Director of Catering Operations

Tatte Bakery & Cafe; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A forward-thinking company is seeking a Director of Catering Operations to oversee its catering business, ensuring alignment with brand values and mission. This role involves operational leadership, team development, and driving performance across multiple locations. The ideal candidate will possess a strong culinary background and exceptional leadership skills, thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Join an innovative team dedicated to delivering outstanding experiences and nurturing guest relationships. If you're passionate about catering and leadership, this opportunity could be your next career milestone.

Benefits

401(k) with vesting match

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Free drinks

Generously discounted meals

Employee assistance program services

Qualifications

• 5+ years in multi-unit restaurant management with a culinary focus.
• Strong ability to communicate and present effectively to diverse groups.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage catering operations to ensure brand alignment.
• Train and develop catering teams to deliver exceptional service.

Skills

Culinary Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-Solving

Organizational Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts or Business

Tools

CRM Systems

Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Job description

The Director of Catering Operations helps us inspire, care for, and nurture guests by bringing Tatte to them beyond our cafes. The Director of Catering Operations will have overall responsibility for Tatte’s catering business and must operate it within the context of Tatte’s brand purpose, mission, brand essence, and values. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, they are responsible for sustaining and growing an industry-leading catering business. The Director of Catering Operations will lead multi-city catering kitchens / management teams, working side by side with them to deliver amazing off premise experiences.

Summary of Responsibilities

• Provides operational leadership to the catering organization that aligns with Tatte’s brand purpose, mission, brand essence and organizational values.
• Protects and supports Tatte’s brand authority.
• Lives, teaches and upholds Tatte’s brand purpose, mission, brand essence, values, commitment to DIEB, and team member policies.
• Partners and works closely with Leadership Team members to create, grow and build a world-class, industry leading catering organization.
• As a role model, trains, coaches, motivates, develops, and mentors the catering sales force, catering field leadership and catering kitchen management on how to deliver Tatte’s brand essence.
• Actively collaborates with the L&D and Ops Services teams to develop, implement and sustain programs that deliver the desired Tatte catering experience; responsible for instilling great service in all teams.
• Works with Chief Operating Officer to ensure all kitchen standards, procedures are met and constant quality assurance and coaching is ongoing.
• Leads Menu change rollout meetings with Catering Kitchen Teams and responsible for successful menu rollouts.
• Works with the Chief People Officer ensure our catering sales force, catering field team and the catering kitchens are optimally staffed with talented managers and team members and supervises recruiting strategies (including, without limitation, routine staffing to par and new catering kitchen openings).
• Demonstrates exceptional people performance management skills with the ability to identify talent and develop a sales force, above-café leadership and catering kitchen management by giving timely, honest, and ongoing coaching and feedback through one on ones and performance appraisals. Creates succession plans and monitors career ladders to leverage talent within Tatte.
• Demonstrates keen problem-solving skills - able to diagnose and fix all opportunities that arise and prioritizes issues to ensure that the most pressing issues are addressed first.
• Drives operational performance and standards by sustaining effective scalable systems, processes and tools that improve the team member experience, the guest experience, and operating performance. Employs total quality management / continuous improvement practices to deliver the aforementioned.
• Conducts disciplined periodic business reviews with Director of Catering and catering operations team to ensure the health (team member experience, guest experience and financial performance) of each salesperson, catering kitchen, district and market. Ensures timely and appropriate action is taken when operating outside guardrails.
• Ensures food safety at all cafes, including all food safe processes and standards, and drives immediate resolution to any deviation from standard.
• Develops multi-year and annual catering key initiatives and key initiative projects.
• Develops a multi-year and annual catering operating financial plan.
• Effectively interfaces with cross-functional department partners to ensure seamless communication and coordination of deployments and change management activities.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Working Conditions / Essential Functions

• Ability to work a flexible schedule based on business needs, which will include days, nights, weekends, and holidays as well as emergencies as required
• Ability to travel (50% +)
• Able to work ten hour-plus shifts, plus ability to stand, sit, squat or walk for extended periods of time, walk up and down stairs, and read
• Able to grasp, reach overhead, push, lift and carry up to 50 pounds

Position Requirements

• Minimum 5 yrs. of multi-unit experience in full service and/or polished fast casual restaurants, with a strong culinary background (This position is 70% culinary focused)
• Ability to work well under pressure in a feedback-oriented, fast-paced, ever-changing work environment
• Exceptional executive presence, business acumen, communication, and presentation skills
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail
• Effectively skilled at communicating, listening, and presenting to small and large groups
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with people who don’t report to you and you need their support to do your job
• Ability and aptitude to meet business objectives in a way that is accretive to brand
• Ability to work independently, self start and hold self accountable to goals and deadlines
• Basic computer knowledge, including Outlook, Word and Excel
• Must live in Boston or DC Market

Other Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and sales team management tools highly preferred
• Minimum 2 yrs. experience in catering operations and sales highly preferred
• Exposure to and interaction with catering third party services and vendors highly preferred

Our Benefits & Perks

• Competitive pay commensurate with experience and skills
• 401(k) (with a vesting match)
• Free employee assistance program services
• Health, dental and vision insurance
• Free drinks and generously discounted meals

Please note that Tatte is an E-Verify employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.