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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Catering Service Supervisor

💰 $40,000 - $65,000

HospitalityCateringFood ServiceEvent Management

🎯 Role Definition

The Catering Service Supervisor oversees daily catering operations for corporate, social and private events, ensuring flawless service delivery from initial client coordination through post-event reconciliation. This role is responsible for supervising front- and back-of-house staff, enforcing food safety and sanitation standards, controlling costs and inventory, coordinating event logistics and venue setup, and maintaining exceptional customer relationships to drive repeat business and positive reviews. The ideal candidate balances operational discipline with customer-centric problem solving and contributes to continuous improvement of catering SOPs, menu execution and team performance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Catering Assistant / Catering Attendant
  • Banquet Server or Banquet Captain
  • Food Service Supervisor or Line Cook with event experience

Advancement To:

  • Catering Manager
  • Food & Beverage Manager
  • Director of Catering / Regional Catering Director

Lateral Moves:

  • Event Coordinator / Event Manager
  • Banquet Services Manager
  • Venue Operations Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Supervise and coordinate all aspects of on-site and off-site catering events, including timeline management, staff assignments, equipment staging, transport logistics, setup, service execution and breakdown to ensure events run on schedule and meet client expectations.
  • Lead, mentor and schedule front-of-house and back-of-house teams (servers, bartenders, cooks, drivers and stewards), maintaining clear communication, enforcing standards and optimizing staff utilization to meet fluctuating event demands.
  • Serve as the primary on-site client liaison during events, proactively addressing guest requests, resolving service escalations, and ensuring a professional, high-quality guest experience that supports repeat business and referrals.
  • Manage inventory forecasting, receiving, storage and rotation of food and beverage supplies, maintaining par levels, minimizing waste and spoilage, and coordinating stock transfers between kitchens and event sites.
  • Oversee food preparation flow and plate presentation standards by coordinating with chefs and culinary teams, ensuring portion consistency, menu accuracy and adherence to client specifications, special diets and allergy requirements.
  • Maintain strict compliance with local health department regulations, ServSafe/HACCP standards and company sanitation policies by conducting regular inspections, temperature logs, documentation and staff food safety training.
  • Prepare, monitor and reconcile event budgets and job costs, including labor, food, rentals, transportation and miscellaneous expenses; identify opportunities for cost savings and margin improvement while preserving service quality.
  • Create and maintain detailed event orders (BEOs), production sheets, staffing plans, equipment checklists and venue diagrams to ensure seamless communication across operations, culinary and sales teams.
  • Coordinate vendor relationships and third-party rentals (linens, audiovisual, decor, furniture and specialty equipment), negotiating pricing, confirming delivery and pickup schedules, and resolving vendor-related issues.
  • Train new hires on catering procedures, service standards, safety protocols and POS/ordering systems; conduct performance evaluations and implement corrective actions to develop a reliable, high-performing team.
  • Operate and troubleshoot point-of-sale systems, handheld ordering devices and mobile payment solutions during events to ensure accurate billing and efficient guest transactions.
  • Schedule and manage reliable transportation and routing for off-site events, including delivery van scheduling, driver assignments, load planning and damage prevention for catering equipment and food products.
  • Implement and continuously refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for event setup, service, breakdown and emergency protocols to improve operational efficiency and consistency across events.
  • Monitor and enforce alcohol service policies, coordinate bartending staff and inventory, and ensure compliant handling of licensed beverage service in line with venue and licensing requirements.
  • Conduct pre-event walkthroughs with clients and venue contacts to confirm space logistics, timing, access points, power/water needs and any special considerations to mitigate on-site surprises.
  • Prepare post-event billing, itemized invoices and detailed reconciliation reports; review charges against contracts and BEOs and escalate discrepancies to sales or accounting as needed.
  • Maintain and report accurate records including temperature logs, incident reports, staff timesheets, inventory counts and client feedback to support audits, budgeting and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Forecast staffing and supply needs based on seasonal trends, recurring accounts and pipeline bookings, and collaborate with procurement to place timely orders that prevent shortages and overstock.
  • Lead quality-control tastings, menu execution trials and service rehearsals for large or complex events, collaborating with culinary leadership to ensure feasibility and excellence in execution.
  • Manage emergency response during events (medical incidents, power outages, severe weather), executing contingency plans, coordinating with venue staff and vendors, and ensuring guest and staff safety.
  • Drive upsell and add-on sales by training staff to identify opportunities for beverage packages, station enhancements, rentals and upgraded service levels while preserving guest trust and satisfaction.

Secondary Functions

  • Support pre-sales activities by consulting with sales and account managers on logistics, feasibility, staffing estimates and cost projections for proposals and site visits.
  • Contribute to weekly operations meetings and post-event debriefs to capture lessons learned, update SOPs and implement service improvements that increase efficiency and client satisfaction.
  • Assist with marketing initiatives by providing photography-ready setups, suggesting menu highlights for promotional materials and participating in client tastings to showcase capabilities.
  • Maintain and recommend maintenance schedules for catering equipment, vehicles and storage facilities; coordinate repairs and capital replacement planning with operations management.
  • Help develop training materials, checklists and onboarding curricula to standardize service expectations across multiple locations and temporary event staff pools.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proven knowledge of food safety and sanitation standards (ServSafe, HACCP) with demonstrated ability to maintain compliance and complete accurate temperature and sanitation logs.
  • Event operations management including production order (BEO) creation, timeline development, venue coordination and on-site execution.
  • Staff scheduling and labor optimization using scheduling tools or software to control overtime and align staffing to event demands.
  • Inventory management and procurement experience, including par-level planning, purchase ordering, receiving and supplier negotiation.
  • Food cost analysis and budgeting skills with experience reconciling job costs, creating event estimates and protecting profit margins.
  • Proficiency with point-of-sale (POS) systems, mobile payment solutions and common event management software (e.g., Caterease, Total Party Planner, Gather, Tripleseat).
  • Strong familiarity with catering equipment operation and logistics: transport vehicles, hot boxes, chafing fuel procedures and rental item handling.
  • Ability to interpret and implement contractual terms, venue insurance requirements and licensing/regulatory restrictions for alcohol and food service.
  • Competence in Microsoft Office (Excel for inventory and cost spreadsheets, Word for BEOs) and basic reporting/dashboard creation for operations metrics.
  • Experience with staff training programs, performance management and workplace safety training (e.g., safe lifting, hazard communication).

Soft Skills

  • Leadership and team-building skills that create accountability, motivate staff and foster a positive, customer-first culture.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication for client interactions, vendor negotiations and cross-functional coordination.
  • Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail to manage multiple concurrent events and complex logistics.
  • Customer service orientation with diplomacy and professionalism when handling complaints or high-pressure client situations.
  • Problem-solving and decisive judgment to troubleshoot operational issues on-site and make timely adjustments to keep events on track.
  • Time management and the ability to prioritize tasks in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
  • Adaptability and resilience to work irregular hours, weekends and holidays common in catering and event operations.
  • Conflict resolution and interpersonal skills to mediate staff issues, client disputes and vendor misunderstandings constructively.
  • Sales acumen and upselling ability to identify revenue opportunities and communicate value-added services to clients.
  • Analytical mindset to review post-event metrics, identify trends and implement continuous improvements that enhance profitability and service delivery.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent; required ServSafe or equivalent food safety certification.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Business Administration, or related field.
  • Additional certifications in event management, hospitality operations or supervisory leadership.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Hospitality Management
  • Culinary Arts
  • Business Administration
  • Event Management
  • Food Service Operations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 2–5 years in catering, banquet or catering-adjacent hospitality roles with at least 1–2 years in a supervisory capacity.

Preferred:

  • 3–5+ years supervising catering or banquet operations, including off-site events, budget responsibility and client-facing experience.
  • Demonstrated experience working with large-scale corporate events, weddings or high-volume catering accounts.
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