Catering Operations Manager

Restaurant Associates; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Personal Leave

Job summary

Restaurant Associates in New York seeks a Catering Operations Manager to lead daily catering operations, develop engaged teams, and ensure flawless event execution that meets client and company standards.

You will partner with culinary, FOH/BOH, procurement, and workplace teams to deliver memorable guest experiences while maintaining food quality, safety, and financial stewardship.

Qualifications

• Experience leading catering, hospitality, or high-volume food service operations.
• Ability to develop teams and foster an inclusive workplace culture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of catering operations, hospitality standards, and elevated service.
• Understanding of food safety and workplace safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily catering operations, ensuring exceptional service and execution.
• Create memorable hospitality experiences that go beyond food service and foster guest engagement.
• Establish high standards for service, presentation, and professionalism.
• Promote a culture of hospitality that is welcoming, inclusive, and guest-focused.
• Ensure guests are treated with professionalism, courtesy, and respect.
• Develop daily and weekly operational plans that support events and business needs.
• Communicate goals and priorities to team members and leadership.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop associates for growth and success.
• Foster a positive workplace culture focused on engagement and collaboration.
• Oversee the successful execution of all catering events and services.

Skills

Team leadership

Catering operations

Hospitality standards

Communication skills

Food safety knowledge

Job description

The Catering Operations Manager plays a key role in delivering exceptional hospitality experiences within a premier catering environment. This position is responsible for leading catering operations, developing engaged teams, and ensuring seamless execution of events and services that reflect both client and company standards.

The food program's vision is to inspire and enable people to make food choices and enjoy experiences that contribute to healthier, more sustainable lifestyles and communities. As a leader within the catering team, you will help bring this vision to life through operational excellence, collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to outstanding hospitality.

Reporting to the Director of Catering, the Catering Operations Manager partners closely with culinary, operations, workplace services, procurement, marketing, and other stakeholders to create memorable guest experiences while maintaining a strong focus on food quality, service excellence, safety, and financial stewardship.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily catering operations, ensuring exceptional service and execution.
• Create memorable hospitality experiences that go beyond food service and foster meaningful guest engagement.
• Establish and maintain high standards for service, presentation, and professionalism.
• Promote a culture of hospitality that is welcoming, inclusive, and guest-focused.
• Ensure all guests are treated with professionalism, courtesy, and respect.
• Develop daily and weekly operational plans that support business needs and event execution.
• Communicate goals, expectations, and priorities effectively to team members and leadership.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop associates to support individual growth and team success.
• Foster a positive workplace culture focused on engagement, learning, and collaboration.
• Conduct performance discussions, coaching conversations, and corrective actions in a timely and respectful manner.
• Support succession planning and talent development initiatives.
• Oversee the successful execution of all catering events and services.
• Collaborate with Front of House (FOH), Back of House (BOH), culinary, café, and workplace teams to ensure seamless operations.
• Manage catering equipment, smallwares, inventories, and operational resources.
• Coordinate ordering processes and maintain operational readiness.
• Monitor standards and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and client expectations.
• Champion a culture of food and workplace safety.
• Ensure adherence to all sanitation, health, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain compliance with company standards, operating procedures, and training requirements.
• Proactively identify and address operational risks.
• Manage departmental resources while balancing guest satisfaction, team engagement, and financial performance.
• Monitor labor utilization and staffing levels to align with business demands.
• Support budget management, cost controls, and operational efficiencies.
• Review operational performance metrics and implement improvement strategies.

What We're Looking For

• Experience leading catering, hospitality, corporate dining, workplace dining, restaurant, or high-volume food service operations.
• Experience developing teams and fostering a positive, inclusive workplace culture.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal.
• Knowledge of catering operations, hospitality standards, and elevated service models that create exceptional guest experiences.
• Understanding of food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety practices.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and service excellence.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience managing labor planning, operational budgets, and department resources.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Passion for hospitality, food innovation, and creating memorable guest experiences.

Restaurant Associates is a member of Compass Group USA

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Associates at Restaurant Associates are offered many fantastic benefits.

• Medical
• Vision
• Life Insurance/ AD
• Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
• Associate Shopping Program
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Discount Marketplace
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Personal Leave

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Restaurant Associates maintains a drug-free workplace.

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.

https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_RA.pdf