Senior Wedding and Social Sales Manager

About Appellation
Born from the elegant merger of the culinary and hospitality worlds, Appellation is much more than a typical hotel company. Inspired by its name, this new hotel brand brings together the best of local elements in a new way: a hotel collection powered by people, connected by food, and defined by place—all designed to celebrate its destinations’ culture, community, and craftsmanship. Developed by visionary co-founders Charlie Palmer, one of America’s best-known, award-winning chefs and pioneer in the American hotel-restaurant model, and Christopher Hunsberger, a 30-year veteran of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and its former president of North Americas. Join Appellation as its first hotels and resorts take root in 2025.

Position Overview

The Senior Wedding and Social Sales Manager is the lead producer for wedding and social event revenue at Appellation Healdsburg. This role drives high-value wedding and social bookings, maintains key referral relationships, and sets the standard for proposal quality, negotiation, and conversion strategy. The role owns the pipeline through signature and deposit and partners with Events for a disciplined turnover.

Key responsibilities

Lead sales production

• Own personal booking goals with emphasis on premium weddings and high-spend social events
• Lead complex negotiations for buyouts, multi-day wedding weekends, and large-scale celebrations
• Build and manage a high-quality pipeline, driving consistent follow-up cadence and conversion strategy
• Protect rate integrity and minimums while delivering value-based proposals aligned to brand positioning
• Drive upsell strategy at time of sale, setting the event team up for execution success and client satisfaction

Market leadership and relationships

• Develop and maintain relationships with top wedding planners, luxury event producers, and referral partners in the Bay Area and wine country
• Represent the resort at key industry events, site inspections, and planner showcases
• Collaborate with Marketing to shape wedding and social positioning, packages, imagery priorities, and seasonal promotions

Process and standards

• Set standards for proposal language, tour experience, contracting workflow, and turnover documentation
• Partner with Events leadership to refine handoff process, planning guardrails, and escalation pathways
• Support training and coaching for junior sales support (if applicable), without direct people management required

Reporting and strategy

• Provide weekly pace, need-date strategy, and forecast insights for wedding and social segments
• Identify and act on gaps in the booking calendar and recommend tactical actions to fill them

Qualifications

• 5 to 8+ years of hotel or luxury venue sales experience, with significant wedding and social sales production
• Proven ability to close high-value weddings, buyouts, and complex social programs
• Strong negotiation skills and understanding of F&B economics, venue minimums, and concession strategy
• Excellent executive presence with refined written proposals and client communication
• Advanced proficiency in CRM and sales systems and a track record of accurate forecasting
• Flexible schedule for tours, showcases, and client meetings as requiredhe Senior Group Sales Manager is responsible for driving group room nights, meetings, and events revenue through proactive sales efforts, strategic account management, and relationship building. This role focuses on securing high-value group business that aligns with the property’s positioning, revenue goals, and operational capabilities. The ideal candidate is a seasoned seller with strong market knowledge, excellent negotiation skills, and a consultative approach to selling complex group programs.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Revenue Generation

• Proactively solicit, negotiate, and contract group business across defined markets and segments.
• Consistently meet or exceed assigned room night, revenue, and booking pace goals.
• Develop and execute a strategic sales plan focused on short-, mid-, and long-term demand.
• Identify opportunities to maximize total revenue contribution including guestrooms, F&B, and ancillary spend.

Account Management & Relationship Building

• Build and maintain strong relationships with meeting planners, corporate clients, third-party planners, and key intermediaries.
• Manage a portfolio of existing accounts while actively developing new business.
• Conduct site inspections, client presentations, and familiarization visits.
• Represent the property at industry events, trade shows, and sales missions as required.

Collaboration & Execution

• Partner closely with Events, Catering, Revenue Management, and Operations to ensure seamless program execution.
• Effectively transition definite business to the events and operations teams with clear communication and documentation.
• Participate in weekly sales, revenue, and resume meetings.
• Provide market intelligence and feedback to leadership on trends, pricing, and competitive activity.

Systems, Reporting & Forecasting

• Maintain accurate and timely data in the CRM and sales systems.
• Produce regular sales reports, forecasts, and pipeline updates.
• Ensure all contracts, proposals, and client communications align with brand standards and legal requirements.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong negotiation and closing skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple accounts and priorities simultaneously.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive, self-motivated sales approach.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with CRM and sales systems (e.g., Delphi, Salesforce, Cvent, or similar).
• Strong command of Microsoft Office and Google Workspace tools.

Work Environment & Requirements

• Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Willingness to travel for sales calls, trade shows, and client events as needed.
• Ability to stand, walk, and conduct property tours for extended periods.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds
• Ability to be on-site during event execution

Why Hospitality Professionals Choose Appellation

· Weekly Pay - Get paid every week for better cash flow and financial flexibility

· Vacation and Sick Time Off - Recharge when you need it to rest and reconnect

· Comprehensive Insurance Coverage - Health, dental, and vision insurance plans available

· 401(k) Matching - Build your future with company-matched retirement contributions

· Holiday Pay - Get compensated for those important family moments and celebrations

· Your Birthday = Paid Holiday - Celebrate your special day with a paid day off

· Complimentary Meals - Savor every shift with delicious complimentary meals

· Employee Discounts – Enjoy discounted stays at Appellation properties and dining outlets

These aren't just benefits - they're our commitment to your career and well-being. People power us! When you thrive, we all thrive!

Appellation Hotels is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants regardless of race, color, national original, ancestry, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status, disability, veteran status, genetic information or any other status considered unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.