CATERING OPERATIONS MANAGER - DEERFIELD, IL

Eurest USA; Deerfield (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Commuter Benefits

Health and Wellness Programs

Job summary

Eurest, a leader in corporate dining, seeks a Catering Operations Manager in Deerfield, IL to orchestrate on-site and off-premise events with precision and client-focus. You will coordinate menus, negotiate with vendors, recruit and train staff, and ensure flawless execution while managing budgets and schedules.

This role requires strong communication, organizational skills, and a track record of delivering high-quality guest experiences in fast-paced environments.

Qualifications

• Experience leading hospitality events and teams.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to manage budgets, labor costs and forecasting.
• Excellent negotiation and client communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Consults clients on scope, budget, menus and collateral for successful events.
• Plans menus in consultation with clients and chefs.
• Negotiates vendor contracts.
• Leads and coordinates event execution with internal teams and clients.
• Recruits, hires, trains staff and coordinates catering teams.
• Schedules staff and events; maintains financial records.
• Acts as liaison among Sales Catering Managers, Supervising Chefs, Staffing, Vendors and Clients.
• Ensures contract requirements are met and evaluates event outcomes.
• Addresses customer concerns and ensures timely payments.

Skills

Leadership

Organization

Communication

Budgeting

Hiring

Staffing

Negotiation

Guest experience

Job description

Eurest

Position Title: CATERING OPERATIONS MANAGER - DEERFIELD, IL

Salary: $70,000 - $75,000

As the leader in business and industry dining, Eurest is the company to join if you want a rewarding career packed with limitless opportunities. We feed the employees of the nation's largest and most-prestigious companies -- in every state and across all industries. As a member of Eurest’s leadership and professional support team, you will help our 16,000 chefs, and in-unit associates excel as they deliver world class meals in corporate cafes and executive dining rooms with on site catering through vending innovations and more.

Our company is innovative, high performing and fast growing. Our teammates are enthusiastic, committed to quality and thrive on consistently delivering unparalleled results. And did we mention we work with exciting companies and at interesting locations? Come grow your career with Eurest.

Job Summary

The Catering Operations Manager holds duties related to successful execution and coordination for on and off premise Company events. The position entails a need for excellent attention to detail and communication skills; ability to multi-task on a variety of projects simultaneously, accurate distribution of pertinent information both internally to all departments as well as to clients and related vendors. You will be expected to have excellent client skills in presentation and marketing ability.

Key Responsibilities

• Consults clients as to scope, expectations, setting, menu, collateral entertainment to have a successful and appropriate event within the client’s budget
• Plans menus in consultation with the clients and chefs
• Negotiates individual vendor contracts
• Delegates to, and ensure that, the Event Manager coordinates and executes the event within the parameters established by the Catering Event Manager
• Recruits, interviews, selects, and trains permanent and casual staff
• Organizes, leads and motivates the catering team
• Plans staff and event schedulesMaintains and develops accurate financial and administrative records
• Serves as liaison and coordinator between Sales Catering Managers, Supervising Chefs, Staffing, Captains, Suppliers, Vendors, Rental Companies and Clients as needed to plan events
• Assesses contract requirements and ensure satisfaction with the services delivered
• Performs final review and assessment of catering events to determine if they meet performance and quality standards
• Resolves customer concerns and ensures timely customer payment

Preferred Qualifications

• Operationally savvy industry professional with demonstrated leadership in managing people, events and the overall guest experience
• Strong organization, time management and team motivation skills are essential for success in this role
• Ability to work independently with little direct supervision
• Ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written) with clients, senior management, and WPC support staff
• Ability to respond effectively to continuously changing demands
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting, P&L, labor and sales forecasting and reporting
• Effective use of discretion to problem solve in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent negotiating skills
• Ability to establish credibility with senior culinary professionals
• Human Resource experience including hiring, training, mentoring and development
• 3-5 years’ experience in a hospitality management environment (preferably in an off-premise catering environment)
• The ability to manage in an environment with focus on client service, entrepreneurship and building and growing a strong business

Eurest is a member of Compass Group USA

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• 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
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026_Wage-Transparency_Eurest.pdf

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.

Eurest maintains a drug-free workplace.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.