Catering Sales Manager

Compass Group USA

New York (NY)

On-site

USD 90,000 - 140,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts

Personal Leave

Job summary

Restaurant Associates, part of Compass Group USA, seeks a Catering Sales Manager to lead sales, planning, and execution of internal and external catering events, delivering exceptional hospitality and memorable experiences for clients and guests.

You will develop new business opportunities, supervise events from inquiry through post-event follow-up, and partner with culinary and operations teams on menus, pricing, budgeting, staffing, and logistics to meet financial goals.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent professional experience considered.
3–5 years in hospitality or catering, with 2+ years in direct catering sales or event management.
Proven track record of achieving catering sales and revenue goals.
Experience in upscale, luxury hospitality environments preferred.
Strong understanding of trends in food, beverage, hospitality, and events.
Excellent client relationship management and customer service.
Ability to develop compelling proposals and menus with culinary teams.
Experience managing budgets, forecasting revenue, and controlling costs.
Leadership experience in hiring, training, and developing teams.
Strong organizational, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Proficient in Microsoft Office; familiar with AV equipment and event tech.

Responsibilities

Drive catering sales by cultivating new business and long-term client relationships.
Manage full sales cycle from lead gen to proposals, contracts, and event orders.
Plan and coordinate diverse high-end catering events with flawless execution.
Collaborate with culinary and operations teams on menus, pricing, budgeting.
Prepare budgets, forecasts, and operating statements with cost controls.
Oversee labor and food costs; ensure profitable events.
Recruit, train, and develop hospitality team members.
Coordinate event logistics including A/V, setup, service, and breakdown.
Maintain client databases and identify opportunities for repeat business.
Monitor compliance with health, safety, and sanitation standards.

Skills

Client relationship management

Forecasting & budgeting

Project management

Leadership & coaching

Equipment & AV familiarity

Advanced Excel & PowerPoint

Proposal & menu development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business, Marketing, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

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Become part of Restaurant Associates, the industry’s leading provider of dining and event catering for some of the nation's most prestigious museums, performing arts centers and corporations!Voted Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards- Best Places to Work, This is R/A !

Job Summary

As the Catering Sales Manager for Restaurant Associates, you will lead the sales, planning, and execution of internal and external catering events, delivering exceptional hospitality and memorable experiences for clients and guests. This role combines strategic sales development with hands-on event management, requiring a strong understanding of high-end catering, food and beverage operations, and client service.

You will build and maintain strong client relationships, develop new business opportunities, and oversee events from initial inquiry and proposal development through execution and post-event follow-up. In partnership with culinary and operations teams, you will support menu development, pricing and costing, staffing, logistics, and overall event execution while ensuring financial and operational goals are achieved.

Key Responsibilities:

Drive catering sales by cultivating new business opportunities and developing strong, long-term relationships with clients, partners, and vendors.
Manage the full catering sales cycle, including lead generation, client consultations, proposals, menu development, pricing, contracts, and banquet event orders.
Plan and coordinate a diverse range of high-end catering events, ensuring exceptional service and seamless execution from initial planning through breakdown and cleanup.
Partner closely with culinary and operations teams to develop menus that align with client needs, event objectives, budget parameters, and current food and hospitality trends.
Prepare and monitor catering budgets, financial targets, forecasts, and operating statements while maintaining strong cost controls.
Manage labor and food costs and ensure events are executed efficiently and profitably.
Hire, train, coach, and develop team members while establishing and maintaining high standards for service, presentation, and professionalism.
Oversee event logistics, including food preparation, transportation, setup, service, A/V coordination, breakdown, and cleanup.
Maintain accurate client and prospect databases and proactively identify opportunities to grow existing business and generate repeat revenue.
Build and maintain relationships with vendors and external partners to support successful event execution.
Ensure all catering operations comply with company standards and applicable health, safety, and sanitation regulations, including HACCP guidelines.
Prepare and analyze reports related to sales activity, revenue, expenses, and receivables.
Remain highly responsive and composed in a fast-paced environment, anticipating client and operational needs and resolving issues quickly and professionally.
Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.

Job Requirements

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business, Marketing, or a related field preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
3-5 years of hospitality or catering experience, including at least 2 years in direct catering sales or event management.
Proven track record of achieving or exceeding catering sales and revenue goals.
Experience in upscale, luxury, fine dining, corporate, cultural, or other high-touch hospitality environments preferred.
Strong knowledge of contemporary food, beverage, hospitality, and event industry trends.
Exceptional client relationship management and customer service skills with the ability to anticipate and exceed client expectations.
Demonstrated ability to develop compelling proposals and menus in partnership with culinary teams.
Strong understanding of catering operations, event logistics, staffing, food preparation, service, and cleanup.
Experience managing budgets, forecasting revenue, controlling labor and food costs, and interpreting financial reports.
Strong leadership skills with experience hiring, training, scheduling, coaching, and developing hospitality teams.
Excellent organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail.
Strong written, verbal, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.
Familiarity with A/V equipment and event technology, including setup and breakdown.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
Proactive, adaptable, solutions-oriented, and able to remain calm and professional under pressure.
High level of integrity, professionalism, discretion, and ethical conduct.

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.

Associates at Restaurant Associates are offered many fantastic benefits.