Events and Catering Manager
Ripple & Company
Lafayette, IN
Program Overview
We are seeking a dynamic, sales-driven Special Event Planning Manager to maximize revenue for our highly desirable private event room and aggressively scale our growing off-site catering operations. This hybrid sales and operations role serves as the primary liaison between clients, the kitchen, and service staff to ensure the flawless execution of all high-end private dinners, corporate meetings, and off-site catered experiences.
Core Responsibilities
1. Private Event Space Sales & Management
- · Inbound Lead Conversion: Convert inquiries for our premier private dining room into booked events through swift communication, professional site tours, and customized tastings.
- · Floor Plan Layouts: Design custom table arrangements, seating charts, and audio-visual setups tailored to corporate presentations, milestone parties, and upscale dinners.
- · On-Site Supervision: Direct the operational flow on the day of the event, coordinating exact timing with the kitchen and floor staff to maintain strict service standards.
2. Catering Business Expansion
- · Outbound Business Development: Actively pitch off-site catering services to local corporations, wedding venues, planners, and community organizations to build a recurring pipeline.
3. Culinary & Team Collaboration
- · BEO Creation: Author highly detailed Banquet Event Orders (BEOs) and distribute them to the kitchen and service teams during mandatory weekly operational meetings.
- · Staffing & Training: Assist in hiring, scheduling, and training dedicated banquet servers, bartenders, and off-site catering staff.
4. Financial & Administrative Duties·
- · Profitability Reporting: Analyze the food, beverage, and labor cost margins for every event to guarantee maximum profitability.
- · CRM Management: Maintain an organized client database to send post-event surveys and systematically follow up for annual corporate re-bookings.
Recommended Qualifications
- · Professional Experience: 3–5 years of dedicated event sales or catering management experience, ideally within a high-volume restaurant environment.
- · Technical Skills: Proficiency with restaurant event management platforms (such as Tripleseat), reservation systems, and Microsoft Office.
- · Industry Certifications: Possession of a valid food safety certification (like ServSafe Manager) and local alcohol server training credentials.
- · Physical Capability: Ability to stand, walk, and coordinate logistics for 8+ hour shifts, and lift event equipment weighing up to 40 pounds.