Director of Catering
Position Title: Director of Catering & Events
Salary: $85,000 - $95,000
Other Forms of Compensation: Comprehensive Benefit Package
Become part of Restaurant Associates, the industry’s leading provider of dining and event catering for some of the nation's most prestigious museums, performing arts centers and corporations! Voted Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards- Best Places to Work, This is R/A !
Job Summary
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership and direction for all catering, event, and hospitality operations.
- Develop and execute annual business plans, marketing initiatives, and revenue growth strategies for catering services, food & beverage programs, and event rentals.
- Identify opportunities to grow business while maintaining exceptional client and guest experiences.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, vendors, partners, and internal stakeholders.
- Serve as a trusted advisor throughout the event planning process, ensuring client needs and expectations are consistently met.
- Oversee the sales, planning, coordination, and execution of weddings, corporate events, social functions, and special events.
- Partner with culinary leadership to develop innovative menu offerings and event experiences that align with guest expectations and business objectives.
- Ensure operational excellence across all phases of event execution, including setup, service, logistics, breakdown, and post-event evaluation.
- Lead hiring, onboarding, coaching, development, scheduling, and performance management for catering and events team members.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Manage departmental financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, labor planning, expense management, and revenue achievement.
- Analyze business performance metrics and develop action plans to support operational and financial goals.
- Coordinate logistics related to staffing, transportation, rentals, equipment, vendor partnerships, and event resources.
- Collaborate closely with departments across the organization to deliver seamless guest experiences.
- Maintain compliance with all safety, sanitation, regulatory, and company standards.
- Evaluate event outcomes, client feedback, and business trends to identify enhancement opportunities and drive continuous improvement.
- Support succession planning and the development of future hospitality leaders within the organization.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Event Management, Culinary Arts, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Experience leading catering, hospitality, events, food & beverage, or guest experience operations within a complex service environment.
- Demonstrated success managing client relationships, revenue-generating programs, and large-scale event portfolios.
- Experience developing and executing business plans, sales strategies, and operational initiatives.
- Knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, contract management, and revenue optimization.
- Understanding of foodservice operations, event logistics, hospitality standards, and service delivery best practices.
- Experience leading, coaching, and developing teams in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
- Familiarity with event management systems, catering software, CRM tools, and business reporting platforms is preferred.
- Strong relationship-building and client engagement skills.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal abilities.
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with day-to-day operational leadership.
- Strong organizational and project management capabilities with attention to detail.
- Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make informed business decisions.
- Collaborative leadership style with a commitment to developing inclusive and high-performing teams.
- Adaptability and sound judgment in a dynamic, guest-focused environment.
- Passion for hospitality, service excellence, and creating memorable experiences.
Apply to Restaurant Associates today!
Restaurant Associates is a member of Compass Group USA
Click here to Learn More about the Compass Story
Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.
Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.
Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/
Associates at Restaurant Associates are offered many fantastic benefits.
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Life Insurance/ AD
- Disability Insurance
- Retirement Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
- Associate Shopping Program
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Discount Marketplace
- Identity Theft Protection
- Pet Insurance
- Commuter Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Personal Leave
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Restaurant Associates maintains a drug-free workplace.
Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.
https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_RA.pdf
Req ID: 1589972
Restaurant Associates
Michael Abbey
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Job Segment:
Event Planning, Catering, Food Service, Chef, Culinary, Hospitality
