Hospitality Operations Manager (Contract)

The Wilkinson Firm • Tampa, FL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Wilkinson Firm is seeking a hospitality training leader to help build their training engine from the ground up. This is a working partnership, not just a job. The ideal candidate will have spent their careers building service standards in the field and wants to help re-establish those standards in the workforce. The firm is building a staffing model where every event has a TWF-trained captain leading the service, servers who have completed their cohort training, captains promoted on demonstrated competence, and pre-event readiness sessions including BEO walk-throughs and venue-specific preparation. They aim to be the go-to staffing partner for hotels, venues, caterers, and convention centers when events are too important to leave to luck.

Requirements

• 10+ years in hospitality with deep training experience.
• Experience in Forbes 5-Star, AAA Five Diamond, Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Marriott Luxury Collection, or cruise line luxury background.
• Multi-unit training director, hotel F&B training lead, convention center training director, or large-format banquet training experience.
• Cornell School of Hotel Administration or equivalent field-built credential.
• ServSafe Instructor and TIPS Trainer certifications strongly preferred.
• Banquet captain experience required; must have led the floor on a 1,000-cover plated dinner.
• Belief that service standards are protection for the host and dignity for the staff.
• Understanding the difference between a server who can recite the sequence of service and a captain who can hold the floor when the kitchen goes down.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual English / Spanish is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

• Build the cohort curriculum for bartenders, servers, banquet staff, line cooks, housekeeping, and captains.
• Run cohort training cycles in primary markets (Atlanta, Charlotte, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Nashville, Tampa, Orlando, Miami).
• Train and credential the captains who lead crews on event nights.
• Conduct pre-event readiness sessions, including BEO walk-throughs, diagram reads, and venue-specific prep for high-stakes events.
• Train on service recovery and compliance, including ServSafe, TIPS, allergen protocol, OSHA banquet basics, and alcohol service liability.
• Perform field quality assurance by observing crews on event nights, writing coaching notes, and recalibrating the curriculum.
• Co-author content on hospitality training and service standards under your name.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed