Catering Manager

Location: Johnson City, Tennessee
Industry: Higher Education / Campus Dining & Hospitality
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: Competitive, based on experience

About the Opportunity

A leading higher education dining and hospitality organization is seeking an experienced Catering Manager to oversee a high-volume catering operation supporting a major university campus in Johnson City, Tennessee.

This is an exciting leadership opportunity for a hospitality professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys creating exceptional experiences for students, faculty, staff, university departments, and community organizations.

The successful candidate will oversee catering operations, sales coordination, event execution, staffing, cost controls, and client relationships while helping drive continued growth and operational excellence.

Position Summary

The Catering Manager will provide leadership and oversight for a complex, high-volume catering operation with more than $1.5 million in managed annual catering volume.

This position is responsible for ensuring exceptional client satisfaction, operational efficiency, employee performance, financial accountability, and successful execution of campus events and functions.

The Catering Manager will also contribute to revenue growth and profitability by identifying new business opportunities, strengthening client relationships, and developing innovative catering solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee daily catering operations, including food production, inventory, deliveries, invoicing, procurement, and event execution.
• Manage a high-volume catering operation serving university and community events.
• Oversee the catering sales process from initial client consultation through event completion.
• Partner with clients and customers to design menus, services, and event experiences that meet their needs and expectations.
• Coordinate communication between sales, culinary, and front-of-house teams to ensure accurate and timely fulfillment of catering orders.
• Ensure employees have the equipment, supplies, training, and resources necessary to perform their responsibilities effectively.
• Establish and maintain a safe work environment with a strong focus on food safety, workplace safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Monitor labor, food, inventory, equipment, and material costs and make adjustments as needed to meet budget objectives.
• Supervise, schedule, delegate, and prioritize employee activities while maintaining established service and operating standards.
• Review catering event orders and weekly catering schedules for accuracy, completeness, and operational feasibility.
• Respond professionally and creatively to client requests, questions, and last-minute needs while maintaining established policies and procedures.
• Identify opportunities to increase catering revenue, improve service, and enhance the overall customer experience.
• Develop and implement operational plans, objectives, timelines, and budgets in support of organizational goals.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, professionalism, creativity, and continuous improvement.

What You'll Bring

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished catering or hospitality professional with strong organizational, leadership, communication, and customer-service skills.

You should be comfortable managing multiple events simultaneously and coordinating closely with culinary, sales, service, and administrative teams.

Additional strengths include:

• Experience coordinating communication between sales, culinary, and front-of-house teams.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to review event orders, schedules, and catering documentation for accuracy.
• Experience managing staffing schedules, payroll, and labor costs.
• Ability to develop practical solutions to client questions and operational challenges.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to remain organized and composed in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, prioritize competing demands, and meet deadlines.
• A customer-focused approach with a commitment to delivering exceptional service.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 3 years of management experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in catering, food production, food service management, hospitality, or a related field.
• Experience managing high-volume catering or hospitality operations is strongly preferred.
• Experience working in a university, healthcare, corporate, convention, hotel, or other complex hospitality environment is a plus.

Confidential Search

This is a confidential recruiting opportunity. The employer's identity will be disclosed to qualified candidates during the interview process.

Qualified professionals with a strong background in catering, hospitality, food service, or event management are encouraged to apply.