Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Catering Sales Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Catering Sales Manager is responsible for driving revenue growth for catering and special events by developing new business, managing existing client relationships, and coordinating cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional event experiences. This role combines strategic sales, operational coordination, menu and budget optimization, and onsite event leadership. Ideal candidates are experienced in hospitality sales, comfortable with CRM-driven pipelines, skilled at writing proposals and contracts, and capable of managing complex logistics from lead to post-event follow-up.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Catering Sales Coordinator or Catering Sales Associate
Event Coordinator / Event Planner
Sales Representative (Hospitality or Food & Beverage)

Advancement To:

Director of Catering & Events / Director of Catering Sales
Regional Sales Manager or Director of Sales (Hospitality)
VP of Revenue / VP of Sales (Hospitality & Events)

Lateral Moves:

Corporate Events Manager
Business Development Manager (Hospitality/Corporate Catering)
Venue Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute a targeted sales strategy to meet and exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual catering revenue targets by identifying and converting new leads in corporate, social, wedding, and nonprofit sectors.
Maintain and expand a sales pipeline within the CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) by prospecting, qualifying, and nurturing leads through phone, email, social media, and in-person meetings.
Prepare and present customized catering proposals, detailed banquet event orders (BEOs), and professional contracts that clearly outline timelines, menus, staffing, pricing, and cancellation terms.
Lead client discovery meetings and venue tours to establish requirements, budget constraints, guest counts, AV needs, and service levels; translate client needs into executable event orders for operations teams.
Build and manage relationships with corporate accounts, third-party planners, wedding coordinators, catering agencies, and local businesses to create repeatable revenue streams and referral sources.
Collaborate with executive chefs and culinary teams to design profitable, seasonally appropriate menus, menu tastings, and special dietary accommodations while maintaining food cost targets and margin thresholds.
Negotiate pricing, payment terms, and contract conditions with clients and external vendors to optimize profitability while preserving client satisfaction and minimizing contractual risk.
Deliver accurate sales forecasting and pipeline reporting to senior leadership, including win/loss analysis, revenue projections, and activity metrics to inform staffing and inventory planning.
Coordinate cross-departmental planning meetings (culinary, operations, sales admin, AV, housekeeping, and security) to align expectations, staffing, timelines, equipment, and delivery logistics.
Author and manage post-event billing and reconciliation, verifying costs, final guest counts, incidental charges, and timely invoicing to ensure accurate revenue recognition and collections.
Monitor and enforce compliance with local health codes, liquor licensing requirements, venue policies, and safety standards to reduce liability and ensure a smooth event execution.
Lead or support onsite event management for high-profile or complex events — supervising setup, coordinating vendor arrivals, resolving client issues in real-time, and ensuring seamless guest experiences.
Develop and implement promotional sales initiatives, seasonal packages, corporate dining programs, and targeted outreach campaigns to stimulate incremental bookings and pipeline velocity.
Manage and mentor junior sales staff and coordinators — providing sales coaching, pipeline reviews, reporting templates, and performance feedback to improve conversion rates.
Maintain and continuously optimize sales collateral, pricing sheets, menu guides, BEO templates, and digital assets for consistency across client communications and proposals.
Build strategic alliances with wedding planners, corporate travel managers, hotels, and event production companies to expand referral networks and co-marketing opportunities.
Leverage data and feedback to conduct win/loss analysis, customer satisfaction reviews, and competitive pricing assessments to refine positioning and value propositions.
Oversee lead qualification and routing processes, ensuring prompt response times and high-touch follow-up for priority prospects to maximize conversion rates.
Control and track marketing spend and promotional ROI for catering campaigns, trade shows, and local events to ensure cost-effective lead generation.
Ensure accurate recordkeeping of client preferences, historical event details, pricing exceptions, and service notes in the CRM to enable personalized future selling and upsells.
Manage banquet staffing forecasts and labor budgets in coordination with operations to deliver events within budget while maintaining service standards.
Handle escalated customer service issues and conflict resolution with diplomacy and urgency to preserve client relationships and protect brand reputation.
Identify opportunities to upsell beverage packages, AV production, décor, and ancillary services that increase average event spend while delivering client value.

Secondary Functions

Support marketing and content teams with client case studies, testimonials, and event photography to enhance digital presence and SEO for catering services.
Provide input on pricing strategy and menu engineering to improve margins and competitiveness in local market segments.
Assist finance with periodic audits of catering revenue, deposits, and refund policies to ensure compliance with internal controls.
Participate in trade shows, industry networking events, and community outreach to build brand awareness and generate qualified leads.
Coordinate with procurement to source and maintain relationships with preferred vendors, rental companies, and specialty suppliers.
Track competitor offerings, new market entrants, and changes in event trends to recommend strategic responses and new product offerings.
Implement and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for sales-to-operations handoff, ensuring consistency and reducing errors.
Train operations and banquet staff on BEO details, special requests, and client expectations prior to event execution.
Support ad-hoc reporting requests for senior leadership regarding event metrics, customer segmentation, and channel performance.
Contribute to business continuity and emergency response planning for large events, including contingency vendor arrangements and staffing backups.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven experience with CRM platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, or CaterZen for pipeline management, reporting, and client recordkeeping.
Expertise preparing banquet event orders (BEOs), proposals, contracts, and final invoices with strong attention to legal and financial detail.
Strong sales forecasting and pipeline management skills, including experience producing weekly/monthly revenue projections and activity reports.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel pivot tables, formulas, PowerPoint proposals) and Google Workspace for communications and reporting.
Understanding of food costing, menu engineering, margin analysis, and inventory implications on event pricing.
Familiarity with POS systems, event management software (e.g., Caterease, Ungerboeck, Total Party Planner), and vendor/rental coordination tools.
Knowledge of liquor licensing compliance, alcohol service policies, and upselling of beverage packages.
Ability to read and interpret contracts, liability clauses, insurance requirements, and venue-specific regulations.
Competence in digital marketing fundamentals (email campaigns, social media outreach, SEO-oriented content contribution) to support lead generation.
Experience conducting site inspections, floorplan reviews, AV requirements assessments, and logistics coordination.

Soft Skills

Exceptional client-facing communication and presentation skills with the ability to influence decision-makers and close complex deals.
Highly developed negotiation skills to balance profitability with client satisfaction while protecting contractual interests.
Strong relationship-building and account management skills to develop long-term, repeatable revenue streams.
Superior organizational skills and attention to detail to manage multiple simultaneous events and deadlines.
Resilient problem-solving and crisis management abilities to act decisively on-site and reduce operational disruptions.
Time management and prioritization skills to maximize sales productivity and respond timely to high-value leads.
Leadership and coaching skills to motivate and develop sales coordinators and cross-functional teams.
Adaptability and creativity to design tailored solutions, menu alternatives, and contingency plans for client needs.
Professional demeanor and emotional intelligence for navigating high-pressure event environments and stakeholder expectations.
Collaborative mindset to work effectively with culinary, operations, marketing, and finance teams.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent (required).

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing, or related field (preferred).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Hospitality Management
Business Administration
Marketing
Event Management
Culinary Arts (beneficial for menu collaboration)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive experience in catering sales, event sales, banquet sales, or hospitality sales.

Preferred:

5+ years of direct catering or banquet sales experience with demonstrated revenue achievement, experience managing high-volume accounts, and a proven track record of closing complex proposals.