CATERING SALES & EVENT MANAGER

Catering Sales Manager

The Wild Thyme Company | San Diego, CA Full-time

At The Wild Thyme Company, we handcraft delicious, local, and seasonal cuisine without global boundaries. With an innovative approach to catering and events, we continue to raise the bar for off-premise catering in San Diego. We are a collaborative, creative, and fast-paced team committed to building exceptional experiences for our clients.

We lead with our High 5 Values:

• Respect — Treat yourself, others, and everything around you with honor and value
• Don't Half-Ass It — Show up prepared and committed to excellence
• Huddle — Participate, communicate, and collaborate openly
• Crave — Bring passion for food, hospitality, and growth
• Good Vibes — Be a positive force on the team

We are seeking a Catering Sales Manager who is passionate about hospitality, food, and client relationships. This role focuses on converting leads into sales, developing menus with clients, and partnering closely with our Culinary and Operations teams to ensure every event detail is clearly documented and set up for success.

Responsibilities

• Convert incoming leads into confirmed catering sales across wedding, corporate, and social markets
• Create and execute an annual sales plan with clear monthly deliverables
• Develop new business opportunities and strategic client relationships
• Participate in marketing meetings and collaborate on sales initiatives
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, venues, and planners
• Conduct client meetings, tastings, and site visits
• Write menus and proposals tailored to client vision and budget
• Partner closely with chefs to create thoughtful, trend-forward menus
• Collaborate with Operations to ensure all event details, logistics, and documentation are complete and accurate
• Prepare timelines, floor plans, and event logistics documentation
• Maintain accurate client and event records in catering software
• Monitor event costing to support profitability goals
• Partner with Accounting on billing and receivables
• Provide excellent client communication before and after events

Who Succeeds in This Role

This role is a great fit for someone who is:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Outgoing and energized by building client relationships
• A foodie who loves hospitality and events
• Comfortable balancing creativity with structure
• Responsive and committed to quick, thoughtful follow-up
• Motivated by sales goals and accountability
• Able to manage multiple conversations, timelines, and events simultaneously
• A collaborative team player who communicates clearly with Culinary and Operations teams

Qualifications

• 5+ years of catering sales, hospitality sales, or event planning experience
• A genuine love of food and menu development
• Experience writing menus and proposals
• Ability to collaborate with chefs and culinary teams
• Strong organizational and administrative skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Positive, professional, and team-oriented attitude
• Understanding of budgets, pricing, and sales goals
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
• Reliable transportation and valid driver's license
• Associate degree preferred

Compensation

$65,000 – $100,000 per year Compensation is structured as hourly pay plus commission.

Benefits & Perks

• Health insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid vacation
• Family meal
• Ongoing education and professional development
• Fun company events and team celebrations

Schedule

Full-time Flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends