Catering Operations Manager

 

Position Title: Catering Operations Manager 

Pay Grade: G13 

Reports To: General Manager

Salary: $80,000 - $85,000

Other Forms of Compensation:  

 

Wolfgang Puck Catering is committed to recruiting individuals who express an interest in and passion for hospitality-driven experiences; who come from diverse backgrounds, are open-minded and curious about our clients and guests; and, most of all, who possess a welcoming smile and spirit.  Our ultimate goal is to develop mentoring and career building opportunities through a talent pipeline that allows us to promote from within. 

 

"The most important thing in life, whatever you do, has to be passion." Wolfgang Puck

 

Success on our team starts with our culture:

• We have Wolfgang’s PASSION for our business, our product, and our people / guests / clients.
• A FLEXIBLE MINDSET is key; we are strategic business partners who wear multiple hats.  
• Our services require a CONCIERGE mentality, a bias to action with humble hospitality.
• We are out-of-the-box PROBLEM SOLVERS, who look around corners so our clients and guests don’t have to.  
• We curate company and partner resources to bring our client’s vision to life.  We seek to cultivate the next generation of talent, purveyors and partnerships.
• We bring an entrepreneurial approach to deliver results for our clients (you might call this scrappy).   
• Collaboration and openness to innovative business tools, new ways of thinking and ability to partner across departments are essential to create optimal business solutions.

 

“I can have the best food, but if we don’t have good people, it won’t get you very far.”

Job Summary

Are you a hospitality professional with a flair for orchestrating exceptional events? Wolfgang Puck Catering is seeking a dedicated and experienced Catering Operations Manager to join our team in Los Angeles. This role is pivotal in ensuring the seamless execution of our high-profile catering events, from intimate gatherings to grand celebrations. If you have a passion for delivering unparalleled service and a proven track record in managing luxury catering operations, we want to hear from you!

 

The Catering Operations Manager holds duties related to successful execution and coordination for on and off premise events. The position entails a need for excellent attention to detail and communication skills; ability to multi-task on a variety of projects simultaneously, accurate distribution of pertinent information both internally to all departments as well as to clients and related vendors. You will be expected to have excellent client skills in presentation and marketing ability.  

Key Responsibilities: 

• Consults clients as to scope, expectations, setting, menu, collateral entertainment to have a successful and appropriate event within the client’s budget
• Plans menus in consultation with the clients and chefs
• Negotiates individual vendor contracts
• Delegates to, and ensure that, the Event Manager coordinates and executes the event within the parameters established by the Catering Event Manager
• Recruits, interviews, selects, and trains permanent and casual staff
• Organizes, leads and motivates the catering team
• Plans staff and event schedules
• Maintains and develops accurate financial and administrative records
• Serves as liaison and coordinator between Sales Catering Managers, Supervising Chefs, Staffing, Captains, Suppliers, Vendors, Rental Companies and Clients as needed to plan events
• Assesses contract requirements and ensure satisfaction with the services delivered
• Performs final review and assessment of catering events to determine if they meet performance and quality standards
• Resolves customer concerns and ensures timely customer payment

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Operationally savvy industry professional with demonstrated leadership in managing people, events and the overall guest experience
• Strong organization, time management and team motivation skills are essential for success in this role
• Ability to work independently with little direct supervision
• Ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written) with clients, senior management, and WPC support staff
• Ability to respond effectively to continuously changing demands
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, P&L, labor and sales forecasting and reporting
• Effective use of discretion to problem solve in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent ne