Head of Conference & Events

Mint People

Manchester

On-site

GBP 60,000 - 80,000

Full time

14 days+

Get a reply from this employer

Your resume and cover letter, tailored to exactly what they’re hiring for.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Staff meals

Personal training and development

Sick pay

Job summary

Mint People is seeking a Head of conference & events – catering to lead the strategic and commercial performance of our conference and events catering operations. The role partners with the food & beverage director to shape guest experiences, drive efficiency, and deliver results across a high-profile events portfolio.

You will steer end-to-end event delivery, manage budgets, and develop a high-performing team in a fast-paced, multi-site environment.

Qualifications

Significant senior experience leading conference & events catering operations within a large venue or multi-site environment.
Proven ability to lead and manage large teams through strong leadership behaviours, coaching, and structured communication.
Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, labour efficiency, and operational performance.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Highly organised, resilient, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in fast-paced environments.
Self-motivated, proactive, and solutions-focused.

Responsibilities

Develop and deliver the conference & events catering strategy in line with wider business objectives.
Identify and implement innovative approaches to event catering and guest experience.
Continuously review operational models to improve efficiency, consistency, and performance.
Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing conference & events catering team.
Create a culture of service excellence, accountability, and respect.
Conduct regular 1:1s, team meetings, and business reviews.
Oversee end-to-end event delivery, from planning and setup through to execution and breakdown.
Liaise with logistics and operational teams to ensure seamless delivery.
Oversee duty management and operational shifts as required.
Monitor service delivery against agreed standards and SLAs.
Ensure compliance with licensing laws, Trading Standards, and EHO regulations.
Work with the people team to deliver training and development framework.

Skills

Senior leadership

People leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Proactive problem-solving

Tools

Till systems

Payroll systems

Job description

Who we are looking for

Head of conference & events – catering

The head of conference & events is a senior leadership role with full responsibility for the strategic planning, commercial performance, and flawless delivery of all conference and events catering operations. This position plays a pivotal role in shaping the guest experience, driving operational excellence, and delivering strong commercial results across a diverse and high-profile events portfolio.

Reporting directly to the food & beverage director, the role has significant influence across operations, people leadership, and commercial performance.

A flavour of the day-to-day

Strategic leadership

Develop and deliver the conference & events catering strategy in line with wider business objectives
Identify and implement innovative approaches to event catering and guest experience
Continuously review operational models to improve efficiency, consistency, and performance

Team leadership and culture

Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing conference & events catering team
Create a culture of service excellence, accountability, and respect
Conduct regular 1:1s, team meetings, and business reviews
Provide clear direction, coaching, and structured development pathways

Financial and commercial management

Manage departmental budgets including forecasting, cost control, and reporting
Oversee non-F&B purchasing in line with budgets and supplier agreements
Maximise labour productivity through effective workforce planning and forecasting
Monitor gross profit, cash handling, and stock control
Ensure accurate and timely client billing in collaboration with internal teams and third-party suppliers

Sales and commercial collaboration

Work closely with internal sales teams to support catering-led sales strategies for conferences and events
Contribute to menus, proposals, and commercial offerings

Event delivery

Oversee end-to-end event delivery, from planning and setup through to execution and breakdown
Liaise with logistics and operational teams to ensure seamless delivery
Undertake duty management and operational shifts as required

Systems and technology

Act as a super-user for till systems and back-of-house conference & events functionality
Ensure compliance with workforce management systems for scheduling, approvals, and payroll accuracy

Quality, compliance and standards

Monitor service delivery against agreed standards and SLAs
Ensure compliance with company policies, licensing laws, Trading Standards, and EHO regulations

Training and development

Work with the people team to deliver a robust training and development framework
Ensure all statutory and bespoke training is completed and recorded

Client and stakeholder management

Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers, and internal stakeholders
Act as the primary point of contact for client queries, ensuring service delivery exceeds expectations

Skills and experience

Essential

Significant senior experience leading conference & events catering operations within a large venue or multi-site environment
Proven ability to lead and manage large teams through strong leadership behaviours, coaching, and structured communication
Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, labour efficiency, and operational performance
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
Highly organised, resilient, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in fast-paced environments
Self-motivated, proactive, and solutions-focused

Desirable