Dayna A Gilbert

• Responsible for coordinating, supervising and directing assigned group business after it is turned over by the Sales Department, throughout and through the closure of the event.
• Oversee all financial aspects of group programs, while maintaining high service levels.
• Act as a liaison between the client and operating departments to ensure successful events.
• Generate repeat business from all clients.
• Assists the Director of Sales & Marketing in the direction, coordination, and supervision of the Banquet Managers in all Catering related activities, including training, after contract banquet event orders, and client follow-up.
• Oversee Group Sales Manager to ensure leads are closed in a timely manner.
• Oversee the Events & Weddings team to drive non-resident catering business.
• Establish Catering Free Sell opportunities and all other policies to govern the effective running of the department.
• Thorough understanding of all cross sections of the operations of the resort, to include all Key Performance Indicator metrics of the hotel; manning guides, cost per occupied room, food & beverage costs, gross operating profit etc., just to name a few.

• Company Overview: (Umbrella body for Sandals & Beaches Resorts) – Miami, FL
• Developing workshop material on a yearly basis with all resorts' updates (all Sandals & Beaches resorts).
• Conduct workshop series to Travel Advisors throughout the Eastern Caribbean. Responsible for conducting training in Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Grenada.
• Providing pertinent content to better enable the Travel Advisor to sell any Sandals or Beaches product with the utmost confidence.
• Delivering a four hour training session, classroom style, then certifying each Travel Advisor who was in attendance.
• (Umbrella body for Sandals & Beaches Resorts) – Miami, FL

• Managing two hotels' Sales departments and merging the day to day requirements.
• Directly leading and managing an effective Sales team who consistently achieve set targets and win employee incentive awards.
• Budget preparation, review, analysis and presentation to corporate.
• Budget monitoring and allocation of resources based on needs.
• Participation in setting overall Resort budgets to include revenue and cost targets. Monitoring those targets monthly with various heads of departments to ensure that they are meeting their objectives.
• Analyzing and reporting financial data on a monthly basis to the General Manager.
• Making revenue projections for the resorts sales departments.
• Fostering & maintaining strong alliances with the Travel Trade through various techniques.
• Training & certifying Travel Advisors on selling the product.
• Growing a strong Groups niche market for both MICE Groups (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Events) as well as Social Groups.
• Executing and planning all groups (incentive and social) and convention activities as well as special events for the resort.
• Local & international catering; events planning, management and execution.
• Creatively introducing new on-resort Sales items to entice clients.
• Consistently retraining Sales team.
• Spearheading revenue meetings with all revenue managers.
• Constantly monitoring all marketing material (website, print brochures etc.) to ensure that the image of the resort reflects its standards.

• Specialized in the opening of new resorts, primarily the Sales, Groups and Convention divisions. Tasks consisted of hiring, training and coaching Sales team, setting up Sales Offices by implementing all Sales systems, creating Fact Sheets, preparing/allocating budgets and accounting systems.
• Organizing all banqueting facilities (establishing capacities, manning and equipment needs etc.).
• Opened the following resorts; Sandals Grenada – 2012, Sandals Barbados – 2014, Sandals Royal Barbados – 2017, Sandals Royal Bahamian (re-opening) – 2022, Sandals Royal Curacao – 2022, Sandals Dunn’s River preparatory work – 2023, along with Beaches St. Vincent – 2023.

• Managing the hotel's Sales department.
• Directly leading and managing an effective Sales team who consistently achieve required targets and win employee incentive awards.
• Budget preparation, review, analysis and presentation to Corporate.
• Making revenue projections for the resort.
• Fostering & maintaining strong alliances with the Travel Trade through various techniques.
• Exploring the potential of a strong Groups niche market for both MICE Groups (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Events) as well as Social Groups.
• Local & international catering/events planning, management and execution.
• Analyzing and reporting financial data on a monthly basis and report to the General Manager.
• Consistently retraining Sales team on trending Sales techniques, analyzing revenue trends and maximizing profits.
• Preparing public relation material and being the ‘face’ of the hotel, representing the product.
• Constantly monitoring all marketing material (website, print brochures etc.) to ensure that the image of the resort reflects its standards.

• Managing two departments within a hotel and balancing its demanding day to day requirements.
• Directly leading and managing effective Sales & Weddings teams who consistently win employee incentive awards through their excellent customer service skills.
• Controlling wedding inventory and consistently creating new ideas to enhance a bride & groom's dream day.
• Budget preparation, review and analysis. Presentation of budget to Corporate.
• Making revenue projections for the resort.
• Fostering & maintaining strong alliances with the Travel Trade through various techniques.
• Exploring the potential of a possible Groups niche market for both MICE Groups (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Events) as well as Social Groups.
• Exploring the potential and successfully capturing a local catering/events market which is still viable to date. I was able to develop and maintain this niche for the hotel which was deemed to be impossible.
• Analyzing and reporting financial data on a monthly basis and presented to General Manager.
• Consistently retraining Sales & Weddings team on trending Sales techniques, Wedding standards, analyzing revenue trends and maximizing profits.

• Developing Events Management and Planning content for classroom training.
• Teaching a certificate course in Events Management.
• Initiating projects and exams.
• Grading Event Management assignments and exams.

• Supervising the hotel's Sales department.
• Supervising an effective Sales team.
• Assisted Resort Sales Manager with budget preparation, review and analysis.
• Making revenue projections for the resort and presenting to the Resort Sales Manager for approval.
• Fostering & maintaining strong alliances with the Travel Trade through various techniques.
• Managing and maintaining a strong Groups niche market for both MICE Groups (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Events) as well as Social Groups.
• Fostering bonds with Incentive Planners.
• Connecting with local tours and excursion suppliers to offer the best and safest in-destination experiences to enhance one’s vacation.
• Developing a local & international catering/events niche for the resort which is still viable to date.
• Analyzing and reporting financial data on a monthly basis for the Resort Sales Manager.
• Consistently retraining Sales team on trending Sales techniques, analyzing revenue trends and maximizing profits.

Oversee the smooth and efficient daily operations of the hotel, ensuring guest satisfaction and addressing any issues that may arise;

Guest Experience & Issue Resolution:

• Managing Guest Interactions
• Ensuring Service Standards
• Problem Solving

Operational Oversight & Coordination:

• Supervision of all hotel staff, ensuring they are performing their duties effectively and efficiently.
• Staff Management through scheduling, training, and performance management of staff.
• Coordination of the operations of the hotel, through various departments (e.g., front desk, housekeeping, food & beverage) to ensure smooth operations and communication.

Property Management & Maintenance:

• Daily Hotel Inspections
• Asset Management
• Security

Financial & Administrative Tasks:

• Cash Handling
• Record Keeping
• Audits

• Accounts payables (all functions attached to this role).
• Accounts receivables (all functions attached to this role).
• Income Audit (all functions attached to this role).
• General Cashier (all functions attached to this role).
• Night Audit (all functions attached to this role).
• Financial data analysis.