental standards and procedures and oversee their implementation
➢ Ensure training needs analysis of the department is carried out on monthly and quarterly basis
➢ Designed and implemented training programs to meet needs and deliver training
➢ Maintain training records for all direct reports.
➢ Actively work at developing direct reports and identify high potentials
Function:
The objective of this position is to maximize group and event sales revenues by replying to all incoming inquiries and sending out proposals and information in a timely manner and to ensure the daily operations is run smoothly.
Responsibilities:
- Be the direct contact for site inspections and leads for all events and group requests.
- Overlook all the proposals, contracts sent out by the coordinators
- Oversee the execution of all events and groups hosted at the hotel.
- Look after all the Familiarization (FAM) trips.
- Maintain all bookings (with or without rooms) for the above-mentioned accounts in Fidelio.
- Ensure that the Groups and Events forecast is sent out on time with the required updates.
- Be a support to all sales managers in terms of rates and availability for groups as per the group strategy and allocations.
- Create an effective filling system for active leads, options, tentative and definite bookings as well as a log to track unable to confirm and lost business.
- Operational support to Director of Sales and Marketing.
October 2007 to June 2008: Group Sales Executive
March 2006 to October 2007: Events Coordinator
April 2005 to March 2006: Banquets Server
2001 to 2004 Swiss Hotel Management School Caux/Montreux, Switzerland Level reached: Higher Diploma in International Hotel & Events Management