City : Waterloo, ON

Category : Permanent

Industry : Education

Employer : University of Waterloo

Reporting to the Area Manager, Operations, the Sales Manager, Catering and Event Services is to lead and coordinate the Sales and Marketing efforts for Catering and Event Services, driving revenue growth and maximizing client satisfaction. This role involves managing a team of Sales Coordinators, establishing strategic initiatives to achieve sales targets, and fostering strong relationships with clients and stakeholders. The incumbent is responsible for implementing innovative marketing campaigns and providing leadership and mentorship to the sales team. By actively engaging with clients and continuously seeking improvement opportunities, this position plays a crucial role in enhancing service offerings and promoting a high-performance culture within the department.

This position is contingent on funding.

Role is 100% on campus

Sales Leadership and Coordination

• Lead and manage a team of Sales Coordinators, providing guidance on scheduling, bookings, and promoting catering and conference services
• Monitor and ensure the achievement of sales targets and KPIs by the Catering and Event Services team through performance management and motivation
• Develop and implement strategic initiatives to meet revenue targets, using market trends and client feedback to improve service offerings
• Conduct regular meetings with clients to showcase available event spaces, both on and off-campus, to foster relationships and maximize bookings
• Continuously engage with clients to understand event requirements, offering personalized solutions and ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction
• Verify that all contracts are confirmed by the responsible Sales Coordinator two days prior to the event
• Coach and train Sales Coordinators on best practices for selling and upselling, aligned with internal guidelines
• Lead weekly contract sales meetings, ensuring staff are prepared to present contracts and discuss ongoing business

Sales and Marketing

• Spearhead innovative marketing campaigns and promotional strategies to enhance brand visibility and attract new clients
• Identify and pursue business expansion opportunities, including exploring new markets and forming strategic partnerships to drive revenue growth
• Cultivate strong relationships with key stakeholders, including university departments, faculty, staff, and external vendors, to maximize business opportunities
• Actively engage in business development through outside sales calls, appointments, telemarketing, social media, site tours, and networking activities
• Collaborate with the team to develop strategies for improving unit flow, appearance, marketing materials, and overall atmosphere

Leadership Responsibilities

• Provide strong leadership to direct reports by setting clear goals, expectations, and alignment with the department’s mission, vision, and values
• Offer comprehensive training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to foster a high-performance team culture
• Implement effective performance management processes, including regular reviews, goal setting, and feedback sessions, to drive continuous improvement
• Lead recruitment and onboarding of new team members, ensuring they align with team objectives and organizational culture

Financial Management

• Ensure adherence to budgetary controls and financial procedures in line with departmental goals, while maintaining high guest satisfaction
• Oversee billing accuracy and ensure timely quotes and invoicing to maintain transparent financial reporting
• Monitor and manage departmental budgets, optimizing resources to meet revenue targets while maintaining cost-effective practices
• Review and provide final approval for all contracts prior to invoicing, ensuring any contract cost alterations are properly signed off
• Collaborate with Food Services Finance department to ensure timely invoicing of contracts

Customer Service

• Participate in planning and executing special promotions, theme events, and general marketing initiatives
• Respond to customer service feedback, issues and requests with tact and resourcefulness
• Participate in planning, managing and executing special projects, and program introductions
• Actively participate in departmental and other related committees as required
• Follow-up with customers to compile feedback for continuous improvement
• Provide excellent customer service to both the university community and external clients, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and loyalty through proactive communication and outstanding service

• A diploma in Food and Beverage management or equivalent education and work-related experience
• 5 years of recent supervisory experience in hotel, quick service or institutional food service environment
• Experience supervising in a unionized environment and working with student employees                                             
• Experience with inventory and cash controls, food and labour cost control and providing exceptional customer service
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and experience in drafting, editing and proofreading under very tight deadlines is required
• Understanding of University audience and stakeholder needs, to ensure a quality event experience with strong audience engagement
• Must have a superior understanding of community relations best practices and event coordination
• Ability to exercise proactive project coordination, communicate effectively to project participants who need to understand progress, and identify risks/mitigating strategies before problems occur
• Proven ability to manage high volumes of activity, multiple tasks and constant change while demonstrating the ability to maintain confidentiality, ensuring sensitivity to the needs and interests of a variety of stakeholders and support the functioning of diverse teams
• Exceptional attention to detail is essential
• Proficient use of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint required
• A high level of independence is required and excellent judgment in areas of time management, task prioritization and decision-making
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in, and contribute to, an integrated and collaborative team environment and to apply a calm, positive team approach to working with colleagues and ability to take constructive input from stakeholders
• Knowledge of communications planning, creative brief development, event marketing and advertising, media relations, and social media are an asset to this role

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.