How to hire a catering sales manager

How to hire a catering sales manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step catering sales manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a catering sales manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new catering sales manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a catering sales manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your catering sales manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a catering sales manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a catering sales manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a catering sales manager that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of catering sales managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Catering Sales Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Catering Sales Manager	Sales managers direct organizations' sales teams. They set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for organizations’ sales representatives.	$19-32
   Banquet Manager	A banquet manager oversees the daily operations of banquet-hosting establishments, from planning to execution, ensuring events run smoothly and efficiently according to client requirements and preferences. They coordinate with the banquet director and head chef, working together to establish goals, guidelines, budgets, schedules, and strategies to meet the events' needs... Show more	$18-34
   Sales And Event Manager	A sales and event manager is responsible for overseeing event planning and preparations intended for marketing and sales purposes. Sales and event managers handle the contracts with suppliers and third-party vendors for equipment and materials to be used during the event... Show more	$16-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Booking
   • Event Planning
   • Wine
   • Culinary
   • Audio Visual
   • Guest Satisfaction
   • Delphi
   • Repeat Business
   • Banquet Event Orders
   • Phone Calls
   • Social Events
   • Trade Shows
   • Site Inspections

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Leverage other sales office resources and administrative/support staff to achieve personal and team relate revenue goals.
   • Generate revenue, monitor booking pace and book repeat business while keeping quality consistently high.
   • Maintain efficient data activity in Delphi.
   • Maintain reports that evaluate revenue management performance including source of business, booking pace and geographical analysis.
   • Develop Delphi diagrams and other tools to efficiently organize key information, itemizing all resources and priorities for relevant departments.
   • Develop, negotiate, review and process all RFP s and sales contracts before final submission to corresponding spa location.

   More catering sales manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your catering sales manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A catering sales manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, catering sales managers' average salary in florida is 27% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level catering sales managers 40% less than senior-level catering sales managers.
   • Certifications. A catering sales manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a catering sales manager's salary.

   Average catering sales manager salary

   $53,086yearly

   $25.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level catering sales manager salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average catering sales manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$64,078	$31
   2	District of Columbia	$63,268	$30
   3	California	$58,973	$28
   4	Texas	$57,802	$28
   5	Michigan	$57,380	$28
   6	Minnesota	$56,812	$27
   7	Tennessee	$55,718	$27
   8	Pennsylvania	$54,503	$26
   9	Massachusetts	$53,608	$26
   10	Colorado	$53,305	$26
   11	Ohio	$52,370	$25
   12	Georgia	$51,949	$25
   13	Illinois	$51,586	$25
   14	Iowa	$50,808	$24
   15	Indiana	$50,495	$24
   16	Nebraska	$50,456	$24
   17	Washington	$49,901	$24
   18	Louisiana	$48,397	$23
   19	Oregon	$48,168	$23
   20	Florida	$46,676	$22

   Average catering sales manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbia University in the City of New York	$61,163	$29.41	4
   2	Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady	$58,175	$27.97	1
   3	InterContinental Hotels Group Resources, Inc.	$57,157	$27.48	13
   4	Legend Holdings	$57,149	$27.48	30
   5	Pyramid Hotel Group	$56,834	$27.32
   6	Lettuce Entertain You	$56,773	$27.29	13
   7	Schulte Hospitality Group	$56,772	$27.29	26
   8	The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa	$56,731	$27.27
   9	Crescent Hotels & Resorts	$56,705	$27.26
   10	PCH Hotels & Resorts	$56,694	$27.26	9
   11	Earth Fare	$56,521	$27.17	1
   12	Benchmark Group	$56,396	$27.11
   13	The Marcus Corporation	$56,338	$27.09	7
   14	Commonwealth Hotels	$56,330	$27.08	1
   15	Corner Bakery Cafe	$56,250	$27.04
   16	Hilton	$56,179	$27.01	317
   17	Panera Bread	$56,173	$27.01	75
   18	IHG Owners Association	$56,168	$27.00	27
   19	Penn National Gaming	$56,113	$26.98
   20	Muckleshoot Casino	$56,076	$26.96

4. Writing a catering sales manager job description

   A good catering sales manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a catering sales manager job description:

   Catering sales manager job description example

   The ideal candidate will work closely with the Sales, Catering and Banquets departments to handle all client or event needs from the beginning to the end, including but not limited to, significant solicitation for new business, networking offsite for new business, creating custom menus, detailing all F&B needs, providing AV suggestions, handling guestroom accommodations and amenities, servicing VIP events and accommodations, processing payment methods, vendor coordination, organization of shipment, responsible for proper revenue forecasting for all events, coordinating tastings and detailing appointments, etc., and any additional tasks as deemed necessary by the Director of Catering.
   Job Description
   The principal role of this position is to generate corporate and non-corporate revenues for the catering department by prospecting and soliciting both new and repeat clients. Markets inlcude but not limited to Corporate, Weddings, Fundraisers, Non-Corporate, Social, Education, Government, and other segments.The ideal candidate will be the primary liaison with the hotel operations team and provide consistent feedback with key departments to ensure client success.
   Meet with clients to work out details of their functions Outside calls on prospects to solicit business, analyzes requirements of function, outliness avaialble hotel facilities and services offered and quotes prices Meets with potential clients in order to book definite corporate events Monitor the performance of the events through verifications and analysis of customer satisfaction systems, and seeks feedback from clients Asssits the Director of Catering with budgets and forcasts Review the daily activities, such as:
   1. Catering activity
   2. Purchases
   3. Meetings
   4. Appointments
   5. Tastings
   6. Site Inspections
   Ensures that all BEO's and paperwork has been completed properly and issued in timely fashion Responsible for arranging all food & beverage details for functions assigned Works with clients to prepare menus and floor plans and assists them in other vendor needs. Coordinates the preparation, presentation, and service of food and beverage products of functions to ensure highest quality at all times Develop new ideas to improve the sales and promotion of the Catering and Food and Beverage service of the hotel, in conjunction with Marketing Department, Food and Beverage Department and the Catering Sales staff Any other duties reasonably assigned by Catering DirectorMay be expected to work in other areas of the hotel when needed to assist operations to perform job duties not necessarily contained in this job description.
   
   Special Qualifications, Education, or Licenses:
   College degree preferred2-3 years' experience in a similar position in an upscale HotelAbility to communicate in English both verbally and in writing Knowledge of various food service styles Familiarity with sales and marketing tools Ability to speak to groups of people Understand viticulture and be able to recommend wines Understand alcoholic beverages Understand Culinary terms for menus Learn and master computer programs such as Delphi and Social tables Previous guest relations training and experience Aggressive prospecting and selling Previous experience in Catering and Food ServiceExcellent customer service and communication skills Exert physical effort in transporting up to 30 pounds to and from work area
   
   Additional Job Description
   
   Benefits
   
   Sonesta recognizes that benefits play a vital role in helping ensure the health and financial security of employees and their families. We offer a variety of benefits to our employees including:
   
   Medical, Dental and Vision InsuranceHealth Savings Account with Company Match 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company MatchPaid Vacation and Sick DaysSonesta Hotel DiscountsEducational AssistancePaid Parental LeaveCompany Paid Life InsuranceCompany Paid Short Term and Long Term Disability InsuranceVarious Employee Perks and Discounts
   
   Upon submitting your application, please ensure you complete a full application in addition to attaching a resume. Incomplete applications received will not be considered.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find catering sales managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any catering sales managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level catering sales managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your catering sales manager job on Zippia to find and recruit catering sales manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit catering sales managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new catering sales manager

   Once you've found the catering sales manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new catering sales manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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