Catering Manager, Full Time

COMPASS GROUP CANADA; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Compass Group Canada is seeking a Catering Manager to support the Director of Operations by overseeing daily catering activities, training staff, and ensuring top-tier service and fan experience. You will drive brand excellence, quality, and consistency across local markets while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.

The role requires leadership in budgeting, scheduling, and safety compliance, with a focus on teamwork and operational excellence in a fast-paced sports/entertainment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or related Hospitality Degree; 2–4+ years in a large-scale operation.
• Strong leadership, communication, and guest-service focus; experience in sports/entertainment venues is a plus.
• Budgeting, forecasting, and cost-control capabilities are essential.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day Catering operations and ensure service delivery.
• Lead staff training, supervision, and performance improvement.
• Monitor guest experience, hospitality, and brand standards.

Skills

Budgeting & forecasting

Leadership

Communication

Customer service

Event planning

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or related Hospitality Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Internal systems

Catering/event planning software

Job description

The Catering Manager supports and assists the Director Operations by overseeing the day-to-day Catering operations. This includes but is not limited to, the training, staff supervision, and monitoring of service delivery, hospitality, and fan experience along with controlling quality in work performance and product output.

Key Responsibilities

Culinary & Brand Excellence

• Ensure consistency of brand execution while allowing for local market and client customization.
• Partner with Culinary leadership to evolve menus, concepts, and food programs.
• Lead continuous improvement in guest experience and satisfaction metrics.

Operations & Execution

• Provide strong leadership, direction, and decision-making ability while elevating operational execution, team engagement and best in class service delivery in regards to the Catering operations.
• Ensure operational excellence through standardized processes, KPIs, and best practices.
• Address performance gaps decisively and drive corrective action where required.
• Ensure clear and concise operational and department knowledge and communication is shared collaboratively with all relevant stakeholders

Partner & Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain a strong working partnership with all stakeholders (Includes, Client, CGC / Levy representatives, Guests, Vendors et al.), while focusing on fan engagement and delivery of memorable guest experiences
• Represent the organization externally with clients, partners, and industry groups.

Compliance, Safety & Risk Management

• Promote a strong culture of safety, quality assurance, and risk management.
• Ensure all compliance / audit scores are met based on audit frequency required, implement corrective actions, and continuous compliance improvement.

All other duties as assigned by the Regional Director of Operations or the Director of Operations or their designate.

Duties

• Department oversight, including control of all inventories, product cost, and purchasing as it pertains to scope of role. Implement cost controls as needed to achieve positive financial results.
• Drive financial profitability through department and line of business reporting, weekly, and monthly reporting, as well as monitoring daily spending.
• Oversees the scheduling and payroll for all hourly associates within the Catering department in accordance with financial and labor targets set via the departmental budget.
• Assists with recruitment, hiring, training, mentorship and leading team members
• Use engagement strategies to recognize, motivate and celebrate individuals and teams delivering outstanding performance throughout location.
• Lead pre-shift and BEO meetings.
• Participate in pre-game, operations and production meetings as required.
• Ensure all menus are up to date and communicated to the required departments to ensure proper signage and pricing.
• Engage in any client related initiatives and activations, i.e. ‘Own It’ program.
• Assure that inventory levels are consistent with departmental pars and work collaboratively with the warehouse department to project event demands are adequately stocked.
• Work collaboratively with the culinary department in the planning, innovation, costing and deliverables for all Catering related menus in accordance with CGC/ Levy activations, COGS
• Inform staff of any new policies and procedures.
• Champion security, safety, and sanitation standards are achieved and adheres to responsible alcohol service policies.
• Maintain CGC / Levy and provincial health authority standards in relation to food preparation and serving compliancy.
• Oversee all duties related to receiving, stocking, invoicing, inventory, and cost control.
• Maintain concise records in relation to Smallware’s inventory while forecasting activation needs and requirements.
• Works with sponsorship, partners, clients and CGC / Levy stakeholders in terms of billing processing in an accurate and timely manner based on CGC standards and applicable contracts.
• All other duties as assigned by the Director Operations and / or the Regional Director or their designate.

Qualifications – Education / Certification

• Bachelor’s Degree or related Hospitality Degree with 2 - 4 or more years of progressive industry management experience in a large-scale operation or in a sports and entertainment atmosphere.
• Previous high-volume experience from a Hotel, Casino, Convention Center, Stadium or Arena considered an asset.
• Budgeting, forecasting, sales experience preferred.
• Able to communicate effectively with management team, guests and associates by speaking and comprehending English. English reading, writing, math and computer skills required.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, mentor, and motivate staff.
• Exhibits initiative, responsibility, flexibility and leadership.
• Availability to work regular extended shifts of 10 hours or more as business dictates. Must have flexible schedule to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Proficient in computer services such Microsoft Office as well as capability and willingness to learn internal systems both retail and tech systems.
• Experience with catering/event planning software

Essential Skills and Experience

• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work cohesively as part of a team with strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to focus attention on guest needs, always remaining calm and courteous.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Financial management skills such as basic accounting and budget calculations for food and labor costing
• Have knowledge of payroll systems.
• An excellent communicator able to lead, motivate and further develop the team.
• Ambitious to achieve even higher levels of performance and customer expectations.
• Knowledge of food service professional operations, standards, and practices, raw materials, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing food production and quality.
• Valid driving license and/or access to reliable transportation is an asset.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• The hours of work for this position are event-based hours that include evenings, weekends, and holidays. This position requires standing for extended periods of time and frequent movement throughout the facility.
• The position at times may require frequent heavy lifting of items up to 25 lbs when receiving orders, and occasionally lifting, pushing, pulling or transferring loads of up to 50 lbs.
• This position involves working in both a climate-controlled office environment and in a kitchen / food service environment that is subject to changing temperatures.

The employee is expected to adhere to all company policies and to act as a role model in the adherence to policies. These statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work involved for this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of this job.

The hourly wage rate for this position is $26.75. Final compensation will be determined based on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity. We are committed to offering competitive compensation and comply with all applicable pay transparency legislation. Further details regarding our total rewards offerings will be shared by the Talent Acquisition team during the hiring process. Canadian work experience is not a requirement for this role. Please note that artificial intelligence–based tools may be used at certain stages of the recruitment and applicant screening process.