Director of Catering

Position Statement

As Director of Catering, you will provide continuous leadership in creating and delivering an exceptional team member experience and best place to work. The Director of Catering will be directly responsible for contributing to the achievement of superior business results in the areas of ensuring outstanding guest service, team member engagement, favorable financial outcomes, strategic leadership and talent development, culture, innovation, and event operations. Supports and acts on the behalf of the Director of Sales in her/his absence

Position Summary

As a Team Member your essential functions in this role include such things as:

• Strategy – Be globally aligned with the Americas Commercial Operations function while locally supporting superior business results
• Leadership - Develop innovative, forward-thinking team members
• Culture – Ensure a best-in-class workplace that delivers on Hilton's values, mission, and purpose
• Talent - Hire, engage and develop the world's best hospitality team members
• Operations Excellence - Embrace and lead implementation of all Americas Catering initiatives and objectives with a consistent commitment to excellence in execution, comprehensiveness, and timeliness.

STRATEGY:

• Successfully, innovatively, and timely implement Commercial strategic initiatives and monitor for best-in-class results
• Drive innovation and creativity within event delivery
• Partner with GM/EC to deliver on Hilton's values by creating high-impact catering experiences
• Ensure that high quality service standards are maintained through continuous reviews of processes and procedures
• Provide owner relations guidance in key areas of Catering expertise, as needed (Weddings, Staffing Models)
• Actively support the sales process.

LEADERSHIP:

• Provide overall leadership and direction in all Catering matters
• Serve as the hotel's credible SME on all matters relating to event experience
• Serve as a highly visible, participatory leader who proactively and consistently engages with their GM/EC, Sales, Catering and Events team members, external guests, and suppliers
• Remain current on event trends to evaluate innovative ways for process/practice improvements and shares best practices
• Participate or represent Hilton in industry social/meeting/events professional associations

CULTURE:

• Inspire high-performing multi-cultural, multi-generational teams that build Hilton's Catering talent pipeline
• Integrate Hilton's Values/Mission/Purpose when implementing C&E initiatives and support Team Member-centric and guest-centric programs
• Lead with Hilton culture engaging with Team Members through direct and meaningful interactions
• Be an ambassador for customer service.

TALENT:

• Motivate and provide a work environment in which team members are productive
• Ensure all Catering manager roles have career development plans in place that are actively supported by leadership and profiles are current for succession planning
• Listen and respond to team members needs while having an open-door policy
• Manages group and interpersonal conflict effectively

CATERING OPERATIONS EXCELLENCE:

• Ensure the proper use of all function space, exhibit hall, and event spaces
• Manage supplier and vendor relationships
• Possess subject matter expertise and ensure standards/practices
• Development and management of departmental budgets
• Responsible for the overseeing short, medium, and long-term forecasting and actual cost reporting for events
• Ensure proper staffing for the needs of the business
• Integrate current trends in event management and design
• Participate in customer site inspections and assists with the sales process as necessary

OTHER:

• Other duties as necessary based on business needs
• Regular attendance

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum Education: High School Degree/GED
• Minimum Years of Experience: five (5) years Hospitality related experience at manager level. Minimum of 1 year of leadership experience in hotel management.
• Management Experience: Supervisor/Manager: 1-3 People
• Additional Requirements: 10% travel
• • Core Competencies including but not limited to:
    • Writing-Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
    • Reading Comprehension- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
    • Oral Comprehension- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
    • Basic Computer Skills- Using basic computer hardware and software (personal computers, word processing software, internet browsers, etc.)
    • Customer and Personal Service- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Number facility- The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
    • Creativity- The ability to come up with creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Management Competencies including but not limited to:
    • Adaptability- Ability to effectively adjust to major changes in work tasks or the work environment
    • Building Trust- Ability to interact with others in an honest, fair and respectful way, giving others confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
    • Communication- Skilled at clearly conveying information and ideas
    • Customer focus- Ability to develop and sustain productive customer relationships; actively seeking information to understand and address customers' needs.
    • Empathy- Ability to engage with Team Members through direct and meaningful interactions, leading by

Example

• • High Work Standards- Sets high standards of performance for self and others; assumes responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks
  • Planning and Organizing- Skilled at establishing courses of action for self and others to ensure work is completed efficiently.
  • Decision Making/Problem Solving: Ability to identify and understand issues, problems, and opportunities; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing solutions.
  • Stress Tolerance- Ability to maintain stable performance and positive relationships with others while under pressure or opposition.
  • Technical / Professional Knowledge and Skills – Demonstrates a satisfactory level of position-related technical knowledge and skills.