Itumeleng Thabaneng
MICE Manager
Carletonville,GP
Summary
driving group business through strategic sales, event design, and client relationship management, focusing on exceeding revenue targets by creating tailor-made corporate experiences, coordinating complex logistics, and leveraging market knowledge to secure and deliver successful, high-impact events for hotels, venues, or travel companies
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
MICE manager
Ivory Tree Game Lodge
08.2025 - Current
- Driving sales, managing client relationships, and overseeing event execution, focusing on generating revenue by creating proposals, negotiating contracts, and ensuring seamless delivery for corporate groups, all while meeting financial targets and promoting the brand. They act as a liaison between clients, suppliers (hotels, airlines), and internal teams, handling everything from initial contact and research to post-event follow-up and financial reporting
Key Accounts Manager (Conference and Events) - Self-Managed
JustFab Global (Pty) Ltd
09.2023 - 12.2024
- Assisting with administering and control all aspects of a function/event. Including the creation and administration of the project plan, documents, time reporting and financial controls. Responsibility for project management support to ensure the business needs and outcomes of the project are defined, satisfied and costs identified. Oversee meeting booking, cancellation, and postponement orders from clients. Plan and coordinate all activities to successfully execute meetings and conferences. Obtain meeting request orders, book meeting rooms, and send confirmations to clients. Determine participant counts and accordingly book right sized meeting room. Process all other additional requests such as room set-up, catering needs and audio visual device requirements. Maintain high- level of professionalism and competence when dealing with clients. Obtain client feedback and make appropriate changes for improvements. Submit invoices for caterings, equipment, and other amenities to clients. Verifying of client information for invoicing purposes. Escalate complex booking issues to Managers for immediate resolutions. Ensure that meeting rooms are set-up with requested amenities and AV devices. Address new requests of host before and during meetings. Respond to client calls and e-mails related to meeting set-up. Reservation calls and transferring of calls Conversions of enquiries into sales Responses (emails and calls). Making Reservations and Confirmation of reservations, making sure that the correct Rates are pulled through when making your reservations. Amendments/Cancellations, Daily filing of reservations within Email Memo & Follow – ups, follow up on Tentative bookings for all the Groups. Sending of finale invoices and collecting finale payment. Compiling of daily/month Assisting of client with admin requirements.
Conference and Events Specialist (Self-Managed)
26 Degrees South (4* Hotel containing 76 Rooms and 6 Conference rooms) 2 Function Venues
08.2019 - 09.2023
- Oversee meeting booking, cancellation & postponement orders from clients. Plan and coordinate all activities to successfully execute meetings and conferences. Obtain meeting request orders, book meeting rooms, and send confirmations to clients. Determine participant counts and accordingly book right sized meeting room. Process all other additional requests such as room set-up, catering needs and audio- visual device requirements. Maintain high- level of professionalism and competence when dealing with clients. Obtain client feedback and make appropriate changes for improvements. Submit invoices for caterings, equipment, and other amenities to clients. Verifying of client information for invoicing purposes. Escalate complex booking issues to Managers for immediate resolutions. Ensure that meeting rooms are set-up with requested amenities and AV devices. Address new requests of host before and during meetings. Respond to client calls and e-mails related to meeting set-up. Reservation calls and transferring of calls Conversions of enquiries into sales Responses (emails and faxes). Making Reservations and Confirmation of reservations, making sure that the correct Rates are pulled through when making your reservations. Amendments/Cancellations, Daily filing of reservations within Email Memo & Follow – ups, follow up on Tentative bookings for all the Groups. Updating all Group and Series Rooming List into Semper. Managing all overbooking and block out dates in Semper. Sending of finale invoices and collecting finale payment. Compiling of daily/monthly reports. Assisting of sales team with admin requirements. Undergoing a shadow programme to be an operations manager.
Conference Coordinator/Reservationist
Valley Lodge & Spa (4* Lodge containing 76 Rooms and 6 Conference rooms)
01.2018 - 05.2019
- Oversee meeting booking, cancellation & postponement orders from clients. Plan and coordinate all activities to successfully execute meetings and conferences. Obtain meeting request orders, book meeting rooms, and send confirmations to clients. Determine participant counts and accordingly book right sized meeting room. Process all other additional requests such as room set-up, catering needs and audio- visual device requirements. Maintain high- level of professionalism and competence when dealing with clients. Obtain client feedback and make appropriate changes for improvements. Submit invoices for caterings, equipment, and other amenities to clients. Escalate complex booking issues to Managers for immediate resolutions. Ensure that meeting rooms are set-up with requested amenities and AV devices. Address new requests of host before and during meetings. Respond to client calls and e-mails related to meeting set-up. Reservation calls and transferring of calls Conversions of enquiries into sales Responses (emails and faxes). Making Reservations and Confirmation of reservations, making sure that the correct Rate code is pulled through when making your reservations. Amendments/Cancellations, Daily filing of reservations within Email Memo & Follow – ups, follow up on Tentative bookings for all the Groups. Updating all Group and Series Rooming List into Opera. Managing all overbooking and block out dates in Opera.
Leisure Reservationist
Valley Lodge & Spa (4* Lodge containing 76 Rooms and 6 Conference rooms)
06.2017 - 01.2018
- Taking and imputing reservations, negotiating rates, Upselling and offering More expensive rooms to guests, handling OTA Extranet bookings, Loading individual and group bookings on the system (OPERA).
Waitron
Panarotties
11.2015 - 11.2016
- Greet & seat customer according their preferences, offering welcome drinks and beverages, taking orders and providing information about menu items, relaying orders to the kitchen, serving meals and side dishes, accepting payments in cash and credit cards and clearing table tops
Education
National Certificate - NQRF Level 4, Food & Beverage Services
VPK Business Ventures
01.2017
Ambulance Attendant - undefined
Bokone-Bophirima Ambulance Training College
01.2015
Grade 12 - Matric
Hoerskool Carletonville
Carletonville01.2014
Skills
strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, alongside excellent organizational, project management, and planning abilities, to handle complex logistics, manage diverse teams, and meet client goals under pressure Key skills also include sales acumen, financial management, problem-solving, adaptability, and proficiency with tech and event management tool
Timeline
MICE manager
Ivory Tree Game Lodge
08.2025 - Current
Key Accounts Manager (Conference and Events) - Self-Managed
JustFab Global (Pty) Ltd
09.2023 - 12.2024
Conference and Events Specialist (Self-Managed)
26 Degrees South (4* Hotel containing 76 Rooms and 6 Conference rooms) 2 Function Venues
08.2019 - 09.2023
Conference Coordinator/Reservationist
Valley Lodge & Spa (4* Lodge containing 76 Rooms and 6 Conference rooms)
01.2018 - 05.2019
Leisure Reservationist
Valley Lodge & Spa (4* Lodge containing 76 Rooms and 6 Conference rooms)
06.2017 - 01.2018
Waitron
Panarotties
11.2015 - 11.2016
Ambulance Attendant - undefined
Bokone-Bophirima Ambulance Training College
Grade 12 - Matric
Hoerskool Carletonville
National Certificate - NQRF Level 4, Food & Beverage Services
VPK Business Ventures
References
- Bernadene, Classens, Operator/Manager, 071 890 1110, Panarotties
- Mariette, Beukes, Assistant General Manager, 082 854 9956, Valley Lodge & Spa
- Patricia, Dube, Banqueting Manager, 061 758 3502, Protea Hotel by Marriott
- Joanne, Scott, Former General Manager, 0718682205, 26 Degrees South
- Laura, Maweni, Corporate Sales Manager, 082 602 3047, 26 Degrees South
- Justin Gibson, Director at JustFab Global,0824926090
DECLARATION
I, Ms Itumeleng Emelda Thabaneng certify that the above information is correct and an accurate representation of my capabilities and competence.