Catering & Events Manager
Confidential Search | Chicagoland Area | Full-Time, Salaried + Commission
About the Opportunity
An established, privately held restaurant group in the Chicago area is hiring a Catering & Events Manager to own and grow its private events and off-premise catering business. This is a confidential search, and the employer's name will be shared with candidates selected for an interview.
The company operates full-service, high-volume hospitality concepts with private dining space, large-party dining, and an existing catering and delivery operation. The events program is currently handled across several people; this role consolidates it into a single owner with room to build it into a meaningful revenue center.
Position Summary
The Catering & Events Manager is responsible for the full lifecycle of every private event and catering order — from first inquiry through final invoice. You will drive sales, write and distribute event documentation, coordinate with kitchen and front-of-house leadership, staff and run events on site, and follow up to convert one-time clients into repeat business.
This is a hybrid sales and operations role. Roughly half the week is desk work (leads, proposals, contracts, BEOs, invoicing, outreach) and half is floor work (walkthroughs, setup, execution, breakdown). Evenings, weekends, and holiday-season availability are required.
Reports to: [Director of Operations / General Manager / Ownership]
Core ResponsibilitiesSales & Client Management
- Serve as the single point of contact for all private event and catering inquiries across the company's locations
- Respond to all inbound leads within one business day; maintain a tracked pipeline of open, tentative, and confirmed bookings
- Conduct site visits, tastings, and walkthroughs with prospective clients
- Build custom proposals and menus within established pricing structures; negotiate within approved margin guidelines
- Issue contracts, collect deposits, and manage payment schedules through final settlement
- Proactively generate new business: corporate accounts, holiday parties, rehearsal dinners, showers, repeat institutional clients, neighborhood businesses, hotels, and building concierges
- Maintain a house account list and execute regular outreach and re-booking campaigns
Event Planning & Documentation
- Write and distribute Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) with complete detail on timing, guest count, menu, allergies, bar package, rentals, floor plan, staffing, and billing
- Distribute BEOs to kitchen and FOH leadership on a fixed weekly deadline and lead a weekly events meeting
- Coordinate rentals, floral, AV, linens, cakes, entertainment, valet, and any third-party vendors
- Manage event calendars and prevent booking conflicts with regular restaurant operations
- Maintain accurate guest counts and communicate all changes to the kitchen in time to protect food cost
On-Site Execution
- Be present for setup, guest arrival, and the critical service windows of events
- Staff events appropriately; schedule captains, servers, bartenders, and support staff
- Run a pre-shift briefing for every event team covering menu, timing, guest expectations, and VIPs
- Own the room: pacing, service standards, temperature and cleanliness of the space, and real-time problem solving
- Manage service recovery in the moment and escalate appropriately
- Oversee breakdown, equipment return, and post-event reset of the space
Off-Premise Catering & Delivery
- Coordinate packing, load-out, transport, and on-site setup for drop-off and full-service catering
- Build and maintain packing lists, transport equipment inventory, and delivery timelines
- Maintain food safety and temperature standards in transit
- Manage institutional and corporate standing orders, including invoicing and account terms
Administrative & Financial
- Track event revenue, deposits, and receivables; reconcile against POS and accounting
- Contribute to monthly and annual events revenue forecasting and budgeting
- Reconcile event labor and food cost against budget; report variances
- Maintain the events section of the company website, third-party listings, and inquiry forms
- Ensure all event-related liquor service complies with state and local law and company policy
Team & Culture
- Train and develop a bench of event captains and event-qualified service staff
- Uphold the company's steps of service and hospitality standards in every event environment
- Partner with kitchen leadership on menu development and feasibility for events
Qualifications
Required
- 3+ years of catering, banquet, or private events experience in restaurants, hotels, or a catering company, including at least 1 year in a sales or coordinator role with booking responsibility
- Demonstrated record of selling and executing events from inquiry through invoice
- Strong writing skills; able to produce clean, error-free BEOs, proposals, and client correspondence
- Comfortable with POS, reservation, and event management platforms; strong spreadsheet skills
- Ability to work evenings, weekends, and a demanding October–December season
- Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for site visits and off-premise events
- Able to lift 40 lbs., stand for extended periods, and handle the physical demands of load-in and load-out
Preferred
- Existing corporate or social client relationships in the Chicago market
- Experience with off-premise catering logistics, not just on-premise banquets
- Multi-unit or multi-concept experience
- Food handler and alcohol service certification (BASSET or equivalent), or willingness to obtain
- Working knowledge of wine and beverage program execution
- Bilingual (English/Spanish)
What Success Looks Like
- First 30 days: Full command of the spaces, capacities, menus, and pricing. Every inbound lead answered within one business day. Existing booked events executed cleanly.
- First 90 days: A documented sales pipeline, standardized BEO and proposal templates, a weekly events meeting running on schedule, and a rebuilt house account list with active outreach underway.
- First year: Measurable growth in booked event revenue over prior year, a trained event captain bench, and a repeatable system that runs the same way every time.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base salary: Listed, commensurate with experience
- Commission on booked event revenue, paid [monthly/quarterly]
- [Health insurance / PTO / dining benefit / parking or mileage reimbursement / phone allowance]
- Real ownership of a growing revenue line with direct access to ownership
To Apply
Please send a resume and a brief note describing the largest event you've personally sold and executed guest count, budget, and what you'd do differently to help to [email protected]
All inquiries are held in strict confidence. The employer's identity will be disclosed to candidates advancing to interview. No phone calls, and please, no agency solicitations.
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $50,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
