Catering SALES Manager

Catering Sales Manager

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities, and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty. Housing and Food Services (HFS) has an outstanding opportunity for a Catering Sales Manager to join their team. Housing & Food Services (HFS) supports over 10,000 student residents and operates 40+ dining locations on campus. With a team of over 1,200 staff and students, HFS is dedicated to enhancing student life through teamwork and excellent service.

Purpose: This position manages day-to-day operations of the Bay Laurel Catering sales team, acting as the primary point of contact for clients, assisting clients with completion of event catering orders, creating event contracts, and providing seamless communication of critical event information between clients, catering operations, and culinary team. The Catering Sales Manager coordinates billing activity with HFS Finance and plays an important role in monitoring business trends and assisting with marketing strategy and customer-facing information.

Responsibilities:

Leadership

• Oversees the day-to-day operations of catering sales staff.
• Maintains team-related revenue goals.
• Ensures business is turned over properly and in a timely fashion for proper service delivery.
• Targets group/catering accounts, markets, or segments with heavy emphasis on proactive solicitation and account saturation.
• Conducts campus site-visits with clients and prospective clients, including arranging planning meetings with representatives of other campus facilities, as necessary.
• Effective presentation skills that demonstrate preparation, research, and delivery that are scaled for small, large, and diverse groups.

Operations and Customer Service

• Responsible for driving customer/guest loyalty by delivering service excellence throughout each customer/guest experience, that will drive sales growth.
• Serves as a key departmental resource and contact for prospective catering and conference customers.
• Anticipates customer needs and facilitates acquisition of additional resources and services.
• Attends events to ensure services provided comply with event contract.
• Advises customers on improvements/enhancements for events in progress.
• Coordinates services and resources with HFS staff, the community, and vendors.
• Interprets University policies and procedures and advises clients, suggesting alternatives as appropriate.
• Ensures clear, effective communication of critical event information to culinary and operations teams to support successful event execution.
• Oversees catering services for conferences ranging in size from 10-2000 guests.
• Oversees additional services (e.g., gift baskets, audio-visual equipment, furniture/equipment rentals) and any logistical support which will be necessary.
• Provides for the delivery of services and amenities with the appropriate Housing and Food Services unit, campus department, or off-campus vendors.
• Prepares record Banquet Event Orders (BEO) using Delphi.
• Identifies, qualifies, and solicits new group/catering business to achieve personal and departmental revenue goals for Bay Laurel Catering.

Fiscal Management

• Responsible for proactively soliciting and managing group/catering related opportunities with significant revenue potential.
• Actively up-sells each business opportunity to maximize revenue opportunity.
• Negotiates with clients on catering services.
• Collaborates with culinary and operations teams to monitor resource usage and bandwidth.
• Processes billing of events and collection of payments via budgets, checks, and/or credit card payments.
• Prepares proposals to bid on potential catered events and wedding receptions.

Culinary Focus and Results

• Coordinates alcohol service based on Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) and UW Dining guidelines.

CBORD

• Oversees CBORD FSS functions performed as part of normal business operations, including purchasing, inventory, transfers, and service menus. This position may be required to perform some tasks directly while reviewing or approving work delegated to staff.
• Ensures unit staff are properly trained on using CBORD FSS system by referring them to Dining Systems for training, as well as providing ongoing guidance and feedback.
• Uses CBORD FSS reporting functions to monitor unit performance by reviewing key metrics related to purchasing, inventory, menu mix, and costing. Notify Dining Systems of suspected errors or issues.

Supervision

• Interviews and selects staff, and ensures staff are on-boarded to the work unit and attend required HFS and UW required training.
• Supervises the work completed by direct reports, ensuring appropriate productivity, quality, customer service, and adherence to UW and departmental policies and procedures.
• Provides guidance to direct reports on requirements and/or opportunities for learning and professional development.
• Engages, when necessary, in performance management of employees within the organization.
• Prepares and conducts ongoing and timely performance appraisals for all employees, providing proper performance-based feedback.
• Supervises staff.

Impact to the University: Bay Laurel provides catering service for a variety of events and gatherings and is representative of the University for many of its guests including prospective students, donors, and elected officials. Bay Laurel is primarily an off-site caterer for the University of Washington. High degrees of organization and coordination are needed to ensure that a variety of service needs are met to a diverse clientele.

Working Conditions: While the position is not expected to work all hours of operation, scheduling is to occur in such a way that there is leadership available to staff and customers throughout the hours of operation. In addition, the position is required to be present and visible during special University or HFS events that may occur in the evening and/or weekend. As with any catering business, the position will work a variety of schedules to meet customer needs and participate in all aspects of delivery and event production.

Reports To: Administrator-Bay Laurel Catering

Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree AND one year of management experience in catering sales role. Proficient PC skills (such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint applications). Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Desired Qualifications: Experience with Eventmaster or similar catering software. Experience with Microsoft Project and SharePoint experience.

Conditions of Employment: A satisfactory outcome from the employment reference check processes and education verification. Possession of a Washington State Food Handler's Card within two weeks of employment. ServSafe certification within three months of hire and maintenance of certification thereafter. Possession of a valid Washington Driver's License to drive UW Vehicles.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details: Pay Range Minimum: $70,152.00 annual. Pay Range Maximum: $70,152.00 annual. Benefits: For information about benefits for this position, visit . Shift: First Shift (United States of America). Temporary or Regular? This is a regular position. FTE (Full-Time Equivalent): 100.00%.

About the UW: Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state, and around the world. UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

Our Commitment: The University of Washington is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu. Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law. University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal