Special Events Sales Manager

We’re People People. Are you?

We’re Sonesta International Hotels—the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. (and growing fast 🚀).

With a dynamic mix of full-service and focused hotels across major cities, our diverse portfolio of owned, managed, and franchised properties means we’re everywhere our guests need us to be.

But here’s the thing—we’re not just in the business of hotels, we’re in the business of people. We bring service with passion, loyalty with purpose, and create experiences that genuinely connect—delivering quality, value, and memorable stays across 1,000+ properties in eight countries (and counting).

What this role is all about

At Sonesta, food and beverage experiences are a huge part of what makes a stay memorable. As the Food & Beverage Manager, you’ll help lead the daily operations of our restaurants, bars, banquets, catering, and dining outlets — creating exceptional guest experiences while driving operational excellence, team engagement, and revenue performance.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality environment and loves balancing people leadership, service excellence, operational strategy, and guest satisfaction. You’ll partner closely with Culinary, Banquets, Operations, and hotel leadership teams to ensure every dining experience reflects the quality, energy, and hospitality Sonesta is known for.

If you’re service-driven, organized, collaborative, and passionate about hospitality and Food & Beverage operations — we’d love to meet you.

What you’ll be doing

What this role is all about

As the Special Events Sales Manager , you’ll be responsible for driving private dining and special event sales for The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco.

Reporting to the Director of Food & Beverage and working closely with the hotel’s Sales and Catering team, you’ll manage private event inquiries, develop new business, conduct site visits, prepare proposals and contracts, and maintain sales activity using Delphi.

This role will focus on building relationships with corporate clients, event planners, local businesses, and social clients to grow private dining, receptions, celebrations, and full or partial buyouts of the Redwood Room.

What you’ll be doing

• •Drive private dining and event sales for the hotel, including receptions, dinners, cocktail events, corporate gatherings, celebrations, and full or partial buyouts.
• •Respond to inbound private event inquiries and actively prospect for new business within the San Francisco market.
• •Develop relationships with corporate clients, executive assistants, event planners, destination management companies, local businesses, and other potential clients.
• •Manage leads, accounts, opportunities, proposals, contracts, and related sales activity using Delphi and in accordance with hotel sales standards.
• •Conduct site visits and showcase the Redwood Room to prospective clients, communicating the venue’s food, beverage, entertainment, and event capabilities.
• •Develop proposals and event packages that maximize revenue while aligning with the operational capabilities and positioning of the Redwood Room.
• •Partner closely with the Director of Food & Beverage, Director of Catering and Convention Services, Sales team, and Redwood Room operations team throughout the sales and event-planning process.
• •Maintain an active sales solicitation program and participate in networking events, client entertainment, hotel events, and other opportunities to generate new business.
• •Track sales activity, conversion, booked revenue, and future opportunities and provide regular reporting and forecasts.
• •Identify opportunities to increase private dining revenue through strategic packages, partnerships, seasonal programming, and targeted outreach.
• •Maintain a strong understanding of the San Francisco private dining and events market, including competitive venues, pricing, and emerging opportunities.
• •Ensure a clear and organized transition from the sales process to the operational team so that client expectations and event details are accurately communicated.

What great looks like

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Food & Beverage Management, or related field preferred.

3+ years of experience in Food & Beverage Operations, Restaurant Management, Hotel Operations, Banquets, or Hospitality Management.

Previous leadership or supervisory experience within restaurants, hotels, bars, resorts, or hospitality environments preferred.

Strong knowledge of restaurant operations, banquet service, catering, inventory management, labor management, and guest service standards.

Knowledge of food safety regulations, sanitation standards, HACCP guidelines, and alcohol service compliance requirements.

Strong leadership and team development skills with the ability to motivate and inspire hospitality teams.

Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced operational environment.

Ability to analyze operational performance, guest feedback, and financial metrics to drive continuous improvement.

Flexible availability including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required in hospitality operations.

A passion for hospitality, food & beverage experiences, guest satisfaction, teamwork, and operational excellence.

Anticipated Pay Range & Additional Job Information

Salary range for this role is $80 - $90K annually & is bonus eligible. Base pay offered may vary depending on various factors including but not limited to job related knowledge, skills and job specific experience/overall experience.

How we reward you

At Sonesta, we know showing up for our guests starts with showing up for our people. That means supporting your health, your financial future, and everything in between.

Here’s a snapshot of what we offer:

Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA) with Company Match

401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match

Paid Vacation & Sick Time

Paid Parental Leave

Company-Paid Life Insurance

Company-Paid Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness & Accident Insurance

Educational Assistance

Sonesta Hotel Discounts (yes, you’ll want to use these ✈️)

Additional Perks & Employee Discounts

Our Commitment to You

Sonesta is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Before You Apply

To be considered, please complete the full application in addition to submitting your resume. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.