Director of Sales - London

Position reports to: Vice President of Operations, UK & Europe            

Direct Reports: Events & Partnership Manager, Group Events Manager, Central Reservations Manager Guest Relations Manager

Hakkasan Group is a worldwide dining, entertainment, and hospitality company with establishments located across the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. Its namesake is taken from its Michelin star restaurant that set the high-level standard for the group’s collection of diverse brands. Its 'brand first’ philosophy builds restaurant, nightlife, daylife and soon-to-be hotel concepts into world-class lifestyle brands, all with a focus on service, design, innovation, and experience.

Purpose of Position

The Director of Sales is responsible for overseeing all sales activities of the company and ensuring the sales growth year on year. Develop and implement a strategy per market segment and takes a proactive approach to addressing shortfalls against budget through expertise and personal abilities.

Key Accountabilities

• Create strong relationships with key client stakeholders whilst maintaining strong relationship with all existing clients. Identify major clients and forming working relationships in the industry. 
• Liaise with central reservations/events and build relationship with key bookers (hotel concierge, lifestyle concierge, venue finders, events agencies, destination managements, agencies, corporate PA/events managers).
• Identify new business opportunities and be proactive when approaching target markets, pro-actively contact clients to drive and create event and group enquiries.
• Understand the competitive markets and market trends to foreseeing and avoiding stagnation in the marketplace.  Conduct regular competitive analysis and feedback to the team.
• Act as an ambassador at industry events, conferences, trade shows, and expositions.
• Work with the Sales, Marketing and Operations teams to implement targeted sales strategy with the aim of maximising revenue yet ensuring guest experience.
• Through collaboration with the Marketing team, propose competitive and innovative sales initiatives that will help to secure new business and evolve into repeat long term business.
• Establish and manage sales objectives by forecasting and developing annual sales goals for UK; projecting expected sales volume and profit for existing and new offerings.
• Accurately forecasting future sales and forming sales plans to adapt to the evolving marketplace.
• Work closely with colleagues on global opportunities and other internal teams on marketing materials and projects.
• Oversee the event business growth ensuring all facets of the business is being promoted.  Meeting with General Managers and internal teams on a regular basis to assess company performance against KPI’s.
• Ensure reports and other internal intelligence such as mystery dining and call reports and insight is provided to the team to continually improve performance.
• Work with internal teams on behalf of clients to ensure the highest level of service excellence, ensuring best practice in techniques throughout the team.
• Analyse events systems for events onsite and outside catering events, including show arounds; menu and information packs; tasting sessions; standard guest emails; terms and conditions; manager and chef briefs; costing and proposal documents; briefing sheets; function forecasting; filing and follow up systems. 
• Involvement with developing launch events for new restaurant openings in conjunction with the Marketing team.
• Assist with the development of event campaigns that have been agreed within the marketing plan.
• Follow up on the sources of all events (i.e. recommendation, rebooking, third party) and analyse regularly.
• Ensure events should relate to the business plan and capitalise on unexpected opportunities, as they arise.
• Define / reassess the event strategy plan taking into account business needs and potential opportunities.
• Working with the Central Reservations Manager on Open Table and any promotional activities on Open Table, etc to ensure maximising activity, report and analysis covers, revenue, etc and make recommendations to improve its success.
• Ensure all reservations are managed as per operational guidelines, from taking a reservation to responding to a reservation, and where necessary aftercare.
• Ensure the Reservations encourages / maximises cross-selling opportunities.  
• Desire to own projects and exceed expectations, with ability to find solutions and deliver results within a rapidly changing, entrepreneurial, technology-driven culture.
• Act as a mentor and provide guidance to the team to ensure strategies are implemented for all operations.
• Provide feedback to the team ensuring that we always give full and proper consideration to all enquiries, ensuring the offered operation is right for both parties (the guest and the operation).
• Responsible for the successfully recruitment of the team, organise training and carry out one to one appraisals and other feedback meeting, including performance management meetings.
• Ensure the team have the necessary tools to carry out their duties and the team are properly trained in line with the training manuals and brands standards and all training is recorded, provide regular feedback to help improve the team’s performance and the performance of the restaurant.
• When required, mentor, supervise and train senior team members in line with the succession planning goals.
• Operate with an open-door policy, listen to and understand requests of the team, respond with appropriate actions, and provide accurate information.
• Compile and regularly update all training manuals in line with best practice and service standards
• Attend and / or host daily briefings and team meetings, senior management and global meetings, and actively participate in discussion, idea generation and solving problems, and ensure execution of agreed action plans.
• Attend training sessions and read training notes to continually further your skills and knowledge.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the business.
• Attend any other relevant meetings as required by the business.

Key Competencies

2.1 Leadership

• Demonstrates passion and enthusiasm for the organisation’s vision, and motivates, leads, and empowers others to achieve organisational goals.
• Inspires and leads others towards high levels of performance.
• Demonstrates an intellectual and professional leadership style that supports that attainment of respect and credibility by others.

2.2 Relationship Management

• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with key stakeholders and commercial enterprises to facilitates the accomplishment of work goals.
• Ability to influence or persuade others to gain acceptance or agreement of ideas and approaches.

2.3 Problem Solving and Analysis

• Ability to analyse complex policy issues, draw correct conclusions and articulate clear and focused policy to wide and diverse audiences.
• Ability to understand issues and make systematic and rational judgments based on the relevant information.

2.4 Strategy Formulation

• Ability to formulate strategies and policies and create new approaches in adverse situations.
• Ability to take a broad-based view of issues and events and have an understanding of their longer-term impact or wider implications.
• Ability to translate strategies into strategic and operational activities.

2.5 Communication Skills

• Ability to assimilate complex issues and use appropriate communication strategies to influence wide and diverse audiences.
• Ability to actively listen, seek information, and ask questions to ensure the understanding of underlying concerns of others.

2.6 Understanding of Business and Industry

• Immerse him/herself into Hakkasan Culture, thus requiring emotional and intellectual bonding.
• Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of, and experience in, the national and international hospitality business and the broader hospitality industry.
• Politically astute; is able to read situations aptly and exhibit sound judgment.
• Understands how people work and has a positive non-threatening presence which commands respect from staff, members, and stakeholders.

2.7 Interpersonal Style

• Has a personal commitment to organisational excellence; displays honesty, integrity, and a strong sense of ethics in all decision and actions.
• Is resilient; remains calm and deliberate under conditions of stress.
• Maintains a positive non-threatening presence which commands respect from staff and all other stakeholders.

2.8 Personal Organisation

• Has the ability to organise time to the best advantage of Hakkasan Limited.
• Manages competing demands to maintain a healthy balance between work, family and community activities.
• Maintains and manages personal development and health and fitness.

2.9 Governance/Management

• Experience in working with boards of directors providing professional, accurate, and strategic advice.
• Ability in implementing and delivering on boards of directors’ decisions and policies.
• Understands the interface between the role of directors and management.
• Has an understanding of and commitment to being an equal opportunities employer.

Health and Safety and Staff Welfare

• Be vigilant and take responsibility for the security of the restaurant premises and properties.
• Attend any training or re-training sessions on the above areas, as required.
• Ensure the highest standards of personal hygiene are maintained by all staff members.
• Work in accordance to with legislation relating to equal opportunities in the work place.

To be aware of and ensure continuous compliance with all necessary operational policies/legislation, including encouraging a general awareness of all tasks and activities relating to:

• Health & Safety
• Fire Safety
• Emergency Procedures, including bomb procedures
• Maintenance
• Food Hygiene
• Liquor Licensing
• COSHH