Assistant General Manager – Catering

About Culinary Services Division (CSD)

CSD provides meals and specialty beverages for over 18,000 customers daily and is integral to campus life at Montana State University. It offers a wide variety of cuisines and dining atmospheres across 2 residential dining halls, commissary kitchen, retail operations (including 4 coffee shops, Chick-fil-A, Union Market, Bobcat Grill), concessions, food trucks, catering services, in-house bakery, and Farm to Campus program.

University Catering coordinates over 2,000 events annually, including VIP meals, banquets, buffets, coffee breaks, drop-offs, and sack lunches, with 15-35 daily events.

Position Overview

Reporting to the General Manager for Catering & Retail, the Assistant General Manager of Catering leads and manages catering sales and banquet teams, ensuring event success, client satisfaction, and operational compliance.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee catering operations focused on successful events and excellent customer service

• Ensure client expectations for budgets, menus, and service are met

• Maintain client relationships and address escalated concerns

• Manage fiscal and administrative functions: catering software, billing, purchasing, contract management, menu review, alcohol contracts, etc.

• Directly supervise 4 Sales Managers and 1 Banquet Manager; senior supervision of 2 Banquet Captains and up to 70 student/temporary employees

• Lead hiring, training, scheduling, and staffing efforts

• Oversee training programs for staff development

• Evaluate and update operating procedures, policies, strategies, and goals

• Ensure inventory and compliance tracking for food, linens, decorations, and more

• Collaborate with Executive Chef on event execution and budget goals

• Liaise with campus partners such as Conference Services, Farm to Campus, Procurement, Marketing, and others

• Participate in management team meetings to set production, budgetary, sustainability, and program goals

• Assist in selling and executing events as needed

• Keep team current on catering trends and implement best practices

• Perform other duties supporting the department mission

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, hospitality, or related field or recognized culinary certification plus relevant catering/food service management experience, or equivalent combination

• Progressive supervisory experience

• Demonstrated control of food, labor, and inventory costs

• Proficiency with catering and food service software

• Strong customer relations skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Management experience in higher education or institutional food service

• Experience with client budgets and menu creation

• Marketing strategy development experience

Successful Candidate Attributes

• Knowledge of large-scale, high-output catering operations

• Strong communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills

• Ability to follow strict procurement, contracting, and food safety guidelines

• Creativity and good judgment in culinary arts and food presentation

• Commitment to customer service

• Self-motivated and able to work independently

• Adaptable, with initiative and sound judgment

• Skilled at policy creation and change management

• Effective at networking and maintaining professional relationships

• Familiarity with State and Federal health and food safety regulations

• Professional and courteous representation of the department and university

Special Requirements

• Valid driver’s license and meet Montana state requirements for operating university vehicles (Montana license must be obtained within 60 days if out-of-state)

• Ability to communicate effectively in English

• Flexible work schedule including early mornings, nights, weekends, holidays, and outdoor work in inclement weather

• Possess or obtain an 8-hour sanitation certification

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in office, kitchen, cooler, freezer, and dock environments

• Ability to move and lift up to 30 lbs regularly, up to 50 lbs occasionally

• Ability to perform repetitive motions and work extended periods on computer/phone

Application Instructions

Please address qualifications in your cover letter and resume.
Questions? Contact Search Support at auxjobs@montana.edu or 406-994-6468.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination. Veterans and eligible relatives receive employment preference per Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act.