Event Program Director

Job Summary

The Portfolio Director of Events & Catering, is a highly strategic and senior leadership position responsible for overseeing and streamlining the Events & Catering operations across North America while acting as a liaison to the global events team. This role requires a visionary leader with extensive experience in event planning, project management, and managing large-scale event and catering operations. The position will focus on driving operational excellence, developing and implementing best practices, ensuring consistency in service, and fostering innovation and collaboration at all levels.

POSITION OBJECTIVES:

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all Managers are expected to complete the following:

Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.

Interact professionally with other employees, customers, and suppliers.

Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments

Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.

MAJOR DUTIES/FUNCTIONS/TASKS:

Strategic Leadership & Process Development:

Maintain responsibility for the strategic leadership of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and process development to ensure consistent and exceptional Events & Catering operations.

Collaborate with global and regional client teams to design and execute innovative, high-quality catering solutions.

Collaborate with fellow portfolio leadership team members to ensure alignment in processes and operations across sites. Foster open communication and strong partnerships with portfolio leaders and site teams to drive consistency, share best practices, and address challenges proactively.

Develop and implement tiered service offerings to elevate the guest experience and cater to diverse client needs.

Serve as the primary liaison between the North American team and the global events team to align local, national, and global standards.

Oversee vendor partnerships, ensuring service quality, contractual adherence, and alignment with client goals.

Operations

Provide strategic guidance to on-site catering teams to ensure flawless execution of daily operations and high-profile events.

Regularly analyze operational performance, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing solutions.

Lead the integration of vendor and in-house teams to ensure seamless collaboration and consistent service.

Partner with culinary teams to uphold sustainability commitments, standardize portions, and maintain menu quality for catered events.

Supervision & Team Development:

Oversee the recruitment, training, and development of the Events & Catering team, fostering growth and engagement.

Provide coaching, feedback, and development opportunities for team members to build a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Ensure adherence to appearance standards, training documentation, and compliance with safety regulations.

Financial Management & Analysis:

Manage and analyze financial performance, ensuring alignment with revenue forecasts and budgets.

Oversee pricing strategies, monthly variance analysis, and promotional/marketing recap reports.

Ensure timely and accurate processing of accounts receivable and financial reports.

Collaborate with teams to develop and manage event budgets, ensuring financial transparency and alignment with client goals. Oversee accurate and timely billing processes, implementing checks to maintain adherence to financial policies and contractual obligations.

Customer Engagement & Service Excellence:

Act as the face of Events & Catering, providing a hospitality-first approach to client relationships.

Address and resolve customer inquiries and complaints, offering solutions and maintaining a high standard of service.

Partner with the client on high-profile and VIP events, ensuring exceptional execution and alignment with client goals.

Establish and manage a comprehensive client feedback process by collecting, tracking, and analyzing event feedback to identify trends and areas for improvement. Address concerns promptly, implement solutions to enhance satisfaction, and create metrics to measure and report on the success of events and overall client satisfaction.

Note: Job duties are subject to change as needed.

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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Event Planning, Business Administration, or related field. Advanced degree preferred.

10+ years of progressive leadership experience in events and catering operations, including managing large-scale teams and multi-site portfolios.

Proven track record of successfully managing complex event logistics, budgets, and client relationships.

Strong experience in developing SOPs, training programs, and innovative catering solutions.

General hospitality knowledge and interest in sustainability and sustainable food practices

Excellent organizational and communication skills required.

Flexibility and adaptation in times of change are required, must be able to pivot with grace and ease.

Ability to read and comprehend elaborate instructions, event requests, correspondence, and memos written in English with attention to details and grammar.

Ability to write professional correspondence through email. Highly proficient in Microsoft Suite including PowerPoint/Word/Excel/Teams/Outlook. Knowledge in Tripleseat, Monday.com, or Underboeck a plus.

A self-starter able observe what needs to be done, and independently takes on tasks.

Ability to work at times with minimal supervision, accomplish tasks without direct instruction, and problem solving for the best solutions.

Ability to work flexible work schedules/shifts based on business demands. This will include working after Cafe hours and/or weekends if needed.

Adaptability is key, easily able to switch between projects.

Guest focused, with a helpful, positive, and 'can-do' attitude.

Be an excellent team player while also showing the drive and enthusiasm to work on their own initiative.

Self-motivated and work with a sense of urgency, whilst demonstrating excellent attention to detail.

Ability to see the big picture and help department scale and grow with integrity.

Ability to interact with diverse and high-volume customer base in a friendly and efficient manner.

Ability to operate Web based ordering system, process customer requests, changes to orders, updates, and client profiles.