Catering & Events Manager

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, a Noble House Res•Little Torch Key, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Catering & Events Manager is an on-site role based in Key West at Little Palm Island, a private island resort. The position spans event sales, planning, live execution of intimate and group events, restaurant event coordination, and day-of oversight of large parties. An on-property presence is essential for site inspections, client meetings, operational coordination, and responding to event and guest needs. The manager carries direct revenue goals for marriage proposals, elopements, vow renewals, intimate weddings of 12 guests or fewer, large parties and social catering events, and associated enhancements and upgrades. The role does not carry revenue responsibility for corporate and incentive groups, group room blocks, weddings with more than 12 guests, or full-resort buyouts. For group events booked by Sales, the manager serves as the primary contact after turnover and coordinates planning and execution. The position works closely with culinary, restaurant, banquet, and other resort teams to plan and execute events, develop menus and offerings, support social catering growth, and ensure accurate event documentation and billing. The schedule must accommodate evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by event schedules.

Requirements

Minimum 2 years of experience in luxury catering sales, wedding sales, conference services, or event management.
Must be based on site in Key West.
Exceptional organizational and communication skills.
Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Working knowledge of food and beverage operations, banquet service, restaurant operations, and event planning.
Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as required by event schedules.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a luxury resort or hospitality environment.

Responsibilities

Respond promptly to inquiries for proposals, elopements, intimate weddings, and large parties.
Qualify leads and develop customized luxury event and dining proposals.
Conduct in-person site inspections and presentations.
Cultivate relationships with planners, travel advisors, photographers, and local vendors.
Upsell premium experiences, restaurant enhancements, and resort experiences.
Maintain sales activity, forecasts, and pipeline reporting; achieve established annual revenue goals for intimate celebrations, restaurant events, and large parties.
Lead planning and serve as the on-site point of contact for intimate celebrations and large parties from booking through execution.
Partner with culinary and restaurant teams on menu development and event-specific offerings.
Coordinate logistics, staffing needs, and setup requirements for restaurant buyouts and large social events.
Be present on property for event execution, including evenings, weekends, and holidays as required; manage last-minute changes and operational communications in real time.
For group events booked by Sales, serve as the primary contact after turnover and coordinate event logistics and client requirements.
Produce Banquet Event Orders, resumes, agendas, and planning documents.
Conduct pre-conference, internal planning, and post-event meetings.
Coordinate with culinary, banquet, housekeeping, recreation, spa, engineering, and accounting teams.
Review event-space and restaurant-space requirements and setup specifications.
Conduct event inspections, ensure adherence to brand standards, meet clients on-site, and oversee event execution.
Support menu development and enhancements in partnership with culinary; develop packaging and promotional offers for restaurant events and social catering.
Support social catering initiatives and segment growth, planner outreach and relationship building, FAM coordination, and marketing and social media.
Invoice deposits and coordinate billing for assigned events.
Review banquet and restaurant checks and final bills for accuracy; assist Accounting with guest billing clarifications.
Maintain event history and documentation and update sales and event management systems accurately and promptly.
Participate in weekly revenue and departmental meetings.