Catering Director

Position Overview:

Responsible for leading, supporting and directing all catering operations. Maximize sales opportunities and profitability for the hotel by selling and booking banquets, coordinating conventions, meetings, conferences and all other food and beverage functions. Maintain a professional department by insuring high levels of guest and associate satisfaction. Provide quality service in a clean, organized and well-maintained banquet center. Uphold our company standards and to assist the Director of Sales. 

Essential Functions:

• Build contracts and booking details for all food and beverage functions.
  • Secure contracts and bookings, price quotes and menu planning.  
  • Provide information concerning room and equipment availability and charges. 
  • Responsible for accuracy of guarantees, maintenance of function booking and blocking of space according to property and department policy. 
• Develop an aggressive on-going sales building plan with the Director of Sales.  
  • Solicit new and existing accounts to meet/exceed revenue goals.  
  • Plan to include telephone solicitation, outside sales calls, site inspections and written communication. 
  • Prepare, implement and compile data for strategic sales plan, monthly sales report, annual goals, forecasts and other reports as directed/required.
• Serve as the direct link, between the guest and associate staff.  Accurately write, present and review detailed Banquet Event Orders (BEO) with the Catering Managers, Chef, Restaurant Manager and Sales Department. 
• Actively participate in and monitor catering sales presentations, pre-event tastings, property tours and client meetings.  
• Participate in daily business review meetings, sales meetings, BEO meetings, requested hotel department meetings and Food and Beverage management meetings.

Leadership Functions:

Create and maintain a positive work environment through team building and serve as a role model for staff in terms of: 

• Professionalism     
• Attitude     
• Respect       
• Communication
• Appearance     
• Conduct     
• Cooperation     
• Trust

Uphold and abide by the policies in the Associate Handbook for your position. Follow these policies, rules and regulations for the safe and effective overall operation. Teach and enforce all existing and new policies and procedures. Must have commitment to company values.  

Maintain a hands-on, positive and inspirational coaching approach while working with and supporting your supervisors and associates. Be a good role model and actively seek coaching opportunities to help maintain a positive work environment. Maintain this environment through team building. Be proactive to assure your property has a “harassment free” work environment.  Report harassing behavior immediately.

Maintain a positive approach to working with associates to include coaching and counseling. Offer praise for those times when someone is doing the right thing and immediately correct when improvement is necessary.  

Maintain a 45 to 50-hour average annual workweek. Work schedule prescribed by the Director of Sales. Keep Catering Office hours as deemed policy by Director of Sales. Help staff and participate in Catering Office hours, including monthly or bi-monthly for Saturday morning(s), as directed. 

As a leader of the Catering Department your presence, on the floor assisting and helping, is essential to our overall success.  Accept the role as the guests’ liaison and ambassador. Work the high profile and VIP events. Establish initial contact, with the guest representative, just prior to start of the function and introduce to the Floor Supervisor in charge of the event.    

Directly assist and support floor operations, as requested by the Catering Manager and as set up by the Director of Sales and company policy. Support with a “Hands On” approach during functions. Supervise or assist with; set up, tear down, serve food or beverage, and attend to area cleanliness and organization. Support and lead by example.

Professionally represent the hotel and property when interacting with guests from the community and industry organizations.

Directly supervise the duties of an Assistant Catering Director and possibly one office assistant.

Management Responsibilities:  

Interview perspective department personnel when appropriate. Maintain the proper two interview technique, procedures and check references. Refer candidates to Director of Sales when appropriate.

Confirm all new hire paperwork is completed accurately and submitted before the start of the new pay period. Assure there is a proper orientation process in place, including a property tour.

Keep training materials current and accurate. Staff development may process through the use of manuals, our on-line training system, training guides, tests and tools. Follow prescribed process and checklists.

Assist with staff evaluations, help monitor and supervise the process.

Help guarantee our banquet and conference guest service standards, food quality and room set up standards are carried out by the staff, therefore received by our guests. Refer to Catering Manager and Banquet Supervisor job descriptions for food delivery and service expectations. 

Plan for and actively participate in the weekly hotel staff department meeting. Conduct weekly catering and event meetings to discuss all BEO requirements/details with the Catering Managers, Restaurant Managers and Banquet Supervisors. Attend and actively participate in Food and Beverage management meetings, as directed by Director of Sales.

Plan, document, present and hold yourself and your team accountable to their own set of projects and goals for the property. Follow up appropriately. Attend and participate in monthly one-on-one meetings with Director of Sales. Review goals/projects with them and complete assigned tasks. 

Maintain the proper guest invoice process. Verify guest function invoices are rung in to our POS system or processed according to house policy. Confirm guests receive an invoice for all functions. Collect payment, or process a charge billing, per house standards.

Actively participate in and direct the efforts of receivables collections owed the restaurant or banquet facility each month. Maintain a proper receivable balance equal to or less than the average monthly banquet sales levels. Utilize office personnel and Catering office staff to assist.

Develop and maintain a proactive Worker’s Compensation program. This will help to insure the safety and well-being of our employees. In the event an employee is injured, verify a First Report of Injury form is completed, within 24 hours of the incident.  Confirm that all Worker’s Compensation forms get filled out and submitted.

Follow all state and federal labor and employment laws. Do not hire anyone under the age of sixteen to work on our property. (see General Manager for any state specific exemption)

Sales and Event Bookings:

Expected to work with the current banquet sales budget and to increase the current banquet sales levels as discussed with the Director of Sales.

Maintain a file of new business leads, actively pursue potential business bookings and follow up on any previous booking accounts.  This will help secure future continued business by phone, internet, social media, email, or through cold calls. Participate is sales blitzes as requested.

Fill out an information and tracking sheet, designated by the Director of Sales, to verify the amount of effectiveness regarding new business contacts and contact efforts.

Monitor pricing trends, in the market and industry, and make recommendations to the Director of Sales.

Communicate effectively and display a strong sense of hospitality to achieve guest satisfaction. 

Responsible to build contracts and book function details for all business up to thirty days out from any given week. Responsible for contract mailing and finalization procedure.  

Responsible to book, quote prices, plan menus and answer questions our guests may have in regard to potential or scheduled catered events or banquets. Provide information about food and beverage, room space availability, equipment and other general activities or functions available to our guests.

Block space according to catering policy sheet, build BEO’s and arrange details regarding menus, bar, set up, room arrangements and payment process per policy. Responsible for any table diagrams, workflow charts, timetable charts, seating arrangements, etc. Instruct guests on any applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Distribute BEO’s to all management and staff at weekly meetings. Review detailed BEO’s with all staff and management. Attend to any changes to BEO’s and communicate changes on a daily basis, if necessary.  This will help assure 100% BEO product and service specification delivery.

Establish contact with guest client(s) to confirm all details, changes and arrangements are set and agreed upon. Conduct a pre-event/conference meeting with Catering Manager and guest client(s).

Verify accuracy of guarantee 72 hours in advance of functions, as per policy. Assist in building and responsible for all BEO orders from contract information. Communicate, to all necessary departments, changes regarding BEO; i.e. size of group, menu, beverage, head count, equipment or other special orders. 

Conduct a post conference meeting and report to guest, either verbally or written, about function success and customer satisfaction. Measure results and establish strategies to improve the quality of the customer’s experience. Review feedback at weekly BEO meeting. Provide constructive feedback to all other departments, as necessary.

Qualification Standards:

The individual must possess the job knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as be able to explain and demonstrate that he or she can perform the essential functions of the job. This being with or without reasonable accommodation, using a combination of knowledge, skills and abilities.

Education: High School Diploma or GED required.

College degree in hospitality management preferred

Experience: 2-5 years of catering sales experience preferred. 

Some banquet floor experience necessary. 

Supervisory experience required.

Licenses or Certificates: State requirements

Specific job knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Ability to use computer for daily work and basic knowledge of spreadsheets and word processing.  
• Communicate effectively with staff and guests, verbally and in writing.  This being done with a strong understanding of the English language. 
• Possess strong inter-personal, sales and hospitality related experience.
• Possess working knowledge of Catering Software and POS systems
• Extensive knowledge, preparation and presentation of food and beverage products.
• Extensive knowledge of food preparation, food delivery and guest services, in order to build and arrange details regarding menus, bar, room setup and event payment.
• Knowledge of hotel and competitive market.
• Possess organizational, planning and goal setting skills.
• Act independently with minimal or no supervision.
• Possess supervisory skills.
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state and local laws governing equal employment opportunity and civil rights, occupational safety and health, wage and hour issues, labor relations, and corporate and property-specific policies.

Physical Demands:

• Exert well-paced ability to maneuver between functions occurring simultaneously. 
• Exert well-paced ability to reach other departments of the hotel on a timely basis.
• Ability to bend, squat and frequently lift 25 lbs. and occasionally lift up to 35 lbs. 
• Requires the ability to walk and stand during long lengths of time.  
• Climb steps in hotels that do not provide elevators.  
• Travel by car occasionally. 

Appearance Guidelines: 

Business casual attire is required. See manager dress and appearance guidelines. Also, one must maintain a neat, clean and well-groomed appearance.