General Manager - Catering Operations

Job description

DISCLOSURES The specific statements shown in each section of this job description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to perform the job successfully. Job responsibilities may be modified or expanded over time, and the company will inform the employee of any such changes. EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP DISCLOSURE This position is employed by Enterprise Management Solutions LLC, which serves as the Employer of Record and staffing provider. The employee will be assigned to work at and support The Charmed Table under a client service agreement. While Enterprise Management Solutions LLC is responsible for employment administration, including payroll, benefits (if applicable), and HR compliance, the employee will perform day-to-day duties at The Charmed Table and will receive operational direction, supervision, and performance expectations from The Charmed Table’s leadership team. The employee is expected to adhere to the policies, procedures, operational standards, and performance expectations of both Enterprise Management Solutions LLC and The Charmed Table, as applicable. Nothing in this arrangement alters the at-will employment relationship with Enterprise Management Solutions LLC. The Company reserves the right to modify assignments, responsibilities, reporting relationships, or work locations based on business needs. ABOUT THE COMPANY The Charmed Table, LLC is a full-service catering company based in Baltimore, Maryland. We specialize in delivering nutritious, high-quality prepared meals to group homes, assisted living facilities, and other supportive housing programs. Our mission is to provide consistent, timely, and safe meal service to help our community thrive through food. COMPANY WEBSITE: COMPANY PHONE NUMBER: (667) 290-6226 HR DEPARTMENT PHONE NUMBER: (667) 309-9920 EXT 10 HR DEPARTMENT EMAIL ADDRESS: POSITION TITLE: General Manager - Catering Operations ALTERNATE TITLE(S): Catering Operations Manager, Food & Beverage Operations Manager, COMPANY: The Charmed Table DEPARTMENT: Food Services DIVISION: Operations UNIT: Hospitality & Culinary Operations ACCOUNTABLE TO: Chief Operations Officer ACCOUNTABLE FOR: Ensuring the daily execution of catering, delivery, DoorDash, and meal program operations; overseeing staff scheduling, supervision, appearance, productivity, and accountability; maintaining food quality, presentation, menu consistency, and customer satisfaction; managing cost control, waste reduction, receipt tracking, inventory accuracy, and overall operational profitability; implementing and maintaining operational systems including recipe costing, inventory tracking, production planning, and performance reporting; ensuring compliance with food safety standards including HACCP, temperature control, sanitation, and audit readiness; delivering weekly performance reports to leadership and implementing corrective actions in a timely manner; and collaborating with outsourced administrative functions to support operational accuracy, customer follow-through, billing processes, HR coordination, and marketing execution. CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt W-2, Hourly – Full-Time WORK SCHEDULE: This schedule reflects 8 hours per day, totaling 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Scheduling needs may vary based on business demands, and adjustments may be required as reasonably assigned. COMPENSATION RANGE: $55,000 – $65,000 annually, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and demonstrated performance Incentive Compensation: At the discretion of the Company, incentive compensation may include one or more of the following structures: Base compensation plus performance bonus Base compensation plus profit participation Base compensation plus growth-based incentives All incentive compensation is subject to Company approval, financial performance, operational performance, compliance, and achievement of measurable benchmarks. BENEFITS PACKAGE: This position is eligible for standard W-2 employee benefits, including but not limited to those outlined in the Company’s official benefits package. Eligibility and participation are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Full details are provided in the current benefits package documentation. ANTICIPATED TRAVEL: 15% of the time. SUMMARY OF POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES: General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of The Charmed Table while ensuring that the Company’s food service, catering, delivery, and meal program operations are executed accurately, safely, profitably, and consistently. This role is not limited to supervising kitchen activity. The General Manager - Catering Operations is expected to manage operational performance, control costs, implement systems, monitor staff productivity, support revenue growth, coordinate with outsourced administrative partners, communicate with customers, and report weekly to leadership on measurable results. The General Manager - Catering Operations must be able to translate leadership direction into action, identify operational gaps, implement improvements, and hold assigned staff accountable. The role requires a balance of hands-on operational management, business discipline, customer service, food safety oversight, and continuous improvement. SCHEDULED DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Daily Operations Management General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for the daily coordination and supervision of The Charmed Table’s food service operations. This includes ensuring that staffing, production, delivery, customer needs, inventory, and systems are aligned each day. The Manager must ensure that the operation is prepared before service begins, monitored throughout the day, and properly closed out with documentation, inventory updates, and next-day preparation. Responsibilities include: Review daily orders, production needs, delivery requirements, and staffing coverage Assign responsibilities to the Catering Lead Cook and Inventory & Systems Cook Monitor daily workflow and correct issues in real time Ensure opening, mid-day, and closing checklists are completed Ensure production plans are followed and adjusted as needed Maintain communication with leadership regarding major issues, delays, risks, or customer concerns Key Performance Indicators: Daily operations checklist completion: 100% Production plan reviewed daily: 100% Operational issues escalated appropriately: 100% of critical issues Same-day correction of controllable operational gaps: ≥ 90% Catering & Event Execution General Manager - Catering Operations oversees the full lifecycle of catering operations, including order review, production planning, staffing, packaging, delivery coordination, setup, breakdown, and post-event follow-up. The Manager must ensure that catering is profitable, professional, timely, and consistent with The Charmed Table brand. Responsibilities include: Confirm catering orders, quantities, menus, timing, delivery details, and staffing needs Coordinate with the Catering Lead Cook to ensure production readiness Ensure food is prepared according to approved menus, recipes, portions, and presentation standards Ensure catering orders are properly labeled, packaged, and transported Monitor event execution and address service issues promptly Conduct post-event reviews and document lessons learned Communicate event completion details to outsourced invoicing or finance support when needed Key Performance Indicators: On-time catering execution: ≥ 95% Catering order accuracy: ≥ 97% Event error rate: ≤ 3% Post-event review completion for applicable events: 100% Event profitability review completed: 100% for major events Meal Program & Group Home Delivery Operations The General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for ensuring that all institutional meal programs, group home deliveries, and contracted recurring meal services are executed accurately, on time, and in accordance with customer requirements. This includes responsibility for menu posting, menu consistency, delivery condition, food temperature, portion consistency, documentation, and customer communication. Responsibilities include: Ensure group home and contracted meal deliveries are prepared and delivered on schedule Ensure menus are posted at applicable customer facilities as required Ensure meals match approved menus unless leadership-approved substitutions are documented Monitor portioning, labeling, packaging, and delivery condition Address complaints or service concerns with urgency Maintain records of deliveries, menu postings, substitutions, and customer issues Key Performance Indicators: On-time meal delivery: ≥ 98% Menu posting compliance: 100% Meal accuracy: ≥ 97% Temperature compliance at delivery: ≥ 98% within safe range Customer complaints resolved or escalated within: 24–48 hours DoorDash, Direct Delivery & Third-Party Platform Operations The Charmed Table participates in delivery-based sales channels, including DoorDash and other direct or third-party delivery platforms. The General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for ensuring these channels are managed with the same discipline as catering and meal program operations. Delivery platforms must be monitored for accuracy, timeliness, customer ratings, menu consistency, packaging quality, and profitability. Responsibilities include: Ensure DoorDash and direct delivery menus are accurate and consistent with approved offerings Monitor order flow, packaging standards, and customer complaints Review third-party platform performance and customer ratings Identify low-margin or high-error menu items and recommend changes Coordinate with outsourced marketing support regarding promotions, photos, menu updates, and customer-facing information Ensure delivery channel performance supports growth and profitability rather than uncontrolled volume Key Performance Indicators: DoorDash/direct delivery order accuracy: ≥ 97% On-time delivery preparation: ≥ 95% Customer rating: ≥ 4.5 average Delivery order complaint/error rate: ≤ 3% DoorDash/menu updates completed within required timeframe: 100% Menu Consistency, Recipe Compliance & Food Presentation The General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for ensuring that food quality and menu execution remain consistent across catering, meal programs, DoorDash, and other customer channels. The Manager must ensure staff do not deviate from approved menus, portions, recipes, or presentation standards without authorization. Responsibilities include: Maintain consistency with approved menus and recipes Ensure portion sizes are followed and monitored Ensure food presentation meets company standards Coordinate menu changes with leadership and outsourced marketing support when applicable Ensure staff understand and follow menu requirements Document substitutions, shortages, or approved menu changes Key Performance Indicators: Menu adherence: ≥ 98% Portion compliance: ≥ 97% Food presentation standard compliance: ≥ 95% Unauthorized menu deviations: 0 Financial Performance, Profitability & Cost Control The General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for managing operations with a clear understanding of cost, margin, and profitability. This role must not simply track expenses after the fact; it must actively identify cost problems and implement corrective actions. The Manager is expected to understand how labor, food cost, waste, inventory variance, pricing, delivery fees, customer mix, and event execution affect profitability. Responsibilities include: Monitor labor cost and adjust staffing recommendations accordingly Monitor food cost and waste trends Ensure purchases are appropriate, documented, and aligned with business needs Maintain complete receipt and expense documentation Review event and delivery profitability with leadership Identify unprofitable practices, menu items, or processes and recommend improvements Support pricing, costing, and margin analysis through accurate operational data Key Performance Indicators: Labor cost target: ≤ 30% of revenue, unless otherwise approved Food cost target: ≤ 30% of revenue, unless otherwise approved Food waste: ≤ 5% Receipt documentation completeness: 100% weekly Event profitability review for major events: 100% Corrective actions for cost overruns implemented within: 7 days Inventory Management, Receiving & Vendor Controls The General Manager - Catering Operations is responsible for ensuring inventory is controlled, documented, and actively managed. The Inventory & Systems Cook may perform day-to-day tracking tasks, but the General Manager - Catering Operations remains accountable for the accuracy and effectiveness of the system. Responsibilities include: Oversee inventory counts, receiving logs, and stock rotation Ensure first-in, first-out practices are followed Monitor shortages, overstock, waste, spoilage, and unexplained variance Review vendor deliveries for accuracy, quality, and pricing issues Ensure vendor issues are documented and addressed Coordinate purchasing needs while controlling unnecessary spend Key Performance Indicators: Inventory accuracy: ≥ 98% Inventory variance: ≤ 2% Stockout incidents: ≤ 1 per week Vendor order accuracy: ≥ 98% Waste logs completed: 100% daily Systems Implementation & Operational Controls A critical expectation of this role is the implementation and consistent use of systems that allow leadership to monitor performance. The General Manager - Catering Operations must ensure that systems are not only created, but actually used. Systems may include recipe costing tools, inventory management systems, production planning sheets, delivery logs, temperature logs, event profitability trackers, customer issue logs, and weekly KPI dashboards. Responsibilities include: Implement and maintain recipe costing for menu items Ensure inventory tracking is updated consistently Maintain production planning tools and checklists Ensure operational data is available for leadership review Work with leadership to improve dashboards and reporting tools Train staff on required systems and hold them accountable for usage Key Performance Indicators: Recipe costing coverage: 100% of active menu items Inventory system updates: 100% as scheduled Production planning documentation: 100% daily Variance between expected and actual food cost: ≤ 3% Weekly KPI dashboard/report submitted: 100% on time Food Safety, HACCP, Temperature Control & Compliance Food safety is a critical function of this role. The General Manager - Catering Operations must ensure that all food is prepared, held, transported, delivered, and served in compliance with applicable standards and Company procedures. This includes HACCP compliance, temperature control, sanitation, allergen awareness, documentation, and readiness for inspections or audits. Responsibilities include: Enforce HACCP procedures and food safety protocols Ensure temperature logs are completed accurately Ensure meals are delivered within safe temperature ranges Maintain cleanliness and sanitation standards Ensure staff follow proper food handling procedures Prepare for health inspections, customer audits, and internal reviews Correct food safety deficiencies immediately Key Performance Indicators: HACCP compliance: 100% Temperature logs completed: 100% Temperature compliance: ≥ 98% within safe range Critical health/safety violations: 0 Corrective action for safety deficiencies UNSCHEDULED DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The General Manager - Catering Operations may also be required to perform additional duties based on business needs, including but not limited to: Assisting in kitchen production during peak periods or staffing shortages Supporting deliveries, event setup, or service recovery when needed Responding to customer emergencies or operational disruptions Supporting tastings, client meetings, or special promotional activities Participating in implementation of new systems, tools, or workflows Supporting inspections, audits, or compliance reviews Performing additional work-related duties as assigned by leadership PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS The General Manager - Catering Operations will be evaluated based on the ability to execute daily operations while improving measurable performance over time. Performance expectations include: Reliable execution of catering, delivery, and meal program operations Achievement of KPI benchmarks Improvement in profitability, cost control, and waste reduction Accurate use of recipe costing, inventory, and reporting systems Proper oversight of the Catering Lead Cook and Inventory & Systems Cook Timely communication with leadership and outsourced administrative partners Strong customer service and issue resolution Compliance with HACCP, temperature, sanitation, and food safety standards Ability to implement leadership feedback and corrective actions quickly Failure to meet operational, financial, compliance, documentation, or reporting expectations may result in coaching, corrective action, performance improvement planning, reassignment, or other employment action at the discretion of the Company. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: This position requires the ability to perform work in a physically active food service environment. Physical demands may include: Prolonged standing and walking Lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling up to 40 pounds Bending, reaching, and moving during food production, packaging, delivery preparation, setup, and breakdown Frequent movement between kitchen, storage, delivery staging, and customer/event areas Ability to work in hot, cold, fast-paced, and time-sensitive environments WORKING CONDITIONS: The General Manager - Catering Operations works in a fast-paced catering and food service environment with daily production demands, delivery deadlines, customer expectations, and compliance requirements. Working conditions may include: Kitchen and food production environments Delivery coordination areas Event sites and customer facilities Group home or institutional customer locations Evening, weekend, holiday, and event-based work Time-sensitive operational demands requiring urgent decision-making COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS: The successful candidate must demonstrate: Strong day-to-day operational management ability Business awareness and understanding of cost, margin, and profitability Ability to supervise direct reports and hold staff accountable Ability to implement and maintain operational systems Strong communication and follow-through Customer service and service recovery skills Food safety discipline and attention to compliance Ability to manage multiple service lines at once Ability to work under pressure and solve problems quickly Willingness to receive leadership direction and implement improvements LEVEL OF EDUCATION / TRAINING / QUALIFICATIONS Experience managing catering operations or recurring meal delivery programs Experience managing DoorDash, direct delivery, or third-party delivery platforms Experience with recipe costing, inventory management, menu costing, or food cost controls Experience coordinating with outsourced HR, marketing, bookkeeping, or invoicing support Experience improving profitability, reducing waste, or implementing operational systems Experience working with group homes, institutional customers, corporate clients, or recurring food service contracts Experience using Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, POS systems, delivery platforms, inventory tools, or other operational systems Ability to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and event-based schedules as needed Minimum 4–6 years of experience in catering, restaurant, institutional food service, hospitality operations, or related food service management Prior experience supervising staff and managing daily operations Working knowledge of food safety standards, sanitation, and temperature control Education Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, Operations Management, or a related field Licensures/Certifications Ability to obtain within 30 days ServSafe Manager Certification ServSafe Food Handler Cert