Catering Director - Casino jobs in Texas

Overview
Launched in 2014, Contigo Catering grew out of roots in the Contigo family ranch in Fredericksburg and Contigo Restaurant in Austin. Now our own independent company responding to rapid growth and high demand, we are a leader in custom catering in Central Texas. From backyard gatherings to large corporate banquets, Contigo Catering has the know-how to turn any special day into a memorable celebration... served with a slice of Texas hospitality. Our events are noteworthy for their custom crafted menus, exceptional hospitality, eye for style, seamless coordination, unique bar service, and a special catalog of package additions.

Contigo Catering’s Director of Production supports & manages the operations team. Facilitate and streamline communication between Event Production & Operational staff to maintain a cohesive, accurate, and efficient system between the two branches while utilizing effective administration to achieve assigned objectives.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Operations and working closely with the rest of the Contigo Catering team, the Production Director role is similar to that of an Assistant General Manager for a restaurant, but with a constantly changing environment. The ideal candidate is outgoing and social, adept at keeping track of multiple simultaneous priorities and communicating proactively with each player, and is capable of having fun while maintaining a high standard of accountability at every stage of our process. We are a small, tightly knit team that enjoys good food and values good people. We are seeking a candidate with long-term potential who will feel comfortable growing with us.

Overall, the Director of Production plays a crucial role in driving operational excellence, achieving production targets, and contributing to the overall Event success of the organization.

Location

Our office, kitchen, and warehouse are located in Southeast Austin at 3709 Promontory Point Drive, Suite B201, Austin Texas 78744. This role offices at this address for meetings and certain responsibilities, but serves predominately on-site at our client events. As such, this role involves travel to and presence at various event spaces throughout and around Austin, particularly downtown, Westlake, and Dripping Springs. As such, reliable transportation is required. Occasionally, travel to event locations like Marfa is required, and team support for transport is provided. Our policies also build in some flexibility for work from home hours based on week-to-week event loads.

Schedule

Full-time, averages 40 hours per week, generally between 10 am and 6 pm Monday through Friday. During our busy seasons (Spring and Fall), there will be flexibility to work some events where help is needed and weekly hours can range from 40 - 60. Some night and weekend flexibility is helpful given the schedule of the rest of our team, but not required.

Compensation

Base salary of $75,000 - $85,000, commensurate with experience. This role also features incredible benefits: health & dental, unlimited paid vacation, paid holiday schedule, mileage and parking reimbursements, bonuses, swag, and more. Delicious, chef-prepared breakfast, lunch, or dinner is a regular benefit of this role, too. W2 Employee status.

Day-to-Day Ownership

This is an opportunity to impact and elevate the entire company on a daily basis. The Director of Production’s day-to-day will reflect current events and ongoing priorities, but can generally be designated within and held accountable to the following:

> Event Preparation: Overseeing and running weekly production meetings; reviewing food amounts in production meetings to uphold standards and confirm we’re not overbuying or underbuying; reviewing packlists for accurate amount of platters, utensils, accurate bar equipment, and event loader info; making sure events have everything they need; making sure additional vehicles are rented for events; reserving additional equipment like dish machines, reefer trucks, etc for bigger events such as F1 or Moto GP; working with the warehouse manager to make sure in house linens, disposables, are kept up with pars; making sure green sheets and chef BEOS have been properly labeled with event colors when we have multiple events a day.

> Team Management:

• Event Producer Management: making sure packlists are completed in a timely manner; event folders have all the proper information – current rental orders, production documents, layouts, proposal, and other necessary event specific documents; events have accurate requested equipment and signage; holding production team(s) accountable for promised internal and external deadlines.
• Bar Team Management: confirming inventory is taken quarterly; creating monthly schedules for beverage help, beverage needs that flow in line with events; making sure beverage inventory is being kept monthly and completed; making sure events using our alcohol have TABC permits.
• Warehouse Management: confirming hourly help is scheduled monthly, warehouse has items to succeed for success events; quarterly platter inventories are taken; the fleet is maintained by current inspection stickers, vehicles are filled before events, and kept tidy;
• General: ensuring the building has air filters, pest control and other maintenance task kept on a regular schedule; checking events have the necessary permits – when to pull a temporary food operating permit or not; pulling COIs when necessary, making sure receipts from the OPs department are turned in and accurately coded.

> Internal Production: order items needed internally for Contigo on busy weeks; meet with the Production team once a week and assess upcoming event needs (i.e. rent extra vehicles – reefers, uhauls etc); look over post event notes weekly (that pertain to operations) and translate these into actionable items so mishaps aren’t repeated; schedule any necessary maintenance projects to approve with the Senior Director of Operations; work big events with a lot of production setup such as MotoGP to ensure vendors for kitchen, dish, are properly setup before the team arrives.

>Tech: have IT knowledge (help the team with any necessary printer, router, etc needs); tracking computers, setting up company computers as well as purchase when necessary; manage Production systems and always striving to be more efficient and streamlined; have general handyman knowledge.

> Accounting: analyze loss log to get a better handle on waste; making sure a strong cohesion of events planned by the internal team matriculates accurately to the hourly/onsite team; manage Event Production budgets and making sure the team obliges to those budgets; looking over monthly P&Ls with Senior Director of Operations and reviewing monthly event specific P&Ls.

Outcomes

A successful candidate in this role embodies the following:

• Overall, the Director of Production plays a crucial role in driving operational excellence, achieving production targets, and contributing to the overall success of the organization.
• You are essentially the Assistant general manager of the Front of the House at Contigo Catering’s headquarters, responsible for running all internal Event Operations. By creating an internal culture of consistency, positivity, and transparency the Production Director ensures that subordinate staff can best perform externally (satisfy the clients). You represent Contigo Catering well, keeping it in mind with everything you do (attire, language, details, clean-up, etc.).
• You’re managing team members with respect, but communicating directly. You remember that it isn’t only what you say but how you say it that matters. You keep the operations team moving in a positive and encouraging way, setting the example through your own actions.
• You are a versatile team player, a resource and guide, and the final department to make sure events have all their needs to truly be successful. You maintain a close connection with the Senior Director of Operations and the Sales & Client Services Managers, and they can rely on you for support. You maintain high standards for our event production. The team enjoys being around you and you’re a leader who doesn’t hesitate to do the dirty work.

Characteristics & Skills

• Operational Excellence: Drives operational efficiency and ensures production targets are achieved consistently.
• Leadership: Fosters a positive and transparent internal culture, leading by example and motivating subordinate staff.
• Communication Skills: Communicates directly yet respectfully, setting the tone for the team.
• Client-centric Mindset: Represents the company well, keeping client satisfaction as the top priority.
• Team Player: Versatile and collaborative, providing guidance and support to team members.
• Problem-solving: Anticipates and addresses event needs proactively, ensuring successful execution.
• Attention to Detail: Maintains high standards for event production, with a keen eye for detail.
• Hands-on Approach: Willingness to take on tasks at any level, leading from the front.
• Collaboration: Maintains close collaboration with the Senior Director of Operations and Sales & Client Services Managers.
• Positive Attitude: Encourages and inspires the team through a positive and energetic demeanor, embodies Contigo’s core values.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate has:

• 3 years of managerial hospitality experience (restaurant, hotel, catering, etc.), specifically working events, is a must. Catering experience is helpful, but not a dealbreaker; we don’t want you stuck in old ways of another company.
• Exceptional organization, communication, and interpersonal skills; a knack for keeping multiple tasks in mind, properly and consistently ensuring that key messages cascade across the team and our client base, and that delegation flows smoothly, is essential.
• Track record of leadership skills and/or team management experience, holding others accountable to goals while working alongside them, is a plus.
• Proficient computing skills including Google Drive, Microsoft Office, etc. Total Party Planner or other catering software experience is a plus.
• Great at math and having knowledge of reading monthly P&L statements.
• Passion for good food and drink, events that inspire, and a volition to provide Texas style hospitality every step of the way.
• Ability to integrate into the culture of Contigo Catering, and be a steward for this company no matter where you are.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that matches the above description, some things including evenings, holidays, and weekends in accordance with business demands.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to safely lift up to 50 lbs and engage in medium work, including being actively on your feet for a full shift
• Ability to type and operate necessary equipment
• Ability to withstand exposure to varying conditions of noise and sound, temperature, and environmental conditions both inside and outside
• Ability to walk amidst varying terrains and perform event inspections, climbing stairs and ramps, or occasionally stooping, kneeling, pushing, and pulling to assist with event production needs

Please note that Contigo Catering’s offices are ADA compliant, and Contigo Catering will do their best to make accommodations for the qualified applicant with mobility limitations or other disabilities. We encourage everyone of differing abilities to apply, but while doing so, please let us know what accommodations are required in your working environment.

Contigo provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage individuals who identify as POC and LGBTQ to apply.

The responsibilities and duties listed above are intended to communicate general priorities for this position, but should not be understood as an exhaustive list of all job requirements to be completed through the duration of employment with Contigo Catering.

What to Expect After Applying (As of June 1, 2021)

• We review all applications received. If your materials spark interest, we'll send you a brief questionnaire.
• If your responses are promising, we'll send you a link to a Culture Index Assessment. This brief 5-10 minute survey allows us to round out your submitted materials, and convene as a team to decide which candidates might be a good fit.
• If all of your materials above all seem to align and are promising, we'll invite you to an initial, 15 minute phone screening with the hiring manager.
• If the conversation proves fruitful, promising candidates will be invited to a 2nd phone screening with a member of our team.
• If this second conversation also shows alignment, promising candidates will be invited to participate in a full-length interview that lasts approximately 1-2 hours, which will likely include a table staging exercise.
• All candidates, whether good or bad news, will receive some form of notice regardless of which stage of the process they progress to.
• The above steps move at a pace that align with candidate response time, team availability, and other components. Generally speaking, we are looking to make a hire as soon as we identify the right fit. We expect to make a hire by WHEN at latest, though details of our timeline are subject to change.

Think this job is the fit for you? We encourage you to apply! If the listing is still live, we’re still looking for the right person. We look forward to hearing from you!