Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Catering Event Manager

💰 $ - $

HospitalityEventsCatering

🎯 Role Definition

The Catering Event Manager is the operational and client-facing leader responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing catering events from proposal to final billing. This role combines event planning expertise, catering operations, budget and P&L ownership, vendor management, and on-site management to ensure exceptional guest experiences while protecting margins. The ideal candidate drives revenue through upsells and repeat business, enforces food safety and presentation standards, builds strong client and venue partnerships, and leads front- and back-of-house teams to deliver seamless events across corporate, social, and private functions.

Key SEO and LLM keywords: Catering Event Manager, event planning, catering operations, banquet manager, menu development, food safety (ServSafe), budget management, vendor negotiation, on-site logistics, client relations, BEO (Banquet Event Order), POS, catering sales.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Catering Coordinator or Catering Assistant
  • Banquet Captain or Lead Server
  • Event Planner or Event Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Director of Catering
  • Director of Events / Events Operations Manager
  • Regional Catering Manager / Multi-Site Catering Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Corporate Event Sales Manager
  • Venue Operations Manager
  • Food & Beverage Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead end-to-end event management for a portfolio of catering events, including client proposals, site inspections, menu development, staffing, on-site execution, and post-event follow-up to ensure consistent, high-quality delivery and client satisfaction.
  • Develop detailed Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) and run-sheets for every event, ensuring all internal teams and external partners (venues, AV, rentals) have clear, actionable timelines and responsibilities.
  • Create, track and manage event budgets and P&L for each event—forecast costs, set pricing, monitor margins, identify cost-saving opportunities, and report profitability versus targets.
  • Consult with clients to understand objectives, dietary requirements, brand standards, and guest experience goals; translate client needs into menu proposals, logistical plans, and service models.
  • Build and maintain scalable staffing plans including hiring, scheduling, and deployment of chefs, servers, bartenders, and event leads to meet event demands while controlling labor costs.
  • Oversee on-site event setup, coordination and breakdown—directing floor plans, station setups, food presentation, timing of service, beverage flows and vendor arrivals to guarantee a smooth guest experience.
  • Collaborate with culinary leadership to design, price and cost menus, coordinate tastings, standardize plating and presentation, and ensure menu feasibility given staffing and equipment constraints.
  • Ensure compliance with local health department regulations, food safety standards (e.g., ServSafe), liquor liability requirements, and internal sanitation protocols across all events and storage/transport operations.
  • Negotiate contracts and pricing with external vendors and rental partners (tents, furniture, linen, AV) to secure competitive rates, favorable terms, and reliable service level agreements.
  • Maintain and order inventory of catering supplies, beverage stock and food items; manage purchasing, receiving, storage rotation, and waste-control practices to minimize spoilage and shrink.
  • Manage event billing, invoicing, deposits, and final settlements; reconcile event costs, process client payments, and escalate any discrepancies to finance.
  • Drive sales growth by preparing proposals and presentations, upselling premium services, cultivating repeat business, and supporting catering sales efforts with creative package development.
  • Coordinate logistics for complex multi-site or simultaneous events, including transportation of food, equipment staging, vendor load-in/out, and contingency planning for weather or site restrictions.
  • Implement and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for banquet setup, service etiquette, beverage management, emergency protocols, and quality assurance.
  • Train, coach and evaluate front-of-house and back-of-house event staff on service standards, safety, and client communication; build a high-performing, guest-focused team through regular feedback and development.
  • Lead on-the-day problem resolution, handling client concerns, guest complaints and operational issues with diplomacy and decisive action to preserve relationships and outcomes.
  • Prepare detailed post-event reports and debriefs that include revenue, costs, service notes, client feedback, and lessons learned to inform continuous improvement.
  • Maintain master calendars, staffing rosters and equipment logs; coordinate with venue managers and internal teams to avoid conflicts and optimize resource utilization.
  • Oversee POS and technology solutions used for event ordering, ticketed events, and on-site sales; ensure accurate charge capture, payment processing and reporting.
  • Manage catering permits, insurance certificates, and vendor compliance documentation; coordinate with legal or risk teams on contractual and liability matters.
  • Execute quality control checks on food temperature, presentation, portion control, and timing during service to meet brand standards and guest expectations.
  • Lead seasonal forecasting, demand planning and capacity management to ensure the catering operation can scale during peak periods and special event seasons.
  • Develop and maintain client relationship management (CRM) records, RFP responses, and a pipeline of future business opportunities to support sales forecasting and marketing initiatives.
  • Champion sustainability initiatives such as waste reduction, local sourcing, reusable serviceware, and energy-efficient logistics to align catering operations with corporate sustainability goals.

Secondary Functions

  • Support marketing and business development by creating event packages, collateral, menu descriptions and case studies used in proposals and digital channels.
  • Assist with pricing strategy, promotional campaigns and seasonal menu rollouts, working closely with sales and culinary teams to test and refine offerings.
  • Provide input into capital planning for event equipment, kitchen assets and vehicle needs; prioritize investments based on ROI and operational impact.
  • Drive CRM adoption and sales handoffs by inputting accurate lead and client information, follow-up tasks and win/loss rationales to improve conversion rates.
  • Collaborate with HR on workforce planning, onboarding programs and retention strategies for event staff, including cross-training and certification initiatives.
  • Participate in weekly operations and leadership meetings to align catering capabilities with broader business objectives and corporate events calendar.
  • Support vendor performance reviews and help source new suppliers to improve quality, cost and service consistency.
  • Contribute to disaster recovery and business continuity planning related to large-scale events and key client engagements.
  • Monitor industry trends in catering, event technology and F&B to recommend new service lines, pricing models, or experiential components that increase competitiveness.
  • Maintain and update templates, SOPs and training materials to ensure consistent knowledge transfer and operational scalability.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Event planning and logistics management for corporate, social and large-scale catered functions.
  • Catering operations oversight including Banquet Event Orders (BEO) creation and execution.
  • Budgeting, cost-control, margin analysis and P&L responsibility for events.
  • Menu costing, food pricing methodology and collaboration with culinary teams.
  • Food safety and compliance knowledge (ServSafe or equivalent certifications).
  • Vendor negotiation and contract management for rentals, AV, entertainment and third-party caterers.
  • Inventory management, purchasing processes and waste-reduction techniques.
  • Familiarity with catering and event software (e.g., Caterease, Ungerboeck, Tripleseat) and POS systems.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Excel for budgeting, forecasting and reconciliation; comfortable with reporting tools.
  • CRM and sales tools usage (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) to manage proposals, leads and client pipelines.
  • On-site event technology management (AV basics, staging, tent and rigging coordination).
  • Scheduling and workforce management tools for rostering large teams and shift planning.

Soft Skills

  • Client-focused communication with strong presentation and proposal-writing abilities.
  • Leadership and team development skills to recruit, mentor and motivate diverse event teams.
  • Excellent problem-solving and decisive judgment for on-the-day issue resolution.
  • High emotional intelligence and diplomacy when managing VIP clients and sensitive situations.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail for multi-event coordination and documentation.
  • Time management and the ability to prioritize tasks under competing deadlines.
  • Sales acumen and persuasive negotiation skills to upsell services and secure new business.
  • Adaptability and calm under pressure during dynamic event environments.
  • Cultural sensitivity and guest service orientation for diverse client bases and event types.
  • Collaborative style to work across culinary, sales, venue, and operations teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent with 3+ years of progressive experience in catering, banquet or event management; or an associate degree in a related field plus relevant experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Business Administration, Event Management, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Hospitality Management
  • Culinary Arts
  • Event Management
  • Business Administration
  • Marketing / Sales

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–7 years of hands-on catering or events management experience, including several years in a supervisory or lead role.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years managing catering operations or large-scale events with documented P&L responsibility, vendor management experience, and proficiency with event management software. Experience across corporate, social and large experiential events and a track record of driving revenue and improving operational KPIs preferred.
Explore More Careers