Banquet Manager - Downtown Hotel

The Westin Chattanooga; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Westin Chattanooga is seeking a hands-on Banquet Manager who leads from the front. You'll run a department of 20-50 team members—captains, servers, bartenders, and setup crew—but this isn't a role you'll do from behind a desk.

When the schedule is light, you're working as a captain or server. When business is busy, you're the face of high-profile events, making sure clients feel taken care of and your team has what they need to execute flawlessly.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of banquet operations and best practices.
• Hands-on leadership and problem-solving mindset.
• Ability to manage events from setup to breakdown with attention to detail.
• Excellent communication with clients and staff in high-pressure moments.
• Willingness to work events alongside the team and flexible scheduling.
• Experience leading teams of captains, servers, bartenders, and setup crew.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of banquets from setup through breakdown, being the point person for clients.
• Fine-tune operational systems and processes for efficiency and consistency.
• Coach captains and staff to execute events with confidence and quality.
• Handle client escalations professionally and maintain guest satisfaction.
• Monitor budgets, labor costs, and ensure accurate billing and revenues.
• Collaborate with culinary, event managers, and sales teams to deliver memorable events.
• Maintain compliance with health laws, ABC rules, and inventory controls.
• Prepare pre-shift briefings and ensure team readiness for events.

Skills

Banquet operations expertise

Problem solving

Execution and detail orientation

Calm under pressure

Strong communication

Flexible schedule

Team leadership

Operational efficiency

Guest service excellence

Job description

Description

Job Title: Banquet Manager Department: Banquet

Reports to: Director of Outlets/ General Manager Status: Exempt / Salary

Job Summary:

The Westin Chattanooga is seeking a hands-on Banquet Manager who leads from the front. You'll run a department of 20-50 team members—captains, servers, bartenders, and setup crew—but this isn't a role you'll do from behind a desk.

When the schedule is light, you're working as a captain or server. When business is busy, you're the face of high-profile events, making sure clients feel taken care of and your team has what they need to execute flawlessly. You'll fine-tune existing systems to work their best, maintain what's working well, create new processes where gaps exist, and know when to strip things back to basics and rebuild.

This role is about execution. You're polishing silverware when it needs doing, coaching someone through proper setup standards, and catching the details others miss—the fork facing the wrong way, chairs spaced incorrectly, a wrinkle in the tablecloth. You'll handle client escalations with ease, manage budgets and labor costs, ensure all event revenues are posted accurately each day, and make sure every event meets our standards for service, billing, and guest satisfaction.

You'll work closely with the culinary team, event managers, and sales team to create events that guests remember. Your job is to take what's been sold and make it exceptional. We need someone with deep banquet knowledge who can keep the team on track and raise the bar on what we're capable of.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Lead execution of banquets from setup through breakdown—you're the point person clients see and trust during events
• Fine-tune operational systems and processes—some exist and work well, some need improvement, some need to be built from scratch
• Use your banquet expertise to identify what's working, what needs fixing, and when to go back to basics
• Train and develop captains and banquet staff so they can execute events with confidence
• Handle client escalations on the spot with professionalism and care
• Maintain high standards: proper billing, accurate guest counts, flawless service, clean spaces, proper presentation
• Ensure ABC compliance with zero violations—maintain certification records and enforce all alcohol service laws and regulations
• Manage labor costs and scheduling to hit budget targets while keeping your team strong
• Reduce department turnover and build an on-call staff of up to 50 associates
• Conduct pre-shift briefings for all events, reviewing event orders and ensuring team readiness
• Problem‑solve creatively when challenges arise
• Serve as the front‑of‑house presence for every contracted event—be visible, take ownership
• Push for creative, memorable events that go beyond what was sold
• Ensure all staff maintain proper uniforms and grooming standards at all times, including during setup
• Generate guest checks and captain reports for each event
• Assign side work duties to staff and follow up to confirm completion
• Maintain clean, organized back‑of‑house work spaces
• Know fire alarm system and evacuation procedures
• Ensure compliance with health laws and inventory controls
• Complete daily wage tracking and submit required reports
• Achieve budgeted revenue and profit goals for the banquet department
• Drive Event Satisfaction Scores to the top 5% of the brand
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure smooth operations
• Keep all business functions confidential including financial information, guest details, and employee matters
• Act as Manager on Duty when needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Responsible for managing all banquet staff
• Ability to lead, direct and work with people.
• Must manage all associates in a firm and fair manner

Requirements

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Deep knowledge of banquet operations and best practices—you know what good looks like and how to get there
• Self-starter who sees problems and fixes them without being told
• Obsessed with execution and details—the kind that notices when something's not right
• Ability to stay calm and lead effectively during high‑pressure moments with clients and staff
• Strong communication skills in person, on the phone, and via email
• Willingness to work events alongside the team, not watch from the sidelines
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including early mornings, late nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays—open availability Monday through Saturday required. Sundays may be required as needed but are less common.
• Well organized with strong initiative
• Outgoing, honest, and works well with others
• Knowledge of food and beverage best practices and how they apply to banquet operations

Education and Experience:

• Prior management or supervisory experience in food and beverage, hotel, convention center, catering, banquet, or a related hospitality field is required.
• Must have hands‑on banquet or catering execution experience. Banquet experience in a restaurant setting is acceptable if it was for events of 200+ seats.
• Management or supervisory experience that involved written communication and computer‑based systems is required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage operations at scale with a strong understanding of quality service standards is required.
• Experience with payroll, contractor, or payment management is preferred.
• Labor management experience is preferred.
• Fine dining or upscale hospitality experience is preferred.
• Scheduling experience is a plus.
• Experience with different service styles, such as buffet and plated service, is a plus.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to stand/walk on feet for up to 10 hours
• Must be able to handle heat and stress
• Must be able to bend, reach, kneel, push and stretch
• Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds
• Must be comfortable using a step stool or ladder
• Must have clear vision for close cleaning and writing tasks
• Must have clear vision for distances up to 25 feet
• Must have good finger dexterity for prep work and writing
• Must be able to use/lift arms for up to 10 hours
• Must be able to carry food trays

Note:

This job posting in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job‑related instructions and to perform any other job‑related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with ADA regulations as applicable. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this posting are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities.

This posting does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" relationship.