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Event Operations Manager

Blue Plate Restaurant Company

Chicago, IL

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JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$75,000–$80,000 Per Year
SKILLS
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Bartending, Coaching, Communication Skills, Continuous Improvement, Cook Dishes, Depth Perception, Detail Oriented, Documentation, Employee Relations, English Language, Event Management, Inside Sales, Inventory Management, Leadership, Logistics, Onboarding, Operational Support, Operations Management, Operations Planning, Organizational Skills, Payroll Management, People Management, Performance Goal Setting, Performance Management, Performance Reviews, Physical Demands, Plan Meetings, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Process Improvement, Production Control, Production Planning, Purchasing/Procurement, Sales, Service Delivery, Staff Corrective Action, Staff Requirements, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Team Lead/Manager, Training Program, Training/Teaching, Warehousing
LOCATION
Chicago, IL
POSTED
Today
FLSA: Salaried - Exempt Status: Full Time

Customary Days: Monday - Saturday

Customary Hours: 40 hours per week; varies to include evenings, holidays, and extended hours as business requires

Position Summary:

The Event Operations Manager is responsible for the leadership, coordination, and execution of Blue Plate's Front of House (FOH) event service operations, including large-scale event production and logistics oversight. This role ensures consistent service excellence and standards across all events through effective management of FOH teams, staffing coordination, training support, and on-site operational execution.

This position oversees service staffing guidelines and performance management for their direct reports, while also directing event production logistics that impact FOH execution, including event readiness, flow, and on-site operational setup.

The Event Operations Manager works closely with the Director of Operations and collaborates with Sales, Culinary, and Warehouse leadership to ensure seamless event execution and exceptional guest experience. This role is accountable for maintaining FOH service standards, ensuring event staffing and logistics are properly aligned to operational needs, and supporting SOP compliance across FOH operations.

Essential Functions:

Event Operations, Production & Logistics Oversight
  • Review, approve, or provide feedback (including questions or edits) on all event staffing requests submitted through CaterXpert to ensure alignment with operational needs and service standards.
  • Attend bi-weekly production meetings prepared to discuss staffing requirements, event logistics, and operational considerations.
  • Lead FOH event execution to ensure high-quality service delivery and consistent guest experience across all events.
  • Oversee FOH production logistics, including event setup readiness, service flow, and staging to ensure operational efficiency.
  • Lead operational planning meetings for complex VIP, and large-scale events.
  • Responsible for large-scale event production planning with focus on FOH execution requirements and operational logistics.
  • Conduct event walk-throughs to assess FOH readiness, staffing alignment, and service flow.
  • Provide real-time FOH leadership and oversight during high-profile and large-scale events.
  • Ensure FOH teams are properly briefed, prepared, and supported for each event.
  • Collaborate with Sales and internal teams on client walkthroughs and event planning as needed.
  • Partner with the Director of Operations and Executive Field Chef to execute event service strategy and large-scale production coordination.
  • Responsible for procurement, tracking, and inventory management of all uniforms and operational equipment.
Team Leadership & Employee Relations
  • Directly manage Event Operations Manager and FOH service teams including Event Supervisors, Captains, Servers, Bartenders.
  • Responsible for annual performance reviews and goal setting for all direct reports.
  • Provide continuous improvement by documenting performance, providing actionable feedback, and implementing coaching strategies that strengthen overall team execution.
  • Partner with HR on performance management, corrective actions, and employee relations.
Training & Development
  • Development and execution of FOH training programs, including onboarding and ongoing service education.
  • Ensure FOH service standards are consistently communicated and reinforced across teams.
  • Evaluate training effectiveness and support continuous improvement of onboarding processes.
  • Conduct post-event debriefs focused on FOH service execution and guest experience.
Financial & Payroll Management
  • Oversee on-site payroll execution by ensuring accurate clock-in/clock-out procedures and proper sign-in/sign-out practices, with all timesheets completed and submitted in accordance with Blue Plate standards and timelines.
  • Support labor management efforts by monitoring staffing levels and controlling overtime to align with labor efficiency goals.
Requirements

Education and Experience: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
  • Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management or related field preferred.
  • Minimum of 5 years' event service management experience required.
  • Prior leadership experience in recruitment, training, and event operations preferred.
Essential Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Blue Plate is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA):
  • Ability to demonstrate strong affinity for Blue Plate's mission: Our mission is to "care more" for others through food and service experiences that turn our partner's vision into reality.
  • Proven leadership and team building skills.
  • Strong understanding of culinary and service integration in event operations.
  • Ability to function independently and intuitively in a fast-paced environment.
  • Highly organized/strong attention to detail.
  • Professional, composed, and effective under pressure.
  • Experience managing large pools of event staff and vendor partnerships.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills.
Language Skills
  • Proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English required.
  • Bilingual skills preferred.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Blue Plate is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA):
  • Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to feel; reach with hand and arms; and stoop, kneel or crouch. Constant standing throughout the shift is required.
  • Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 60 lbs.
  • Specific vision requirements include the ability to see at close range, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Blue Plate is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA):
  • May work in extreme heat and cold (non-weather and weather).
  • May work in wet conditions (non-weather and weather).
  • Noise level is moderate to loud.
  • May work near toxic/caustic chemical and with fumes or airborne particles.
  • Will work near moving or mechanical parts.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary Range: $75,000 - $80,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Benefits Overview

At Blue Plate Catering, we live our core values: Happy, Joyful & Fun; We Care More; Humbly Confident; Genuine & Authentic; Goes Beyond. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects our commitment to supporting our team's well-being and growth. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k)-retirement plan, and paid time off (PTO) with sick leave. Additional perks such as commuter benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), free meals, and pet insurance options ensure our team feels valued. We also offer wellness rewards, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and resources to help you thrive in work and life.

Blue Plate Catering complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment, including protections related to race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.

About the Company

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Blue Plate Restaurant Company

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