Ilze Nikolova

FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES

Oversee three areas within the food and beverage services

Event Management

Campus Dining Halls (four)

UFS Staff Campus.

• Responsible for establishing and maintaining the highest standard of hygiene in all sections of the event and in the handing of food generally.
• Ensure products served are of high quality and that meal recipes and specifications are in place
• Liaise with clients on menus and budgets and prepare quotations and contracts.
• Reconcile payments received and follow up on unpaid invoices
• Oversee the events office ensuring the correct information is provided to the kitchen and operations team with all the necessary information for all functions
• Oversee the daily operations ensuring set ups and requests are done as per client specifications.
• With assistance of chef compile and review function menus and cost the menus accordingly.
• Assist with the ordering of stock and creating of purchase orders in the absence of the purchasing officer.
• With assistance of chef compile and review function menus and costing of menus based on cost price and profit
• Ensure prices are set up correctly on the point of sale system.
• Devise new promotional approaches to boost customer numbers and market penetration while enhancing engagement and driving growth.

ACCOMMODATION SERVICES

• Kovsie Inn - Hotel accommodation (18 rooms)
• Managing of both reception, kitchen and waiting staff, ensuring roster is done according to needs of the business
• Compile the following reports related to revenue, occupancy, profit and loss
• Ensure targets are met by constantly reviewing service delivery and rates with regards to revenue, occupancy, whilst monitor the revenue activity of the hotel.
• Assisting at reception in the absence of a receptionist. This includes the full shift procedures
• Assistance with reservations, especially group bookings
• Marketing of property
• Setting of rates for hotel rooms on a yearly basis, based on competitor analysis
• Review of rates on a regular basis, based on competitor analysis
• Managing of Kovsie Inn Website
• Manage inventory with the assistance of the Housekeeper

Post Graduate Accommodation (45 rooms)

• Manage and booking all long term bookings
• Sending out contracts and invoices for deposits for long term students, ensuring this is returned as well as managing the renewal process on a yearly basis.
• Liase with students on issues and address issues in accordance with the terms and conditions of the placement.
• Manage inventory with the assistance of the Housekeeper

Customer service

• Provide professional service to customers, attending to their needs and requests
• Follow up on any issues a customer may have had

Quality Management

• Be actively involved in the Management of Change.
• Assist with monitoring client/student/guest satisfaction in relation to the service provided alongside with the Quality Co-ordinator.

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Assist in the training of new staff on all SOP’s, booking systems and point of sale.
• Calculation of overtime and the processing of claim for staff and student assistants
• Conducting one-on-one discussions and performance appraisals with staff on a yearly basis.
• Ensure effective induction processes are in place for new staff.
• Chairing of meetings with the different departments.
• Recruitment of new staff members as per the UFS recruitment policy.
• Management of staff leave

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Approval of purchase orders as captured on system, ensuring correct documentation is attached as supporting documentation.
• Sign of on all invoices received ensuring the amount corresponds to the purchase orders before it is submitted
• Reconciliation of daily sales and banking as per the Point of Sale System, to include student card, credit/debit card and cash payments
• Ensure correct procedures are in place for the handling of cash as per the SOP.
• Compile monthly, quarterly and yearly reports

(Revenue report / Occupancy report /Profit and Loss

• Monthly reconciliation

(Deposits received and refunded/Payments received

Outstanding balances)

• Reconciliation of bank account on a weekly basis
• Negotiate with suppliers on products and services to optimize profit.
• Ensured financial stability by managing budgets, reducing expenses, and increasing revenue streams.

EVENT MANAGEMENT

• Handling of all enquiries and submitting quotations, contract and invoices to clientele
• Ensuring payments are received and reconciled.
• Follow up on any outstanding invoices
• Ensure all relevant information pertaining to groups are shared with the relevant stakeholders.
• Compilation of reports after the event (profit and loss)
• Process claim forms for residence heads and student assistants that was working during the conference period on Peoplesoft
• Management of Housing and Residence Affairs Website ensuring information is up to date
• Marketing of accommodation to external clientele
• Established effective relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally for increased collaboration opportunities.

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

• Updating all booking websites to ensure rate parity across the board, i.e Bookings.com, Laterooms, Lastminute, Expedia, Orbitz, Superbreaks
• Involved with budget and forecast on weekly basis
• Managed reservations systems effectively, optimizing stay patterns to increase room occupancy rates and revenue.
• Increased revenue by implementing effective pricing strategies and monitoring market trends.
• Assisted in budget development processes, ensuring alignment with company-wide revenue goals and objectives.
• Streamlined forecasting processes, improving accuracy and facilitating data-driven decisionmaking.

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Responsible for reception (4 members) and conference and events department (2 members)
• Overseeing and management of the reservations department and the front desk ensuring that staff adhere to the SOP's of the company
• Overseeing and management of the events department ensuring staff adhere to the SOP's of the company
• Training staff on all systems (Fidelio)
• Conducting 3 monthly performance appraisals with staff
• Involved with the recruitment of new staff

OTHER

• Assisted with Duty manager shifts where required.
• Dealing with guest complaints.

EVENT MANAGEMENT

• Arranging site inspections and dealing with enquiries for potential clients
• Liase with clients on final details for their events
• Communicate with all relevant departments for upcomig events
• Ensure all payments for events are received.
• Dealing with guest complaints

SALES MANAGEMENT

• Increased sales revenue by developing and implementing effective sales strategies.
• Consistently met or exceeded quarterly sales targets through diligent effort and persistence in closing deals.
• Evaluated competitor offerings to adapt sales strategies and maintain competitive advantage.
• Implemented systems and procedures to increase sales.
• Implemented rate strategy for conferences according to seasonal demand and availability

STAFF MANAGEMENT

• Provided ongoing training and mentorship for junior sales staff, fostering professional development and career growth.

OTHER

• By October 2008, due to restructuring of the hotel, I was made responsible for the rate strategy, forecast, budget for the hotel accommodation and updating the rates on all the websites accordingly.

EVENT MANAGEMENT

• I started in at the hotel as a conference and events co-ordinator and was promoted to Assistant Conference and Events Sales Manager in 2005
• Sending quotations and contracts and ensuring payments are received for conferences
• Ensuring conferences/functions are charged accordingly
• Liaising with all other departments on functions and conferences
• Handled customer relations issues, enabling quick resolution, and client satisfaction.
• In addition I also assisted in various departments in the hotel - reservations, reception, bar and conference and banqueting
• Training of new staff
• Attend weekly revenue meeting to discuss strategy
• Built long-lasting client relationships through excellent customer service and consistent followups.
• In absence of C&E Sales Manager, overlooked the running of the day-to-day activities in the sales office
• Duty management shifts during the week.

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNERSHIP

• As a trainee I was involved in the different departments of the hotel, but mainly in the Food and Beverage and Front Office Department.

RECEPTION DUTIES

• Greeted incoming visitors and customers professionally and provided friendly, knowledgeable assistance.
• Checking guests in and out, answering the switchboard and taking reservations
• Responded to inquiries from callers seeking information.
• As the only member of staff on duty at night, I was Night Manager as well
• During functions, I assisted as co-ordinator and served guests
• I also assisted in the bar.

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNERSHIP

• Was a trainee chef as part of my work placement during my studies, under the supervision of Chef Costa Simatos.