Senior Event Manager - The Drake Hotel

The Drake Hotel Chicago is a historic and iconic hotel located in the heart of Chicago's Magnificent Mile and the Gold Coast area, renowned for its blend of luxury, heritage, and prime location. With 535 guest rooms and 30,000 square feet of meeting space, The Drake has positioned itself as a premier destination for guests seeking both comfort and a vibrant urban experience filled with shopping, dining, and nightlife. This prestigious hotel operates under the Hilton brand, a global leader in hospitality known for delivering exceptional guest experiences and maintaining a tradition of quality and innovation since 1919. Hilton's commitment to its vision, mission, and values fosters an environment of integrity, leadership, teamwork, and ownership, ensuring outstanding service to guests and a supportive work culture for employees.

The role of Senior Event Manager at The Drake Hotel Chicago offers a dynamic and pivotal career opportunity for hospitality professionals with a managerial mindset and a passion for creating memorable events. The Senior Event Manager takes charge of planning, coordinating, and overseeing a variety of complex events, ensuring excellence throughout the pre-event, event, and post-event stages. This position requires close collaboration with sales teams, various hotel departments, and clients to maintain seamless communication and high service standards. The Senior Event Manager is fundamental in facilitating a smooth transition between sales and service teams, maximizing revenue through event enhancements and upselling strategies, and being the primary point of contact to guide event planners on-property.

Key responsibilities include organizing duties efficiently by developing strategic plans and goals, providing timely and professional communication via telephone, email, and in person, and building strong client relationships to fulfill and manage expectations. The role demands in-depth knowledge of hotel job systems, effective conflict resolution, negotiation skills, decision-making abilities, and strong leadership to assist staff and guarantee customer satisfaction. Participating in customer site inspections and supporting the sales process are also essential elements of this role, along with adaptability to fulfill any additional duties required by business needs. The Senior Event Manager will occasionally support the Director of Catering and Events and play a critical role in elevating the overall guest experience at one of Chicago's most distinguished hotels.

The position offers a competitive salary between $75,000 and $80,000 per year, depending on experience. Moreover, it is a full-time role that promises personal and professional growth within a supportive team environment. Working at The Drake Hotel Chicago, under Hilton's umbrella, also provides access to extensive benefits that promote well-being and career development. Employees enjoy medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance options, mental health resources, a generous paid time off policy accruing up to 144 hours annually, travel discounts, a 401(k) retirement plan with company matching, and opportunities for advance education and skill development. Hilton further supports its team members with resource groups, recognition programs, flexible access to pay, and family-building benefits, fostering an inclusive and encouraging workplace.

Joining The Drake Hotel as a Senior Event Manager is more than taking on a job; it is becoming part of a long-standing legacy recognized globally for hospitality excellence. The role is tailored for individuals who value quality, dependability, customer focus, adaptability, and productivity. The ideal candidate thrives in a leadership role, demonstrating strong organizational and interpersonal skills while delivering superior experiences to guests and clients alike. As a Hilton Team Member, you will contribute to a company that leads the industry in innovation and sets the standard for hospitality worldwide, all while embracing a culture of integrity and teamwork that supports your growth today and in the future.