Catering Manager 3

Unit Description:

Welcome to the most unique opportunity for you to shine! We make dreams happen and we want to share this moment with you.

Sodexo is seeking an Catering Manager 3for Lake Forest Academy Cateringlocated in Lake Forest, IL.This location is a very unique venue compared to any university account.

The Historic Armour House at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, IL, is a wedding and special events venue. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this prestigious facility is located at Lake forest Academy, a co-educational college preparatory school for boarding and day students in grades 9 through 12. The school is located on the North Shore in Lake Forest, Illinois, United States, about 30 miles north of Chicago, conveniently located near two Metro train stops.

The Armour House hosts over 70+ weddings & special events between April and December. We are nationally recognized by the Knot, Wedding Wire, Modern Luxury and other local publications on our beautiful grounds, amazing cuisine and elegant architecture.

The Catering Manager 3 will oversee management of special events, including banquets, weddings, and other group gatherings. The ideal candidate should have extensive food and beverage knowledge with strong computer skills, familiar with various social media applications and be able to work with the entire management team to ensure events of any size are well planned and executed. You will work with a variety of clients as we are on the premises of a private high school and some events may coincide with school functions including parents, faculty and staff, as well as students, in addition to external clients in weddings and events.

• Individuals with wedding planning, catering, hotel and extensive banquet experience are encouraged to apply for this outstanding position.

• This is position has a relative flexible schedule but must be available for weekends, when the majority of events occur with an average schedule of 40-50 hours during prime season.

• This position requires a well-seasoned person who has a minimum of 2-3 years overseeing the direct responsibility of managing private events, weddings, and various other types of functions, and a food and beverage background would be helpful to assist with planning menus, when applicable.

Key Duties

• Oversight of Sodexo resources, recipes, systems and use of catering programs to direct daily catering events including; food production, inventory, product deliveries, invoices, and procurement operations.
• Oversight of the sales process for catering and/or conference services. Works with client and customers to design events.
• Ensures employees have appropriate equipment, supplies and resources to perform their job, and meet goals, cost controls and deadlines as assigned.
• Establishes and maintains a safe work environment including both food and physical safety in order to comply with all regulatory and Sodexo standards in various environments. Drives the Zero Harm mindset.
• Complies with budget requirements by controlling costs (i.e. labor, inventory, equipment, materials) and making adjustments when necessary.
• Supervises employees by delegating, assigning and prioritizing activities, and monitoring operating standards.
• Provide a superior level of high quality of service in a fine dining environment
• Assist in conducting tours for potential new clients
• Plan for appropriate staffing and schedule accordingly duties and responsibilities
• Compile and Communicate Banquet Event Order specifications to staff and leading pre-shift meetings
• Properly manage staff to set up event spaces with table linens, silverware, glassware, and other catering equipment by event start time
• Take initiative to work independently and coordinate with management as needed
• Use problem solving skills to provide accommodations for guests in a fast-paced setting
• Maintain a high level of professionalism at all times
• Perform other duties as assigned by management staff including responding to wedding and other special event inquiries, maintaining social media accounts including Facebook and Instagram.
• Prior knowledge and experience working with various catering and Microsoft Office software is required.
• Food Service Handler and BASSET certification is a PLUS!

The successful candidate will:

• identify customer needs and expectations;
• ensure that Sodexo and customer goals are aligned and met;
• educate and develop rapport with clients and promote partnerships;
• promote a customer/client centered culture that strives to exceed customer and client needs;
• coordinate all unit catering initiatives to drive sales growth and track results.
• maintain and improve service level resulting in increased customer satisfaction;
• ensure all HAACP standards are followed; and/or
• demonstrate resourcefulness and quick responsiveness to client and customer requests.
  

Is this opportunity right for you? We are looking for candidates who have:

• solid organizational skills;
• excellent leadership/team building skills;
• the ability to handle catering at all levels from simple continental breakfasts to high-end VIP's
• professional demeanor is required.
  

Not the job for you?
At Sodexo, we offer Food Service Management and Catering positions in a variety of business segments, including Corporate, Schools, Universities, Government and Agencies, Healthcare, Senior Living and Sports and Leisure locations across the United States. Continue your search for Food Service Management jobs .

Working for Sodexo:
Sodexo fosters a culture committed to the growth of individuals through continuous learning, mentoring and career growth opportunities. At Sodexo, you will find the ingredients for a great career in food service management specializing in Catering. With benefits including schedules that encourage work-life balance and continuing education opportunities, you'll enjoy an improved quality of life that's unique in the hospitality industry.

Sodexo offers fair and equitable compensation, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. While the budgeted range for the position is posted, Sodexo salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education and training.

Oversight of catering activities for a medium to large size location/unit with less than $1.5M in managed catering volume. Complex events with a high degree of hands on involvement in catering solutions. Large amount of high profile events. Strong client interaction.
Key Duties
- Oversight of Sodexo resources, recipes, systems and use of catering programs to direct daily catering events including; food production, inventory, product deliveries, invoices, and procurement operations.
- Oversight of the sales process for catering and/or conference services. Works with client and customers to design events.
- Ensures employees have appropriate equipment, supplies and resources to perform their job, and meet goals, cost controls and deadlines as assigned.
- Establishes and maintains a safe work environment including both food and physical safety in order to comply with all regulatory and Sodexo standards in various environments. Drives the Zero Harm mindset.
- Complies with budget requirements by controlling costs (i.e. labor, inventory, equipment, materials) and making adjustments when necessary
- Supervises employees by delegating, assigning and prioritizing activities, and monitoring operating standards

Basic Education Requirement - Associate's Degree or equivalent experience
Basic Management Experience - 2 years
Basic Functional Experience - 1 year work experience in food or culinary services including restaurants, fast food, vending, catering services, institutional services, mall food courts, etc.

Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.

• Contact: Recruitment Team
• Reference: CatererGlobal/6162_917029
• Job ID: 99733646