Catering - Catering & Events Coordinator

Catering & Events Coordinator

The Catering & Events Coordinator is responsible for driving catering sales and ensuring the seamless execution of events. This hybrid role requires an individual with fundamental knowledge of both sales strategies and event logistics. This position requires a dynamic individual with communication, negotiation, and organizational skills, dedicated to delivering exceptional client experiences.

Qualifications include strong interpersonal and communication skills across all levels of an organization, fundamental leadership skills with an understanding of the importance of team building/development, while fostering partnerships, exceptional problem solving/decision making skills combined with the ability to be organized, demonstrates financial management, analytical, and planning skills, demonstrates the ability to remain flexible in a fast-paced environment, computer knowledge and skill level for basic office functions, physical ability to stand for extended periods and to move and handle boxes (35lbs) as necessary to operation, which entails lifting, and perform all functions as set forth above, ability to work varied hours/days, including nights, weekends and holidays, as needed.

Previous experience is not required, however knowledge of catering sales, operations and/or event planning management in off-site catering, hotel or cultural attraction catering venue preferred. Although no prior work experience is required for this position, candidates with one (1) or more years of experience will be given stronger consideration. Working knowledge of Tripleseat is a plus. All education backgrounds eligible, must be 18 or older.

Key responsibilities include securing signed agreements and creating BEOs for assigned incoming leads and bookings, implementing designated strategies to sell and upsell catering services to new and returning clients, responding to client requests promptly and ensuring client satisfaction, serving as onsite contact for events sold by the Area Sales Manager, implementing plans for catering events, overseeing the setup, execution, and breakdown of assigned events, ensuring all aspects run smoothly and efficiently, ensuring all equipment, supplies, and materials are available and in good working condition for events, walking event spaces with Venue Sales Team before events to ensure everything is in working order and address any issues promptly, communicating and collaborating effectively with the Area Sales Team, Culinary Team, and other departments involved in events, implementing new strategies and procedures where necessary to ensure events are executed flawlessly, creating eye-catching and innovative F&B displays in collaboration with the Culinary Team, overseeing quality, product levels, and inventory of Catering products, facilitating the maintenance and repairs of Catering equipment as necessary, preparing and managing Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), diagrams, and other necessary documents, maintaining strong, positive relationships with internal and external clients to encourage repeat business, proactively and transparently communicating with clients throughout the sales and detailing process, working closely with clients to understand their needs, provide tailored solutions and address any concerns promptly, conducting pre-event meetings with internal stakeholders to finalize details and post-event follow-ups to gather feedback and foster continued development, conducting post-event follow-ups to engage clients and foster continued development, collaborating with Area Sales team to understand event and client needs, participating in client transitions for seamless execution, ensuring all client contracts, BEOs (Banquet Event Orders), and event details are accurately documented, ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal laws, maintaining a clean, safe, and organized work environment, maintaining accurate records of event details and outcomes, upholding and demonstrating a complete understanding of company policies and procedures, attendance at event start to ensure seamless execution of client's vision and smooth transfer of authority to the operations team when appropriate, developing, meeting, and exceeding monthly and annual catering operations budgets and plans, analyzing operational costs and inventory to maximize opportunities and minimize waste, reviewing all invoices, bills, and accounting-related documents for accuracy and communicate necessary changes to Accounts Payable, minimizing controllable costs, including payroll and equipment rental, associated with the operation and strategize on revenue avenues, collecting and processing payments, including deposits, in accordance with company policies and contractual payment schedules, contributing to annual sales goals in order to meet and exceed budget, reviewing all invoices, bills, and accounting-related documents for accuracy and communicate necessary changes to Accounts Receivable, thoroughly understanding menu and event offering cost structure to meet profitability guidelines, reporting weekly and monthly sales through Tripleseat to appropriate stakeholders, promoting an inclusive and supportive approach within the unit, leading by example through Sustainability/Conservation efforts; displays knowledge of efforts in business application, engaging with SSA/Unit in driving community effort through engagement activities and focus on opportunities of giving back, hiring, recruiting, and integrating new team members, supervising assigned personnel, evaluating performance, and providing coaching and development, developing and implementing training programs to motivate and mentor employees, focusing on removing barriers and empowering growth and opportunity for team members at all levels, conducting regular team meetings to align goals and strategies, setting individual sales targets and tracking progress, ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures, partnering with location or area ales team on site visits and communicating client needs to Area Sales team post meeting, conducting tastings for potential clients, participating in client hand-off meetings to ensure proper event execution, leading weekly BEO meetings, managing approval and distribution of information on all internal events, including collecting funds for all services rendered, communicating day of add-ons to Area Sales Team for proper recording and collection, working with District Manager of Sales to support onsite coordinators with sales responsibilities, where applicable, managing and maintaining partner relationship, including leading gala and fundraising responsibilities.