Director of Catering and Conference Services

Fox Harb’r Resort is a 5 Star, 4 Diamond Resort nestled along the coast of the Northumberland Strait in Wallace, Nova Scotia.

As a post secondary student, we are offering an exceptional opportunity for you to experience a unique work experience while enjoying this 5 Star Luxury work environment.

Spending the summer in a rural Nova Scotia setting at a breath-taking resort, will provide you with a wealth of experience

The Director of Catering and Conference Services’s role is to manage and supervise the Catering & Conference Services department, liaise with and provide accurate and timely information to all the Resort’s operation departments of the needs and commitments made for meetings, conferences, events and catering bookings being hosted at Fox Harb’r Resort.

This position will assign customer accounts to themselves and to others in the department as appropriate and will carry out the duties of a client account manager, role modeling the details in a timely manner and with the focus on customer satisfaction and excellence in service offering.

Administrative

• Supervise the daily operations of the Catering & Conference Services department to achieve guest satisfaction, service standards and budgeted revenue targets.
• Annually review all menus packages; capacity charts; wedding packages; other packages; for pricing, design and accuracy and provide training to all stakeholders on the Resort team.
• Look for trends in Catering where Fox Harb’r Resort might adopt or modify to deliver greater creativity to enhance guest and planner satisfaction and to increase positive financial outcomes for the Resort.
• Work closely with Executive Chef on menu design and concepts pricing for catering events providing strong input based on Client feedback.
• Achieve budgeted revenues for self and hold staff of the CS department accountable to meet departmental goals.
• Assist management in the preparation of the annual departmental operating budget and financial plans which support the overall objectives of the Department.
• Complete forecast reports as required for the Department.
• Annually work with President to refine the departments budget (revenue goals) and expenses.
• Work with outside vendors as required to ensure client satisfaction for all events / groups
• Apply knowledge of all laws, as they relate to an event.
• Understands the impact of banquet operations on the overall success of a banqueting event and work closely with Banquet team and Culinary teams to maximize client satisfaction.
• Adheres to and reinforces all standards, policies, and procedures.
• Achieves Resort goals around high level of sanitation and environmental responsibility.
• Ensures that every planner is asked to provide input through a Fox Harb’r Group Survey
• Attends and participates in all pertinent meetings as a member of the Leadership team at Fox Harb’r Resort.
• Evaluate current revenue practices and make recommendations to maximize the profitability of the Catering & Conference Services resources.
• Ensures full compliance to Resort operating controls and seek innovative ways to improve performance on a regular basis.
• Assures the cleanliness and orderliness of the Catering & Conference Services premises by all staff.

Operations

• Once contract is confirmed, open a room block file and a catering file. Establish booking #; post deposit etc.
• Participate in a pass over introduction meeting between planner, Sales Manager of record and Catering Mgr. assigned to the account.
• If contractual changes occur after the fact, these are to be referred back to the Sales Manager of record for signature and issue.
• Manage room block and space block for groups assigned.
• Continually evaluate the room blocks and meeting space being held by groups (weekly yield / review meeting) with Catering Manager, Catering Co-ordinator and / or Sales Manager of record.
• Take charge of all meeting arrangement activities once the sale is complete (ie negotiations are complete) to facilitate event details.
• Negotiate food and beverage prices, function space, and hotel services within approved departmental booking guidelines.

Any deviation by CS staff must be approved by the President.

• Assign all rooms and meeting space bookings and all catering only bookings to self or Catering Manager as appropriate.
• Attend a weekly BEO and any Resume meetings, working closely with banquet department on operations / meeting execution.
• Assure that the CS Co-ordinator attends to a daily BEO review meeting with the operating departments ie Culinary; Banquets;

Housepersons; Guest Services and Shuttle; etc.

• Conduct site inspections for booked events; host planners as required; host tastings as required.
• Develop a working relationship with clients to facilitate the booking of future business consider a market for all CS managers is the repeat market by asking for future business.

Referring to Sales for larger blocks and meeting events.

• Coordinate with meeting planners to develop service schedule for events (Banquet Event Orders) and Customer Event Resumes for multi day meeting / groups.
• Works closely with Resort departments involved in servicing the groups, updating operating departments of any revisions to meeting or event arrangements (ie change orders).
• Conduct pre-conference briefing meetings RESUME MEETINGS (for larger events have the leads of all operating guest facing departments in attendance to meet the planner).
• Attend to a Introduction of Banquet Lead for day one of meetings.
• Provide clarity on BEO’s to ensure proper financial posting of meeting planner accounts by Accounting.
• Responds to and handles guest problems and complaints.

Supervisory

• Sets goals and delegates tasks to improve staff performance.
• Applies and continually broadens knowledge of food and wine pairings and unique cuisine and display / setup with emphasis on current event trends.
• Acts as a liaison to the kitchen staff.
• Actively participates in the servicing of catering / conference events as required.
• Empowers employees to provide excellent customer service.
• Ensures employees understand expectations and parameters.
• Strives to improve service performance of all Client facing departments.
• Emphasizes guest satisfaction during all departmental meetings and focuses on continuous improvement.

Previous supervisory experience in a hotel environment