Catering Coordinator – Contractor

TED Conferences, LLC•San Diego, CA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

TED is seeking an experienced, highly organized, and detail-oriented Catering Coordinator to support banqueting operations for TED conferences. Working alongside the Experience Production Manager - F+B, this role partners with internal stakeholders, Sodexo Live! at the San Diego Convention Center, and relevant health authorities. The Catering Coordinator will develop menus, confirm service details, identify banquet and equipment needs, and deliver a high-quality food and beverage experience across multiple catered functions within a conference. This role is part of a 3-4 person contractor team dedicated to delivering high-quality and robust food and beverage programs at conferences. The role coordinates a high volume of catering details, while overseeing menu planning, service and equipment needs, budgets, and system accuracy at conferences. The ideal candidate brings strong catering operations experience from a hotel, convention center, or similarly high-volume hospitality environment, along with excellent judgment, strong attention to detail, and a high bar for quality and guest experience.

Requirements

5+ years in high-volume catering operations/management, preferably in a hotel or convention center setting.
Proven ability to manage high-volume logistics, including concurrent orders, menu planning (dietary inclusive), service standards, banquet setup, and equipment needs.
Experience managing budgets, tracking spend, and working directly with catering teams and venue partners to execute menus and service plans.
Exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational, written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Solutions-oriented problem-solver, able to manage multiple workstreams, remain calm in high-pressure, fast-paced environments, and uphold a high standard for quality and guest experience.
Comfortable with planning systems/spreadsheets (Google Workspace/Microsoft Office) and on-site execution.
Must be San Diego-based with strong local knowledge.

Nice To Haves

A degree in a related field
Food safety certification
Knowledge and education in wine

Responsibilities

Plan and coordinate catering and banqueting orders for TED conferences at the San Diego Convention Center, partnering closely with Sodexo Live! and internal stakeholders to ensure clear communication and accurate reporting.
Develop and refine thoughtful menus, prioritizing quality, variety, and dietary inclusivity in alignment with TED’s food guidelines.
Manage high-volume catering logistics, handling hundreds of individual orders for a single conference, including service needs, setup, equipment, and timing.
Ensure all catering details, revisions, and budgets are accurately documented, tracked across internal systems, and aligned with approved spend.
Serve as a trusted advisor, upholding a high standard of catering execution, and supporting on-site coordination and issue resolution.
Oversee on-site catering operations during conferences, directing short-term local staff and proactively resolving service issues or programmatic bottlenecks.