Walt Disney World Resort

Job ID 10135752 Location Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States Business Walt Disney World Resort

Job Summary:

About The Role & Team:

As an Event Services Director, you will be responsible for driving catered food and beverage, entertainment, admissions, and other ancillary revenue to Walt Disney World parks and resorts, from contracted convention groups. This dual role manages a team that sells Disney Event Group products and the Event Service team that plans and implements all onsite conventions at Walt Disney World Resorts and Theme Parks. You will ensure convention clients, and their attendees experience the highest level of service that supports a Disney quality experience.

You will report to the Senior Event Services Director.

This is a Full-Time position.

What You Will Do:

On any given day, as an Event Services Director, you might:

• Ensure the Event Consultants and Event Services Managers are upselling and achieving financial goals
• Be an active member of two resort leadership teams and influence operating partners, to ensure Group Guest experience is maintained at a high level
• Lead Cast Members on their performance, to ensure continuous growth and development
• Participate in monthly forecast meetings
• Compile forecast and variance justifications for Catering Food & Beverage and Disney Event Group revenue
• Define and execute the annual sales strategy plan
• Develop innovative and creative meeting and event solutions representative of the Disney brand
• Assist Resort Sales team by participating in sales site visits to help bring together future business
• Remove barriers so that Cast Members can effectively perform their role
• Be responsible for recruiting and finding right fit talent
• Manage resources to ensure your team optimally meets the needs of clients and internal partners at multiple resorts
• Support Event Services Managers to ensure that all contractual obligations are met
• Assist with contract language requests to ensure business moves forward
• Be engaged with all aspects of Resort renovation and construction, to infuse the group guest perspective. Mitigate impact to guest experience. Be a problem solver with Engineering and Facilities Asset Management
• Work together with Operations on various aspects of future convention events
• Ensure the local training effort for new Cast is in place and lead all aspects of ongoing training for all Cast

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• At least seven plus years of Event Services or Sales experience, preferably in a resort environment
• At least three years of leadership or formal mentoring experience
• Hospitality experience in a group convention environment within the past two years
• Strategic understanding of the business objectives associated with different markets and what clients are trying to accomplish
• Ability to proactively anticipate any potential group challenges and provide outstanding solutions tailored to the client

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of all convention resort function space and all Theme Park venues
• Understanding of the end-to-end sales process to be used to assist in converting business and upselling
• Thorough understanding of Rooms and related line of business
• Build and maintain strong relationships with operating partners
• Ability to seek constructive resolutions to issues and resolve them effectively
• Develop action plans with the Hotel/Cast which is vital when Client feedback reflects negative experiences
• Demonstrated ability to build outstanding and innovative experiences to exceed Client expectations through effective consultative skill application
• Effective problem-solving skills with a focus on removing barriers
• Confirmed understanding of Food & Beverage and Entertainment line of business
• Proven success that demonstrates strong sales and presentation skills
• Theoretical and practical understanding of rooms, food & beverage operations and contracting
• Knowledge of Group & Convention contract management
• Understanding of market segment (corporate, incentive, associations) and Meetings and Conventions line of business, including processes and workflows
• Effective organization and time management skills
• Current or recent Event Services, Disney Event Group, or Catering Operations Experience
• Computer proficiency within a Windows environment and willingness to learn new software applications
• Flexibility with work schedule, to include weekends and holidaysAbility to assist team in providing coverage to help everyone achieve balance

Required Education:

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Preferred Education:

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Certification

Additional Information:

Benefits and Perks: Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits.

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About Walt Disney World Resort:

Since opening in 1971, Walt Disney World Resort has played an important role in many childhood and family memories. Today, hundreds of millions of guests from around the globe visit this magical place to enjoy a Disney vacation. Through a combination of creativity, innovation and technology, the resort immerses guests in classic Disney tales and new kinds of family entertainment. Drawing from a rich heritage of storytelling, Walt Disney World Resort cast members bring Disney magic to life through unmatched attention to detail and superior guest service.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Disney Destinations, LLC, which is part of a business we call Walt Disney World Resort.

Disney Destinations, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.