Sales and Event Operations Manager (*Freelance)

Job Role – Sales and Event Operations Manager (*Freelance)

*Temporary to a permanent role

Who are we?

Lamb Catering and Events was founded in 1981 and for more than forty years has worked hard to retain its position as one of the top event and wedding caterers in Oxfordshire.

This family-owned company believes that work should be a fun and happy working environment. Their friendly, joyful, and inclusive mentality transpires into their events and onto their clients, setting them apart from their competitors.

From weddings to private dining, university balls, graduations, catering deliveries and parties, no two days are the same. Lamb Catering is proud to be a preferred cater at venues in Oxford such as The Bodleian library, West Wycombe House, Newington House, The Museum of Natural History to name but a few. This small but mighty catering company delivers events throughout the home counties and further afield working with some of the UK’s top wedding and party planners.

Lamb Catering’s core value is ‘Simple Food Done Well with Impeccable Customer Service’.

Purpose of the Role:

Day to day responsibilities of the ‘Sales and Event Operations Manager’:

· Updating and distributing the weekly planning sheets to the team which confirms the logistics for the week ahead as well as giving an overview for the following week.

· To write the picking lists of equipment and hire that is needed on events and catering deliveries.

· To order the relevant equipment from suppliers that is required for events which includes glassware, cutlery and crockery to linen, disposables, cleaning materials, coffee supplies to drinks and ice.

· To work with the team finalising staffing for events, ensuring there is sufficient staffing levels to maintain the right level of service. Once confirmed, a detailed staffing email is written and sent confirming the location, timings and all the relevant details that the team needs to be made aware of ahead of the event.

· To continually build relationships with current clients, venues, and suppliers as well as new ones.

· Responding to client enquiries in a timely manner, putting together quotes and sending sample menus.

· Converting enquiries into confirmed bookings and organising the necessary staffing, equipment and liaising with clients up until the day.

· To write, update and distribute kitchen and event sheets, sending them back to clients to confirm their final details as well as keeping the kitchen informed.

· To deliver catering deliveries from the Food-to-You service and Workplace Catering clients. Ensuring the food is delivered and served to a high-standard, and customer expectations are exceeded.

· To manage smaller events at a range of venues. From dinners, receptions, funerals to lunches and conferences. Leading and managing a team at the event and ensuring food and drink is served.

· To maintain a highly organised back of house area, ensuring that front of house catering equipment is ready for its next use.

· To work on events with other team members in the capacity of an event manager to support where needed from staff check in to service, set-up and clear-up.

Key Accountabilities:

In this role, there are several key responsibilities which include:

· Delivering food to our clients, from Food-To-You orders to Workplace Catering. Driving company vehicles to and from the delivery address.

· To be the backbone of the events process making sure all events have the necessary equipment, staffing and transport in place.

· To distribute the necessary information to the team keeping them informed of events and logistical details.

· To maintain a highly organised, neat and tidy back of house area.

· To respond to enquiries in a timely manner and follow-up where necessary with clients.

The right candidate will:

· Have an excellent sense of humour and can make a good coffee.

· To have a huge amount of gusto in the workplace.

· Have a strong passion for events, food, weddings and be able to deliver great hospitality.

· Be customer focussed and ready to go the extra mile for them.

· Be highly organised, neat, tidy, and professional.

· Have strong attention to detail.

· Have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Being able to work under pressure and meeting deadlines and not afraid to ask for help when you need it.

Expectations

· The role is based at our offices in Cowley, Oxford.

· A driving licence is required, you will be expected to drive company vehicles to events.

· Days and hours are based around business needs, an office day could be 9am-5pm and an event day could be 10am – Midnight.

· Initial 3-Month contract with a view to move to a Permanent Role once induction and probationary period is passed.

· As the role is freelance (to begin with) it is a zero-hours contract and dates, and events will be sent a month in advance.

Salary / Hourly Rate

· An hourly rate of £12.50 - £15 depending on experience.

· Salary of £32k - £34k dependant on experience.

Interview Process

If you are successful following a strong CV, a Zoom call will be organised to meet with Samantha to discuss the role in further detail. Short listing will take place, a second interview will be held at Lamb Catering + Events, Oxford to meet the team and to go through some of the day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

Two references will be taken and contacted.

Samantha Stonehouse │Samantha@lambcatering.co.uk│ 01865-772446 │07771-543386

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent, Temp to perm, Freelance
Part-time hours: 38 per week

Salary: £12.50-£15.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Supplemental pay types:

• Tips
• Yearly bonus

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Oxford: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 09/04/2023
Reference ID: SAM001