Senior Banquet Operations Manager

Wolfgang Puck Catering; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 57,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Holiday Time Off

Personal Leave

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts

Job summary

Wolfgang Puck Catering in Bentonville, AR, seeks a Senior Banquet Operations Manager to lead multi-venue banquet teams and deliver flawless events across Crystal Bridges Museum and AWE Campus.

You will partner with Event Coordinators, Culinary Leadership, and venue stakeholders to plan staffing, manage budgets, and drive guest satisfaction, safety, and service excellence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of leadership experience in banquet operations or luxury hospitality.
• Strong knowledge of banquet service and event execution.
• Experience managing labor budgets, staffing plans, and payroll.
• Proven ability to lead teams, engage staff, and drive retention.

Responsibilities

• Lead banquet operations across multiple venues and events.
• Ensure flawless event execution while maintaining hospitality and safety standards.
• Coordinate with Event Coordinators, Culinary Leadership, and venue stakeholders.
• Develop labor plans, schedules, and manage labor costs.
• Coach and develop the Banquet Captain team; recruit and onboard staff.
• Monitor performance metrics and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Banquet operations

Leadership

Staff development

Budget management

Event coordination

Multi-venue operations

Tools

Microsoft Office

Workforce management systems

Job description

Other Forms of Compensation:

Where Passion Meets Purpose - and Careers Come Alive

At Wolfgang Puck Catering, great careers are crafted the same way great food is — with passion, intention, and the right people around you. We hire for curiosity, spirit, and heart, and we invest in everything you bring to the table. Through mentorship, real development, and a clear path to leadership, we're committed to your journey — not just your job title. Come be part of something that challenges and champions you in equal measure.

Wolfgang Puck Catering

Salary: $57,000 - $63,000

Other Forms of Compensation:

Where Passion Meets Purpose - and Careers Come Alive

At Wolfgang Puck Catering, great careers are crafted the same way great food is — with passion, intention, and the right people around you. We hire for curiosity, spirit, and heart, and we invest in everything you bring to the table. Through mentorship, real development, and a clear path to leadership, we're committed to your journey — not just your job title. Come be part of something that challenges and champions you in equal measure.

"I can have the best food, but if we don't have good people, it won't get you very far." — Wolfgang Puck

Success on our team starts with our culture:

• We have Wolfgang’s PASSION for our business, our product, and our people / guests / clients.
• A FLEXIBLE MINDSET is key; we are strategic business partners who wear multiple hats.
• Our services require a CONCIERGE mentality, a bias to action with humble hospitality.
• We are out-of-the-box PROBLEM SOLVERS, who look around corners so our clients and guests don’t have to.
• We curate company and partner resources to bring our client’s vision to life. We seek to cultivate the next generation of talent, purveyors and partnerships.
• We bring an entrepreneurial approach to deliver results for our clients (you might call this scrappy).
• Collaboration and openness to innovative business tools, new ways of thinking and ability to partner across departments are essential to create optimal business solutions.

Job Summary

Set within the iconic Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and AWE Campus, the Senior Banquet Operations Manager plays a pivotal role in bringing unforgettable events to life across some of the region's most distinctive and inspiring venues. From elegant galas and donor celebrations to corporate gatherings and community events, this leader creates seamless experiences that reflect the creativity, hospitality, and excellence that define our destinations.

This role serves as the operational driving force behind banquet execution, leading teams across multiple venues to deliver exceptional service, memorable guest experiences, and outstanding business results. Working in close partnership with Event Coordinators, Culinary Leadership, and venue stakeholders, the Senior Banquet Operations Manager transforms event plans into flawlessly executed experiences while fostering a culture of collaboration, engagement, and operational excellence. Through thoughtful leadership, strategic workforce planning, and a commitment to continuous improvement, this position directly contributes to guest satisfaction, team development, financial performance, and the overall success of the Crystal Bridges and AWE Campus event program.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead banquet operations across multiple venues and event locations.
• Ensure successful execution of all events while maintaining hospitality, safety, and service standards.
• Partner with Event Coordinators, Culinary Leadership, and venue stakeholders to align staffing and operational plans with event requirements.
• Provide leadership and decision-making support for complex, high-profile, and large-scale events.
• Resolve operational issues and drive continuous improvement across all banquet operations.
• Directly manage, coach, and develop the Banquet Captain team.
• Recruit, onboard, train, schedule, and evaluate team members.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability standards.
• Develop future leaders through mentorship, training, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of hospitality, teamwork, professionalism, and engagement.
• Develop labor plans, staffing models, and schedules that align with business demand and financial goals.
• Manage labor budgets and monitor productivity, overtime, and labor cost performance.
• Analyze labor-to-revenue metrics and identify opportunities to improve profitability and operational efficiency.
• Oversee temporary labor and agency staffing relationships.
• Support departmental budgeting, forecasting, and event profitability initiatives.
• Review and approve payroll, timesheets, and workforce records.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, employment practices, and workforce management procedures.
• Monitor attendance and staffing trends and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Oversee banquet equipment, inventory, and operational assets across all venues.
• Maintain inventory controls and accountability measures.
• Coordinate replacement purchases, maintenance, and replenishment needs to support ongoing operations.
• Monitor performance through financial, labor, service, and guest satisfaction metrics.
• Maintain compliance with Wolfgang Puck Catering, Compass Group, health, safety, and sanitation standards.
• Implement process improvements that enhance consistency, efficiency, profitability, and the guest experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of leadership experience in banquet operations, catering operations, hospitality, or luxury service environments.
• Strong knowledge of banquet service, event execution, and hospitality operations.
• Experience managing labor budgets, staffing plans, scheduling, payroll, and workforce administration.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and driving employee engagement and retention.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and workforce management systems.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as business demands require.
• Multi-venue hospitality or catering experience.
• Fine dining, luxury hospitality, or high-volume event operations experience.
• Experience managing temporary labor and staffing agencies.
• Food Safety Certification and Alcohol Service Certification.
• Familiarity with Compass Group systems and operational platforms.

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 Wolfgang Puck Catering are offered many fantastic benefits.

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

Wolfgang Puck Catering maintains a drugfree 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, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.

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

Wolfgang Puck Catering

Michael Abbey