Events and Catering Manager

Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa; Johannesburg, Boksburg; On-site; ZAR 300 000 - 450 000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious independent boys' school in Johannesburg seeks an experienced Events and Catering Manager. This full-time role involves overseeing event planning, catering operations, and ensuring compliance with safety standards while fostering a positive community atmosphere. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills and a passion for hospitality, contributing to the school's mission of equity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• 8+ years' catering management experience required.
• Computer literacy, particularly with inventory management, is non-negotiable.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute College events aligning with mission and goals.
• Manage catering operations, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Oversee event logistics and coordinate with various stakeholders.

Skills

Time Management

Problem Solving

Coaching and Mentoring

Communication

Ability to perform under pressure

Education

Hospitality related qualification

Tools

Inventory management software

Job description

Christian Brothers’ College Boksburg is a Premier Independent Boys’ School on the East Rand of Johannesburg and we seek to appoint an experienced person to the position of Events and Catering Manager. This full-time position, reporting to the Deputy Headmaster while working with the Estate Manager, plays a key role in the overall catering management of the entire College.

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, motivational and have a genuine passion for events and catering. The ideal candidate will be expected to drive forward our College priorities (most notably in relation to equity, inclusion, diversity, sustainability and affordability.) The ideal candidate will promote kindness, positive relationships, and wellbeing in all their actions.

The ideal candidate will have an outstanding organisational and people management skill set. It would also be beneficial for candidates to have experience of working in complex departments and budget management. They should be flexible, resilient and outstanding team leaders. A key aspect of this role will be outstanding communication skills and an ability to interact well with learners, parents, staff, colleagues from peer schools and alumni. In this role, the ideal candidate will provide a visible, inspiring and nurturing presence to all members of our community.

Key Responsibilities of the Job:

• Planning, organizing, and executing various College events, ensuring they align with the College’s mission and goals;
• Develop comprehensive event plans, including objectives, target audience, budget, timeline, and logistics;
• Venue Selection and Management: Choose appropriate venues, considering capacity, accessibility, and suitability for the event;
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate them;
• Liaise with the Marketing Manager on marketing and promotion strategies to promote events and attract attendees;
• Logistics and Coordination: Manage all aspects of event logistics together with the Estate Manager, including catering, equipment, and staffing;
• Event Execution: Oversee the smooth and successful execution of the event, addressing any issues that may arise;
• Compliance and Safety: Ensure all events comply with relevant regulations and safety standards;
• Communication and Collaboration: Maintain effective communication with school staff, learners, parents, and external vendors;
• Providing a comprehensive service supporting and coordinating internal and external meetings, functions and events within the College and ensuring their success;
• The overall management of the catering operation, prior to, during and after meal service;
• The production of meals within budget and according to meal numbers;
• The overall management of the catering team and the full catering operation, including all aspects of related health and safety;
• Implement and uphold health and safety regulations, ensuring compliance in all catering practices;
• Maintain extensive menu and allergen knowledge;
• Overall purchase planning, supplier negotiations, ordering of food and related products according to menu needs, receiving thereof and the safe and hygienic storage of all food and related products;
• Management of an accurate record-keeping system for all catering-related administration, including menus, procurement documentation, staff records and clocking, incident reporting, operating manuals and all registers and logs;
• Communicate event and catering requirements to all stakeholders and update all calendars and reservation systems daily;
• Monitor event budgets, ensuring effective cost management without compromising quality;
• Prepare, complete, and record financial documents;
• Maintain accurate inventories and complete inventory counts;
• All other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies:

• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Coaching and Mentoring
• Communication
• Ability to perform under pressure

Requirements:

The successful candidate must have a hospitality related qualification or equivalent, as well as 8+ years’ catering management experience;

• Computer literacy, particularly with regard to inventory management, is non-negotiable;
• A customer-focused approach with a sound work ethic, attention to detail, good people skills, strong organisational skills, flexibility around working hours and a positive attitude are important requirements for the job;

The successful candidate also needs to support the Catholic ethos of the school.

Interested parties should send a detailed CV, a letter of application and the names of three referees to [e-mail] . Applicants must clearly state in the subject line of the email Events Catering Manager. The successful candidate will be required to provide a police clearance certificate and be cleared on the Sexual Offenders Register.

Date: 1 September 2025

Christian Brothers’ College Boksburg is an equal opportunity employer. The school reserves the right not to make an appointment. An application will not, in itself, entitle the applicant to an interview or appointment, and failure to meet the minimum requirements of the advertised post will result in the applicants automatically disqualifying themselves from consideration. Please consider your application unsuccessful if we do not contact you.

In accordance with the POPI act, your personal information will be solely used for the purposes of this application and by submitting this CV you are consenting to this.