Catering Banquet Captain (Food Service Worker Lead)

Job Summary

Central Washington University is recruiting a Catering Banquet Captain (Food Service Worker Lead) to join our Catering team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based, 10.5-month cyclic position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. Were offering a competitive salary plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. Youll find robust academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. RentCafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025.

Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator.

The Role:

The Catering Banquet Captain actively participates in the daily scheduled events, while regularly instructing, training, and checking the work of others. Responsibilities include verifying Banquet Event Order (BEO), gathering event items, and executing events. This position is directly involved in leading catering students. This position ensures professional event execution, leads event activities, and helps gather for next days events. Ensures proper food storage practices are taken and maintains a sanitary work environment. The Catering Banquet Captain is a hands-on member of the Front of House (FOH) Staff and must be able to perform the duties found in any of the dining units on campus.

The Catering Banquet Captain is responsible for the service of all menu items in alignment with food safety and quality standards:

• Guiding event staff and assisting with their training
• Performing all Front of House (FOH) responsibilities, including event setup, teardown and ensuring proper aesthetic reached
• Ensuring recipes compliance, execution, and food safety practices
• Serving all dishes to meet company standards for flavor, color, and aroma
• Ability to close events as the onsite lead

In alignment with Central Washington Universitys vision, mission, and values, CWU Dining Services plays a key role in supporting these principles while also upholding our departments own vision, mission, and values. Our vision is to be a key campus partner in promoting the growth of our community through shared culinary and educational experiences. As a member of Dining Services, you will be directly involved in these efforts and are expected to embody both the university, and department, vision, mission, and values in your work. All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWUs vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence.

Job Duties

Operations and Customer Service:

• Ensures the successful and timely service of events under the direction of the Catering General Manager, other members of leadership.
• Serves menu selections for customers according to established production standards and specific recipes.
• Properly sets up and uses equipment for service. Cleans and sanitizes equipment once service is completed.
• Reads, interprets, and follows standardized BEO.
• Support event setup, including dance floor, staging, audio visual equipment, moving of tables, buffets, pipe and drape, and other event related items. Reads, interprets, and follows event instructions entered in Cater Trax.
• Reviews seating diagrams for acceptability and accuracy.
• Assists Catering General Manager and event organizers with planning the layout and logistics of events.
• Assists Catering General Manager with planning and coordinating events, corresponding with clients, and coordinating delivery and set up logistics.
• Ask questions about events in collaboration with kitchen team to ensure event knowledge. Ensure event staff are updated with event knowledge.
• Monitors customer counts and consumption of food items during service hours.
• Visually inspect food products before and during meals to ensure quality.
• Ensure food items are always properly garnished and merchandised.
• Supports department mission of serving exceptional food to the campus community.
• Interprets and explains established events and service procedures. Initiates needed corrections on event guides.
• Ensure a safe work environment. Report safety hazards immediately.
• Coordinates special dietary needs.
• Ensures correct serving and portion sizes are served and monitored.
• Help validate customers IDs and monitor all beverage consumption in order to address intoxication.
• Works as a bartender or server, when necessary.
• Record inventory on monthly reports. Assist in rotating products in storage areas.
• Assist with inventory as assigned by the General Manager, or Catering Sous Chef.
• Participates in the physical counting in storage locations. Straightens up storage areas, mark cases, boxes, and bags for efficient inventory and proper FIFO.
• Assist with transporting daily food orders to proper storage location after delivery from the warehouse or vendors as needed.
• Orders needed items on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis.
• Enter production counts into menus and runs requested cost management reports.
• Has a general understanding of nutritional values and allergy awareness.

Lead Duties:

• Assigns and checks work with food service workers and student employees. Will provide feedback to Catering GM, and or Sous Chef regarding students job performance.
• Delegates duties to team members for each event.
• Regularly assigns tasks, instructs and checks the work of temporary employees and student staff members.
• Completes or assigns all event gatherings/ pack out lists for events.
• Developing and providing staff with the necessary training, including hospitality, serving etiquette, and how to use each piece of service equipment.
• Running the floor and coordinating the food and drink service in conjunction with the kitchen and service staff.
• Inspects the uniforms of all floor staff prior to event to ensure propriety.
• Required to operate company owned vehicle in congested areas.
• Performs more detailed cleaning of work area during non-operational times.
• Assists in working and setting up special events on or off campus as needed.
• Leads student employees.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Two years of work experience as a food service worker, or the equivalent education/experience in a large scale food service or catering operation.
• Willingness to work long hours, irregular shifts, and on weekends and holidays.
• The ability to provide an excellent level of hospitality, even in stressful situations.
• Excellent leadership abilities and the ability to lead many staff members.
• Great time management and multitasking abilities.
• Valid Drivers License.
• Demonstrated ability and/or experience working collaboratively with students and/or colleagues to foster a supportive and effective learning and work environment.
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Special conditions of employment:

• Must have or be able to obtain a WA. State Food Handlers permit within 30 days of initial hire date.
• Must be able to obtain SERVSAFE Certification within 6 months of initial hire date.
• Must have or be able to obtain alcohol service certification within 30 days of initial hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading other staff in a large-scale food service or catering operation.
• Catering Event experience within a university or hospitality driven environment.
• Must have some computer competencies with Windows (word and excel) use of email.
• Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote student success.
• A record of promoting institutional excellence in the work environment.

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines, and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Belonging: Values the uniqueness of every individual and fosters an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered to thrive.

Dont meet every single requirement? At CWU, were committed to creating a welcoming and genuine workplace. If youre excited about this role but your experience doesnt align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply. This could be the opportunity youre looking for!

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary: This position is based on the range 37 of the Washington State Classification Listing, which has a minimum annual salary of $40,836 and maximum annual salary of $54,204. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidates current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

Schedule/Appointment: Varies based on business needs/10.5 month cyclic/(for more detailed information regarding cyclic appointments click link: CWU Cyclic Leave)/WFSE Bargaining Unit 1

Working Conditions: The Dining Services mission is to provide exceptional food services to the campus community. All staff are expected to work in support of this mission in every function they perform. All staff are expected to work in support of the departments continuous quality improvement program, so service and products are properly handled, prepared, garnished/merchandised, and served to our customers. Work is performed primarily indoors, at times in hot/cold/noisy/wet areas with some exposure to hazardous equipment and products. Working in temperatures from 0 degrees (freezer) to 350+ degrees (around cooking equipment) is common. Work requires walking and standing (often in a stationary position) for the majority of each shift. Bending/climbing/carrying/pulling/pushing/lifting associated with loading/unloading of supplies and preparation, plating and serving of food is required. Occasional overtime is required, and shift work may be required. Additional physical requirements of the position include pushing utility carts, and hand carts with up to 150 lbs. of supplies around to various workstations; correctly lifting 35lbs. individually from the floor or shelf locations to heights of 48 so products can be poured into smaller containers or put on worktables. There is some exposure to hazardous equipment and products found in kitchen environments. Work will be in a kitchen setting. Work requires the ability to use both hands for production work. Meals are served on campus seven days a week therefore requiring staff to be scheduled between Monday to Sunday. Staff members are hired with the understanding that they may be scheduled to work throughout the week. Cross training may include use of cook knife, wok, and other restaurant equipment. Evening or weekend shifts may be required.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator.

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the on-line application and attach:

• Resume including work history, education, training; and

• Contact information for three professional references.

Screening Begins October 15, 2026

Priority will be given to applications received by the screening date. Incomplete applications may not be considered.

Contact Information

Name: Sonora Metreveli

Title: General Manager, 1891 Catering

Email: sonora.metreveli@cwu.edu

Phone: (509) 963-1594

Website: www.cwu.edu/dining

Please contact Human Resources at hr@cwu.edu or 509-963-1202 if you require technical assistance with the on-line application process.

Conditions of Employment

Background Check/Reference Check Process:

Prior to employment, final candidate(s) will be required to sign a Sexual Misconduct disclosure in pursuant to RCW 28B.112.080 and submit to a background check. All information obtained through background investigations will be strictly confidential and revealed only to those required to have access.

This position is part of a Washington Federation of State Employees Bargaining Unit I.

Notice to Prospective Employees:

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Statement

Central Washington University is an EEO/AA/Title IX Institution. Central Washington Universitys policies and practices affirm and actively promote the rights of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, disability, or status as a protected veteran is prohibited. The university provides an internal procedure for reporting discrimination and affords protection against retaliation for participating in the complaint process. Central Washington University complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and executive orders including when soliciting bids and in the fulfillment of all contracts with governmental agencies. Direct related inquiries to Civil Rights Compliance, 202 Barge Hall, Ellensburg, WA 98926-7501; Telephone 509-963-2050; or email crc@cwu.edu.

Reasonable Accommodations

Central Washington University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact Human Resources at HR@cwu.edu or call 509-963-1202. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the Central Washington University Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (i.e. Clery Report) which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, available online here or call CWU Police and Parking Services at 509-963-2959 for a paper copy.