Catering Specialist

**Red Deer Resort & Casino** seeks an enthusiastic individual with a passion for the hospitality industry and customer service to join our Catering team as a Catering Specialist. This position acts as a resource for customers booking events as well as various locations throughout the resort to ensure their vision and expectations are met, while also providing accurate and up-to-date information to the internal stakeholders and leadership team to assist in ensuring efficient operations.

**Summary**

Under the direction of the Senior Sales and Catering Manager, the Catering Specialist is responsible, including but not limited to, ensuring guest satisfaction during the booking process of our events and meeting rooms. Attention to detail is a must in this position with the planning and coordinating of meals, guestroom blocks and all other areas required to ensure meetings and events occur smoothly.

**Essential Duties and Responsibilities**
- Ensure that function set-up meets and/or exceeds customer expectations by working closely with each group’s meeting planners to determine their needs for meeting rooms, food & beverage, and audio-visual equipment requirements
- In coordination with the banquet department, ensure functions meet the customer’s expectations by following up before and during the function
- Maintain control of functions, including complete details of bookings in the software program provided
- Responsible for the day-to-day negotiation of prices with clients for catering functions and meeting rooms, as well as guest rooms and all aspects pertaining to each client file
- Prepare contracts for incoming catering clients and prepare proposals for potential clients
- Prepare and distribute banquet event orders weekly to all outlets and departments
- Maintain filing regimen by keeping filing cabinets and files current
- Ensure all client-related activities are entered into DELPHI booking system
- Book and prepare banquet event orders for all internal events
- Handle all incoming catering inquiries
- Conduct post-function reviews with clients
- Solicits re-booking from meeting planners prior to customer’s departure
- Take the initiative to exceed guest’s expectations
- Participate in sales missions and activities; participate in customer appreciation functions
- Acquire full knowledge of the hotel, in-house facilities, and local information to respond to guest inquiries
- Host pre-event meetings, as required, to ensure clients are comfortable with their decisions
- Performs other duties and special projects as assigned

**Education, Qualification and Requirements**
- University or college diploma or degree in Business Administration or Hotel Management preferred
- Two or more years experience in the hospitality industry preferred
- It is imperative for this position to have excellent verbal and written communication skills in the English language. Other languages are an asset.
- Strong multi-tasking abilities; exceptional communication and organizational skills
- Detail orientated with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Understands customers and builds organizational creditability
- Displays a positive attitude, maintains enthusiasm and celebrates successes with the team
- Meets deadlines that are decisive and achievement orientated
- Strong customer service, organization, presentation, decision-making, and problem-solving skills;
- Strong time management and multitasking skills, being able to manage different projects at one time and work within stringent time frames;
- Clear Criminal Record Check upon hiring

**Work Environment**
- Ability to sit for extended periods of time;
- Ability to work on a computer for an extended period.
- Repetitive work such as keyboarding, filing, answering phones, etc.
- Forward bending and squatting while performing filing duties.
- Ability to walk around the hotel from department to department.
- May be required to lift boxes up to 10 (ten) pounds when handling paper or files.
- It often involves juggling many tasks and may become very stressful when business operations ramp up

**Hours of Work**
- The hours of work for this position are typically Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Additional hours or hours outside of these timelines may be required due to operational requirements. Any additional hours or overtime must be approved by the Catering Manager prior to being worked.

Anticipated Start Date - ASAP