5 free catering manager templates, general, event/wedding, hotel, corporate, and small-business, with the FLSA exempt-versus-non-exempt, food-safety, and scheduling guidance generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
The catering manager is the hire that lets a catering business grow: the person who books clients, designs menus, leads the crew, and runs events from proposal to breakdown. It is also a role with a compliance trap the generic templates ignore. The title sounds automatically exempt from overtime, but in a small catering business a hands-on manager who works events alongside the crew is often non-exempt and owed overtime. Getting the classification, the food-safety requirement, and the schedule right starts with the job description.
At FirstHR, we build for small businesses without HR departments, which describes most of this industry: most catering companies run with fewer than ten employees, and nine in ten restaurants are small businesses. The five templates below, a general catering manager plus event/wedding, hotel/venue, corporate/contract, and small-business versions, are ready to use, each with the FLSA and food-safety notes built in.
A catering manager runs a catering operation from client booking through event execution: menus, staffing, budgets, and food safety. The role is exempt only if salaried and the management duties test is met; a hands-on manager at a small caterer is often non-exempt and owed overtime. A food-safety certification like ServSafe is typically required. The BLS median for food service managers is $65,310 a year. Five templates, downloadable as DOCX.
What a Catering Manager Does
A catering manager plans and runs a catering operation from the first client meeting through event execution. That means booking clients, designing menus and proposals, building banquet event orders, hiring and supervising staff, coordinating food preparation and service, controlling budgets, and maintaining food-safety compliance.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the role under food service managers (SOC 11-9051), the broader occupation that also covers restaurant and food-service management. The emphasis shifts by setting: an event or wedding caterer leans client-facing, a hotel or venue role leans toward selling banquets, a contract role leans toward daily food service and cost control, and a small caterer does all of it.
Catering Manager Duties and Responsibilities
Catering manager duties cluster into four areas: clients and sales, operations and service, team and budget, and food safety and compliance. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match your type of catering rather than listing every possible task.
Clients and sales
Meet with clients to determine needs and budget
Design menus, proposals, and pricing
Build banquet event orders (BEOs)
Operations and service
Coordinate food preparation, delivery, and setup
Oversee on-site setup, service, and breakdown
Manage vendors, rentals, and logistics
Team and budget
Hire, train, schedule, and supervise staff
Track budgets, costs, and event profitability
Manage invoices, deposits, and billing
Food safety and compliance
Maintain food-safety and health-code compliance
Follow HACCP and ServSafe standards
Keep certifications and records current
The weighting shifts by type: an event/wedding role leans into client meetings and live event leadership, a contract role into cost control and account management, a small-business role into doing all of it. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by the type of catering you do. The core structure is the same across all five, but each emphasizes the duties, client mix, and classification that fit a specific kind of operation. Use this guide to choose the closest fit, then adjust.
Catering Manager (General)
Any catering operation
The universal version: client booking, menu planning, staffing, event execution, and food safety, with the FLSA classification note built in. The starting point for most companies.
Event / Wedding
Weddings and special events
For event and wedding catering: client-facing planning, tastings, custom menus, BEOs, and live event leadership, the version closest to independent small caterers.
Hotel / Venue
Hotels, banquet venues
For a hotel or venue: selling and coordinating banquets and meetings, BEOs, room setups, and partnering with kitchen and banquet teams, with an event-revenue focus.
Corporate / Contract
Corporate and contract accounts
For a corporate or contract account: daily food service plus events, cost control, account management, and HACCP compliance at a client site.
Small Catering Business
Owner-run, hands-on
The ICP version for a small owner-run caterer where the manager does a bit of everything, honest that a hands-on manager is often non-exempt and owed overtime.
Match the Template to the Operation
Any catering operation: the general version. Weddings and special events: Event / Wedding. A hotel or banquet venue: Hotel / Venue. A corporate or contract account: Corporate / Contract. A small owner-run caterer: the Small Catering Business version. When in doubt for an independent caterer, the Event / Wedding or Small Business version is usually the closest fit to adapt.
5 Free Catering Manager Job Description Templates
Download all five as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, an FLSA note, compensation, and how to apply, with an equal opportunity statement, and the type of catering, pay, and certification carried as fill-in fields. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 5 Job Description Templates
General, event/wedding, hotel/venue, corporate/contract, and small-business. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Catering Manager (General)
The universal version: client booking, menu planning, staffing, event execution, and food safety, with the FLSA classification note built in. The starting point for most companies.
Catering Manager Job Description (General)
CATERING MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Owner / F&B Director / GM)
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm exempt or non-exempt by salary and actual duties (see note)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ bonus]
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your catering company or venue, the events
you serve, and the team the catering manager will lead. Note event
volume, season, and the kind of catering you do.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Catering Manager to plan and run our
catering operation from client booking through event execution. You
will meet with clients, design menus and proposals, manage staff and
schedules, coordinate food preparation and service, and ensure food
safety and a great guest experience.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Meet with clients to determine event needs, menu, and budget
•Plan menus, portions, and pricing with the kitchen
•Prepare catering proposals and banquet event orders (BEOs)
•Hire, train, schedule, and supervise catering staff
•Coordinate food preparation, delivery, setup, and service
•Negotiate with and manage vendors and rentals
•Maintain food-safety and health-code compliance
•Track budgets, costs, invoices, and event profitability
•Oversee on-site setup, service, and breakdown
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[3-5+] years catering, banquet, or food-service management
•Strong client, organization, and leadership skills
•ServSafe or food-manager certification (or willing to obtain)
•Comfortable with catering/BEO software [Caterease / Total Party Planner]
•Able to work events: evenings, weekends, and holidays
•[Bachelor's in hospitality preferred, not required]
FLSA NOTE (read before posting)
A catering manager is exempt only if paid a salary of at least
$684/week AND the duties test is met: managing the operation,
directing two or more full-time staff, and real input on hiring and
firing. In a small catering business where the manager spends most
of the time doing hands-on non-exempt work, the role may be
non-exempt and owed overtime. Classify by actual duties. This is
general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ bonus / benefits]
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Event / Wedding Catering Manager
For event and wedding catering: client-facing planning, tastings, custom menus, BEOs, and live event leadership, the version closest to independent small caterers.
Event / Wedding Catering Manager Job Description
EVENT / WEDDING CATERING MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: Owner / Director of Catering
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm exempt or non-exempt by salary and actual duties
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ event commission]
JOB SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring an Event / Wedding Catering Manager to own
events from first client meeting to flawless execution. You will be
the client's main contact, design custom menus and timelines, manage
the event team, and make sure every wedding and event runs smoothly.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Be the lead contact for clients planning weddings and events
•Conduct tastings, walkthroughs, and planning meetings
•Design custom menus, timelines, and event proposals
•Build detailed banquet event orders (BEOs) and run sheets
•Coordinate rentals, vendors, decor, and staffing
•Lead the on-site team through setup, service, and breakdown
•Solve problems calmly during live events
•Manage event budgets, deposits, and final billing
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[3+] years event, wedding, or catering management
•Excellent client-facing and event-day composure
•Strong planning and detail skills under deadline
•ServSafe or food-manager certification preferred
•Comfortable with event/BEO software
•Available for evenings, weekends, and peak season
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ event commission]
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Still Using Spreadsheets for Onboarding?
Automate documents, training assignments, task management, and track onboarding progress in real time.
For a hotel or venue: selling and coordinating banquets and meetings, BEOs, room setups, and partnering with kitchen and banquet teams, with an event-revenue focus.
Hotel / Venue Catering Manager Job Description
HOTEL / VENUE CATERING MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: Director of Food & Beverage / Director of Sales
Employment type: Full-time
FLSA status: Confirm exempt or non-exempt by salary and actual duties
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ bonus]
JOB SUMMARY
[Property Name] is hiring a Catering Manager to drive and execute
catered events in our [hotel / banquet / venue] spaces. You will
sell and coordinate banquets, meetings, and events, build BEOs,
partner with the kitchen and banquet teams, and deliver a strong
guest experience and event revenue.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Sell and book catering, banquets, meetings, and events
•Conduct site tours and client planning meetings
•Build banquet event orders (BEOs) and communicate to operations
•Coordinate with kitchen, banquet, and AV teams
•Manage room setups, timelines, and service standards
•Track event revenue, budgets, and billing
•Maintain food-safety and health-code compliance
•Ensure a consistent, high-quality guest experience
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[3-5+] years catering, banquet, or hotel event management
•Sales and client-relationship skills
•Knowledge of BEOs, room setups, and event operations
•ServSafe or food-manager certification preferred
•Comfortable with property/event management software
•Available for evenings, weekends, and holidays
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [+ bonus / benefits]
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Property Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 4: Corporate / Contract Catering Manager
For a corporate or contract account: daily food service plus events, cost control, account management, and HACCP compliance at a client site.
The version for a small owner-run caterer where the manager does a bit of everything, honest that a hands-on manager is often non-exempt and owed overtime.
Small Catering Business Catering Manager Job Description
FLSA status: Confirm by duties; a hands-on manager may be non-exempt
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per year [or $____ per hour]
ABOUT US
We are a small, owner-run catering business hiring a hands-on
Catering Manager to help grow and run our operation alongside the
owner. This is a do-it-all role on a small team: book clients, plan
menus, lead the crew, and work events. Right for someone who loves
catering and wants to grow with a small business.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
•Meet with clients and book catering and events
•Plan menus, portions, and pricing with the owner and kitchen
•Build simple proposals and event orders
•Hire, train, and schedule event staff
•Order supplies and coordinate vendors and rentals
•Lead the team through setup, service, and breakdown
•Keep food-safety and health-code standards
•Pitch in across the business wherever needed
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
•Catering or food-service experience and leadership
•Organized, calm under pressure, and great with clients
•ServSafe or food-manager certification (or willing to get it)
•Comfortable wearing many hats in a small business
•Available for events: evenings, weekends, and peak season
FLSA NOTE (read before posting)
In a small catering business, a manager who spends most of the time
doing the same hands-on work as the crew, and earns only a little
more, is often NON-EXEMPT and owed overtime, even with a manager
title and a salary. Exempt status needs a salary of at least
$684/week AND a genuine management duties test. Classify by what the
person actually does. This is general information, not legal advice.
PAY AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay: $_____ per year [or $____ per hour], paid [biweekly]
Benefits: [what you offer, even if simple: __]
To apply, send your resume to _ or call ____.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, Food Safety, and Scheduling
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for a catering manager it is where the real risk lives: the exempt classification is not automatic, food-safety certification is a genuine requirement, and the event schedule is the job. Here is what to get right.
Exempt is not automatic; the duties test is where small caterers get caught
The title catering manager does not make the role exempt from overtime. To be exempt under the executive exemption of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the manager must be paid a salary of at least the federal threshold of $684 a week and pass a duties test: the primary duty must be managing the operation, the manager must regularly direct the work of at least two full-time employees, and the manager must have genuine authority or influence over hiring and firing. In a small catering business this is exactly where classification breaks down, because the manager often spends most of the week doing the same hands-on event work as the crew, earning only a little more than line staff. When that is the reality, the role is non-exempt and owed overtime regardless of the salary or the title. Classify by what the person actually does, and when in doubt treat the role as non-exempt. This is general information, not legal advice.
Food safety certification is a real requirement, not a nice-to-have
Catering is a food-safety operation, and most jurisdictions require at least one certified food protection manager on staff, typically demonstrated through a ServSafe Manager certification or an equivalent accredited program. A catering manager is the natural person to hold it. Beyond the certificate, the manager is responsible for safe food handling across transport, holding temperatures, and off-site service, which is harder than a fixed kitchen because food travels and is held longer. State on the posting whether ServSafe or a food-manager certification is required or must be obtained, and whether the company pays for it. Building the certification into hiring and onboarding, rather than discovering a gap during a health inspection, is the practical move. This is general information, not legal advice.
The schedule is the job, so be honest about events, nights, and weekends
Catering runs on events, which means evenings, weekends, holidays, and a seasonal peak are the core of the schedule, not the exception. Generic templates bury this, and it is one of the biggest reasons catering hires do not work out: the candidate did not expect the hours. State the schedule reality plainly in the posting, the typical event days, the seasonal swing, and any on-call expectation around big events, so candidates self-select. For a non-exempt manager, those long event weeks also mean overtime, which ties straight back to getting the classification right. Being upfront about the schedule attracts people who want exactly this kind of work and screens out those who do not. This is general information, not legal advice.
Name the catering software and the BEO workflow the role runs on
Catering operations run on event-management software and a banquet event order, or BEO, workflow, and the generic templates leave both out. Most catering manager roles expect comfort with a platform such as Caterease, Total Party Planner, or a venue's event-management system, plus the ability to build a clear BEO that tells the kitchen and the event team exactly what happens and when. Listing the specific software you use, and whether you will train on it, screens for candidates who can be productive quickly and signals the role is more operational than a generic management job. For a small caterer, a manager who already knows your platform and can write a tight BEO shortens the ramp considerably. Put the software and BEO expectation in the requirements. This is general information, not legal advice.
Exempt Is Not Automatic for a Catering Manager
A catering manager is exempt only if paid a salary of at least $684/week and the executive duties test is met: managing the operation, directing two or more full-time staff, and real input on hiring (DOL Fact Sheet 17B). A hands-on manager at a small caterer who works events alongside the crew may be non-exempt and owed overtime, regardless of the title.
For the underlying rules, the exempt versus non-exempt guide and the Fair Labor Standards Act overview explain the executive exemption and overtime. The practical rule: classify by actual duties, default a working hands-on manager to non-exempt, require a food-safety certification, and state the event schedule honestly.
Skills and Requirements
Catering manager requirements center on management experience, client skills, food-safety certification, and software, scaled to the type of operation. Name the certification and the event schedule, since they are among the most effective filters for this role.
Requirement
What to look for
Experience
3-5+ years catering, banquet, or food-service management
Certification
ServSafe or food-manager certification, required or to be obtained
Software
Comfort with catering/BEO software and building event orders
Client skills
Strong client-facing, sales, and leadership ability
Schedule
Available for evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak season
Classification
Confirm by duties; a hands-on manager may be non-exempt
Keep every requirement job-related and neutral, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Catering Manager Pay
Catering manager pay centers around the food service manager median, with hotel and contract roles higher and small independent caterers lower. Anchor to the federal figure, then adjust for the type of operation and your market.
Median $65,310 a Year (BLS)
Food service managers, the federal occupation that covers catering managers, had a median annual wage of $65,310 in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent under $42,380 and the highest 10 percent over $105,420 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The occupation is projected to grow about 6 percent through 2034, with roughly 42,000 openings a year.
Within that range, hotel and corporate contract roles often pay toward the higher end, while small independent caterers pay lower and sometimes hourly or with event commission rather than a straight salary. National compensation surveys that report total pay including bonuses show higher averages, but the BLS median is the reliable anchor. Set your range for your market and the type of catering you do, and account for any bonus or event commission.
Hiring for a Small Catering Business
Catering is overwhelmingly small and owner-run, so the typical buyer of a catering manager template is an owner, not a corporate HR team. The adjacent roles, the caterers who execute events and the event coordinators who handle logistics, share the same hiring reality. Here is what that means for the posting.
Most caterers are tiny, so the owner is the recruiter, the trainer, and the compliance department
Catering is dominated by small, owner-run businesses. Most catering companies operate with fewer than ten employees, and the vast majority of restaurants and food businesses are small operations without a dedicated HR department. At that scale the owner writes the job description, interviews, trains, and handles compliance personally, usually between booking events and working them. The generic catering manager templates are written for hotels, airlines, and large contract caterers, with duties and reporting lines that do not fit a small independent. The five versions here, especially the small-business and event/wedding versions, are written for the owner-operated reality: ready to fill in, honest about the schedule and the classification, and built around how a small caterer actually hires.
Classification and food safety are where small caterers get exposed
Two things trip up small catering businesses on this hire, and neither appears in the generic templates. First, classification: a catering manager is exempt only if paid on a salary basis and the management duties test is genuinely met, and a hands-on manager who works events alongside the crew is often non-exempt and owed overtime, even on a salary. Putting a working manager on a flat salary with no overtime is a common and costly misclassification. Second, food safety: catering moves and holds food, which raises the stakes, and most jurisdictions require a certified food protection manager. The templates here build the FLSA note and the ServSafe prompt in, so a small caterer starts from a posting that names both rather than a generic one that ignores them.
Hiring the catering manager is the moment to set up onboarding and certifications
A catering manager handles clients, staff, money, and food safety from day one, so onboarding them cleanly matters for both speed and compliance. After the offer, the work is consistent: a signed offer with the correct exempt or non-exempt classification, Form I-9 and tax forms, the ServSafe or food-manager certification on file, manager and food-safety training documented, and a first-week plan tied to your booking and BEO workflow. FirstHR fits this for a small caterer: e-signature for the offer and policy acknowledgments, an AI onboarding wizard to turn the role into a workflow, training modules with documented completion for food safety and policies, task workflows for the hiring checklist, and document management for signed forms and certifications. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a catering or event-management system, so pair it with your booking software; it also does not run payroll or administer benefits. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
From Hiring to Onboarding
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and onboarding, and a catering manager is a compliance-sensitive hire: they handle clients, staff, money, and food safety from day one, so a clean, documented start with the right classification and certification protects the business.
Send the offer with the classification
Confirm the role, pay, schedule, and the exempt or non-exempt classification in writing, based on actual duties. An offer letter template makes this fast.
Collect the food-safety certification
Get the ServSafe or food-manager certification on file at hire, or set a deadline to obtain it, since catering is a food-safety operation.
Run the onboarding workflow
Form I-9, tax forms, food-safety and policy training, and a first-week plan tied to your booking and BEO workflow, with documented sign-offs.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, the classification basis, the ServSafe certificate, and training completions organized for compliance and inspections.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step with the classification stated clearly, and an onboarding template gives the new manager a structured start.
FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, food-safety and policy training acknowledgments, certificate storage, and the onboarding workflow in one place so a small caterer can run the full process from one system, with the manager's classification and ServSafe certification recorded from day one. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a catering or event-management system, so pair it with your booking software; it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A catering manager runs the operation from client booking through event execution: menus, staffing, budgets, and food safety.
Use the template that matches the type of catering: general, event/wedding, hotel/venue, corporate/contract, or small business.
Exempt is not automatic; a hands-on manager at a small caterer who works events alongside the crew may be non-exempt and owed overtime.
A food-safety certification like ServSafe is typically required, since catering transports and holds food and most jurisdictions require a certified food protection manager.
The event schedule is the job: state evenings, weekends, and seasonal peaks honestly so candidates self-select.
The BLS median for food service managers is $65,310 a year, ranging from under $42,380 to over $105,420.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a catering manager do?
A catering manager plans and runs a catering operation from client booking through event execution. Day to day, that means meeting with clients to determine the event, menu, and budget, planning menus and pricing with the kitchen, preparing proposals and banquet event orders, hiring, training, scheduling, and supervising catering staff, coordinating food preparation, delivery, setup, and service, negotiating with vendors, maintaining food-safety and health-code compliance, tracking budgets and event profitability, and overseeing on-site setup, service, and breakdown. The setting shapes the emphasis: an event or wedding catering manager is heavily client-facing, a hotel or venue manager focuses on selling and coordinating banquets, a corporate or contract manager runs daily food service plus events at an account, and a small-business manager does a bit of everything. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a catering manager exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
It depends on pay and actual duties, and the title alone never decides it. To be exempt under the executive exemption of the Fair Labor Standards Act, a catering manager must be paid a salary of at least $684 a week and pass a duties test: the primary duty must be managing the operation, the manager must regularly direct at least two full-time employees, and the manager must have genuine authority or influence over hiring and firing. Many catering managers at larger operations qualify. But in a small catering business, a manager who spends most of the time doing the same hands-on event work as the crew, earning only a little more than line staff, may be non-exempt and owed overtime regardless of a salary and a manager title. Classify by what the person actually does, and when uncertain treat the role as non-exempt. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a catering manager make?
A catering manager typically earns a median of about $65,310 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for food service managers (SOC 11-9051) in May 2024, with the lowest 10 percent earning under $42,380 and the highest 10 percent over $105,420. Pay varies by the type and size of operation, region, and event volume, with hotel and corporate contract roles often toward the higher end and small independent caterers lower, sometimes paid hourly or with event commission rather than a straight salary. National compensation surveys that report total pay including bonuses show higher averages, but the BLS median is the reliable anchor for setting a range. Set yours using current data for your market and the type of catering you do, and account for any bonus or event commission. This is general information, not legal advice.
What qualifications does a catering manager need?
A catering manager typically needs several years of catering, banquet, or food-service management experience, strong client and leadership skills, and a food-safety certification. ServSafe Manager certification, or an equivalent accredited food protection manager certification, is commonly required because most jurisdictions require a certified food protection manager on staff and catering involves transporting and holding food. Comfort with catering and event software such as Caterease or Total Party Planner and the ability to build a banquet event order are practical must-haves. A bachelor's degree in hospitality or a related field is often preferred but not required, since experience usually matters more. For a posting, state the required experience, whether ServSafe is required or must be obtained, the software you use, and the event schedule, since those filter candidates effectively. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does a catering manager need ServSafe or a food-safety certification?
In most cases yes, because catering is a food-safety operation and most jurisdictions require at least one certified food protection manager on staff. That requirement is usually satisfied with a ServSafe Manager certification or an equivalent accredited program, and a catering manager is the natural person to hold it. Catering raises the stakes beyond a fixed kitchen because food is transported, held, and served off-site, where temperature control and safe handling are harder to maintain. As an employer you can require the certification at hire, or hire a strong candidate and require them to obtain it within a set period, and many companies pay for it. State your requirement clearly in the posting, and keep the certificate on file for inspections. Confirm the specific requirement with your local health department. This is general information, not legal advice.
What is the difference between a catering manager and a catering coordinator?
They are different levels of the same operation. A catering manager owns the operation: client booking, menu and pricing decisions, hiring and supervising staff, budgets and profitability, and overall event execution, and is usually a salaried or managerial role. A catering coordinator is more of a support and logistics role, handling scheduling, paperwork, communication, and coordination details under the manager's direction, and is more often hourly. A banquet manager is a related role focused specifically on banquet and event service execution at a venue, and a catering supervisor leads staff during events without the full management scope. For a posting, match the title to the actual scope and authority of the role you are filling, and describe the real responsibilities rather than relying on the title alone. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a catering manager job description include?
A strong catering manager job description names the type of catering up front, whether event and wedding, hotel and venue, corporate and contract, or a small independent caterer, since that shapes the duties and the client mix. Include a company overview, a job summary, and responsibilities grouped into clients and sales, operations and service, team and budget, and food safety and compliance. State the required experience, the food-safety certification, the catering and BEO software, and the event schedule honestly, including evenings, weekends, and seasonal peaks. The most valuable additions that generic templates skip are the FLSA classification with the executive-exemption duties test and the non-exempt caveat for hands-on managers, the ServSafe requirement, and the realistic schedule. Close with the pay range, an equal opportunity statement, and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
What happens after I hire a catering manager?
Move from the offer into a documented onboarding, because a catering manager handles clients, staff, money, and food safety immediately. Send the offer letter stating the pay and the exempt or non-exempt classification clearly, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 within the first days, and gather tax forms. Get the ServSafe or food-manager certification on file, or set a deadline to obtain it. Then run the role onboarding: food-safety and policy training documented with sign-offs, access to your booking and BEO software, and a first-week plan that walks through an upcoming event end to end. Because catering is seasonal and event-driven, a clear first month helps a new manager get productive before peak season. FirstHR handles the offer, e-signature paperwork, training modules and their documentation, document and certificate storage, and the onboarding workflow in one place. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
