Director of Catering

HM Alpha Hotels & Resorts•Sunrise, FL

About The Position

The Director of Catering is accountable for the overall revenue, profitability, and strategic performance of the hotel's catering business. The position leads catering sales and event-related activities and partners with Sales, Culinary, Banquets, Food & Beverage, Finance, and other hotel departments to maximize revenue, profitability, guest satisfaction, and long-term growth. The Director develops and executes the hotel's catering strategy, sets and achieves revenue and profitability goals, forecasts business, optimizes pricing and menus, and oversees the conversion and execution of catering opportunities. The role considers each event's overall financial impact, including food and beverage revenue, meeting space, guestrooms, ancillary revenue, labor, food costs, and other operating expenses. The Director leads the catering discipline's sales objectives and processes, owns revenue forecasting, analyzes performance and market conditions, manages important accounts and events, develops new business, and builds relationships across corporate, social, wedding, association, civic, and community markets. The position collaborates with hotel leadership and operating teams to manage business mix, improve margins, coordinate event requirements, and ensure accurate event documentation and execution. The Director also develops menus and food and beverage experiences in collaboration with clients and culinary teams, represents the hotel at community and industry events, and creates promotions, packages, and partnerships to generate revenue.

Requirements

Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to guide internal teams and interface effectively with clients.
Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple events simultaneously.
Strong presentation and listening skills to understand and deliver on client needs.
Desire to achieve revenue goals.
Analytical thinking and the ability to assess business potential and align offerings with revenue strategy.
Collaborative approach, especially in cross-functional meetings with culinary, operations, and sales.
Expertise in Microsoft Office and catering software.
Minimum 3 years of experience as a banquet or meeting planner, catering manager, or in a similar hospitality role.
Proven track record of achieving or exceeding catering sales goals.
Experience managing high-volume events, including corporate meetings, weddings, galas, and social functions.
Strong knowledge of banquet service procedures, event timelines, and operational logistics.
Successful completion of a background check prior to employment.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with brand-specific Property Management Systems.
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or a related field; equivalent work experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.

Responsibilities

Establish clear sales objectives, performance expectations, accountabilities, and action plans for the catering discipline.
Execute the inquiry, qualification, proposal, negotiation, contracting, and closing process for catering business.
Drive catering revenue and achieve or exceed annual, quarterly, and monthly sales goals through proactive sales efforts and strategic planning.
Lead BEO meetings, pre-conference meetings, operational meetings, and post-event reviews.
Own the catering revenue forecast and provide accurate weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual projections.
Analyze pace, pickup, historical trends, need dates, tentative and definite business, and market conditions to identify revenue opportunities and risks.
Monitor conversion, average check, pace, booking patterns, and business mix to identify opportunities to increase revenue and profitability.
Analyze competitive properties and market trends to identify opportunities for the hotel.
Ensure departments receive timely, accurate communication about event requirements, changes, special requests, timelines, guarantees, and client expectations.
Personally manage key accounts, high-value opportunities, complex events, and strategically important customers.
Prospect for new catering business through outside sales calls, community involvement, networking, referrals, trade shows, industry events, digital prospecting, and strategic partnerships.
Build relationships with corporate, social, wedding, association, civic, and community accounts to generate repeat and referral business.
Upsell food, beverage, meeting space, enhancements, and other ancillary revenue opportunities.
Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture among Catering Sales, Banquets, Culinary, and supporting hotel departments.
Analyze catering performance by revenue segment, event type, day of week, season, customer mix, average check, food and beverage spend, and profitability to identify growth opportunities.
Monitor catering revenue and profitability against budget, forecast, prior year, and market performance, and take corrective action when results are below expectations.
Ensure adherence to hotel credit procedures, deposit requirements, billing procedures, and internal audit guidelines.
Develop customized menus and food and beverage experiences based on client preferences, event objectives, budget, seasonality, and culinary capabilities.
Understand food cost, portioning, menu pricing, package pricing, and the financial implications of menu modifications.
Conduct client meetings, site inspections, menu tastings, planning meetings, and event reviews as appropriate.
Oversee the creation, accuracy, and timely distribution of Banquet Event Orders and related event documentation.
Ensure contracted details, pricing, guarantees, menus, audiovisual requirements, room setups, special requests, and billing information are accurately reflected.
Represent the hotel at community and industry events to strengthen its reputation as a premier event destination.
Develop creative promotions, packages, and partnerships to generate incremental catering revenue.
Perform other duties as assigned.