Catering Manager

Overview

Who We Are:

National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and superior student service.  We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our hard-working community is based on collaboration and respect for all team members and students.

What You Will Do:

The Catering Manager provides strategic culinary leadership for all university catering operations, including campus lunch, campus events, banquets, conferences, and special functions. This role oversees menu development, food quality, and event execution while ensuring the catering program enhances the university’s reputation for hospitality. The Catering Chef Director works closely with Director of Events to deliver exceptional experiences that reflect the mission and culture of the university.

Essential Responsibilities

Culinary Leadership & Menu Development

• Design, plan, and execute catering menus that align with client preferences, event themes, dietary needs, and seasonal availability.
• Ensure food presentation and quality standards are consistently met for all catered functions.
• Innovate with creative menu concepts that enhance the client and guest experience.

Operations & Event Execution

• Oversee the preparation, production, and service of food for events of varying scale and style includes the daily lunch production and service for the university.
• Ensure flawless execution on-site, maintaining consistency, timing, and guest satisfaction.
• Maintain high standards of sanitation, safety, and food handling in compliance with local health regulations.
• Implement and enforce HACCP and other food safety protocols.
• Ensure catering facilities, vehicles, and equipment are properly maintained and compliant.

Staff Management & Training

• Recruit, train, and mentor culinary and catering staff, fostering a culture of learning and excellence.
• Provide experiential learning opportunities for hospitality and culinary students through event participation, internships, and training.
• Develop schedules and manage labor to align with business and budgetary needs.

Financial Oversight

• Manage budgets, monitor food and labor costs, and optimize resources to meet financial targets.
• Oversee purchasing, vendor relationships, and inventory management to ensure cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
• Ensure compliance with university policies and financial procedures.

Client & Stakeholder Relations

• Collaborate with event planners, sales teams, and clients to understand catering requirements and ensure expectations are exceeded.
• Serve as the culinary point of contact during client meetings and tastings.
• Represent the organization with professionalism, creativity, and hospitality.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree, or equivalent mix of experience and education (High school diploma or GED and at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified)
• Licensure or Certification:  ServSafe Manager
• 5+ years Culinary Expertise: Advanced cooking techniques, menu development, and recipe standardization
• 3+ years Large-Scale Catering Production: Experience in banquet-style service, bulk food preparation, and event logistics.
• 5+ years Microsoft Office & POS Systems: Ability to use Excel, Word, and catering or dining management software for reporting and planning
• Time Management: ability to prioritizes and manages time to ensure that deadlines are met. Plans time and sticks to those plans. Prevents or manages interruptions until highest priority tasks are accomplished.
• Relationship Building/Networking: Builds rapport and develops alliances with a broad range of people. Adjusts communication style to meet the needs of individuals at various organizational levels and to meet the needs of clients.
• People Management: stablishes clearly communicated goals for employees and department, able to provide constructive feedback when appropriate and recognize employee's developmental efforts and improvements.
• Demonstrates NLU Service Values:
  • Collaborative
  • Accountable
  • Responsive
  • Empathetic
  • Solution-oriented

Work Environment/Physical Demands/Travel Requirements:

• Work Environment: Fast-paced catering and event production environment within a university setting. Frequent interaction with faculty, staff, students, and external guests. Work is performed primarily in commercial kitchens, catering facilities, and on-site event venues across campus. Occasional exposure to fluctuating temperatures (hot kitchens, outdoor events, refrigerated storage areas). Evening, weekend, and holiday work required to support university event schedules.
• Physical Demands: Ability to stand and walk for extended periods (up to 8–10 hours during events). Frequent bending, stooping, reaching, and lifting in a kitchen and event setup environment. Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds independently and occasionally more with assistance. Manual dexterity for food preparation, plating, and use of kitchen tools and equipment. Ability to tolerate heat, cold, and humidity while working in kitchen or event conditions. Capacity to move between multiple event sites across campus, sometimes within short timeframes.

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued.  We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

Compensation and Benefits

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time staff benefits can be found here.

The salary range of the grade for this position is $56,508 to $81,936 annually.  Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.  Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity. 

Application Instructions

Please Include the following along with your application:

• Resume (Required)
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Current NLU employees please also submit an Internal Posting Form