Danni Hickling

Continuing on from my Events Assistant Manager role:

• Working with the recruitment team to hire new staff in absence of Director of Events
• Project Coordinator for implementation of CVENT; using this system for annual race week event
• Continue working with team in a mentor role, including direct reports and mentoring new younger managers such as the new younger managers such as the new younger managers such as the Weddings Manager

Continuing on from my Senior Event Coordinator role:

• Training and onboarding new team members
• Allocations of groups based on knowledge and experience
• Managing 28-32 groups per year
• Hosting site inspection and client dinners and/or lunches
• Working on strategies to upsell food & beverage offerings and increase event revenue by upselling upgrades to clients
• Continuing working on streamlining SOP’s, updating documentation and updating procedures to improve on office efficiency
• Events Manager for Race Week, more hands-on role of managing own clients and taking on more extensive tasks than previous years

• Supervising & training coordinators, being approachable for any questions, leading by example
• Hosting site inspections
• Upselling across the business e.g. Restaurant events, tour booking, transport
• Account management of corporate groups ranging from 10-650 guests
• Maintaining relationships with all stakeholders, internal and external Special event assistance including but not limited to Race Week, Hamilton Island Hilly Marathon, Ocean Swim, Great Whitehaven Beach Run, Triathlon
• Creating ideas, new & refreshed dinner package options

9 function spaces | approximately 180 weddings, 700 corporate events & 400 private events

• Proactive & reactive sales Proactive sales: cold calling, attending and hosting networking events
• Hosting site inspections
• Attending tradeshows and expos
• Average sales conversion rate 31-37%
• Allocating events to planners based on their skill level along with mentoring and leading by example
• Impeccable customer service skills and attention to detail
• Working with marketing with eDMs and new marketing strategies for event promoting sales (magazine advertisements and online booking platforms)
• Maintaining supplier relationships and negotiating new partnerships
• Creating seasonal wedding and event specials to drive business in need periods
• Report to Event Sales Manager fortnightly and monthly basis on figures, slower periods, trends etc
• Industry research Use of Ungerboeck Event Management System and Microsoft programs

5 function spaces

• Wedding, conference and event sales
• End-to-end event management
• Proactive & reactive selling
• Proactive sales: cold calling and attending networking events
• Conducting site inspections and tradeshows and attending expos
• Creating and maintaining databases and client relationships
• Attending sales lunches with key clients and managing accounts
• Maintaining supplier relationships and negotiating new partnerships
• Creating seasonal wedding and conference specials to drive business in need periods
• Working with Executive Chef & Sales Manager to create new banquet kits & compendiums
• Use of iVvy Event Management, Opera, Microsoft programs

Wedding, residential conferences and event sales

• End-to-end event management Conducting cold calls, site inspections, familarisations and tradeshows
• Key account management: National Sporting Team, Large Airline Business, Large Construction
• Business Design and staging of events -styling of events such as Gala Dinners, Weddings, Ticketed Events Working with Area Sales Manager in creating new revenue streams and developing new business relationships
• Maintaining and developing new business relationship with key clients and accounts Project management in larger annual event such as Gourmet Food Trail and Palm Cove Reef Feast Collaborating and costing new wedding kit to drive wedding market, networking and creating a supplier database
• Maintaining supplier relationships and negotiating new partnerships
• Working to exceed monthly targets and budgets
• Being actively involved in the development and implementation of marketing strategies to increase sales, analyzing trends
• Working with Executive Chef & General Manager to create new banquet kits & compendiums
• Communications via social media
• iVvy, Sihot and Hirum knowledge – Regional iVvy Super-user

Wedding, residential conferences and event sales

• End-to-end event management
• Working with Sales and BD Manager looking for new business avenues
• Exceeded monthly targets and budgets
• Working together with the Chef to create Function, Conference and Wedding Kits
• Running weekly F&B BEO/Operational meetings
• Active participation in meeting budgets and performing forecasting for event business
• Coordinating and executing operational logistics and service periods for all functions
• Rostering
• Allocation of staffing per each event
• Efficient and uses urgency in fix problems or come up with solutions for unexpected circumstances
• Event software - CRM / C&B