Restaurant Associates
Position Title: Catering Operations Manager
Salary: $80,000 - $85,000
Other Forms of Compensation:
Become part of Restaurant Associates, the industry's leading provider of dining and event catering for some of the nation's most prestigious museums, performing arts centers and corporations! Voted Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards - Best Places to Work, This is R/A **!
Job Summary**
At Restaurant Associates, we create hospitality experiences that complement some of the world's most inspiring cultural institutions. As Catering Operations Manager at LACMA , you will play a key role in bringing memorable events to life across one of Los Angeles' most iconic museum campuses.
Working at the intersection of culinary excellence, art, and guest experience, this role oversees the successful planning and execution of on-site and off-site events that may include exhibition openings, donor and patron events, galas, corporate entertaining, weddings, and private celebrations. You'll collaborate closely with culinary, sales, museum stakeholders, and vendor partners to ensure each event reflects LACMA's creative spirit while delivering Restaurant Associates' signature hospitality.
This is an opportunity for an operationally thoughtful, people-centered leader who enjoys managing complexity, building strong teams, and creating experiences that feel seamless to guests.
Key Responsibilities
Partner with clients, museum stakeholders, and internal teams to understand event vision, scope, setting, menus, entertainment, and service expectations-ensuring each event is delivered within established budgets and guidelines
Collaborate with chefs and culinary leadership to design menus that align with the event concept, seasonality, and guest experience
Oversee planning and execution of a diverse portfolio of events across LACMA's indoor and outdoor venues, supporting both public-facing and private events
Negotiate and manage vendor relationships and contracts, including rentals, entertainment, décor, and specialty services
Delegate effectively to Event Managers and operations teams, ensuring events are executed according to established standards, timelines, and service expectations
Recruit, interview, onboard, train, and support both full-time and event-based team members
Build schedules and staffing plans that balance service excellence, labor efficiency, and team wellbeing
Foster an inclusive, motivated, and engaged catering team through clear communication, coaching, and leadership presence
Maintain accurate financial, administrative, and operational records, including budgets, forecasts, and post-event reporting
Serve as a central point of coordination between Sales Catering Managers, culinary teams, staffing partners, vendors, suppliers, rental companies, and clients
Review contracts and event details to ensure alignment with services delivered and guest expectations
Conduct post-event evaluations to assess quality, financial performance, and opportunities for continuous improvement
Address guest or client concerns with professionalism and care, ensuring timely resolution and follow-up, including billing and payment coordination
What We're Looking For
Experience leading catering or event operations within hospitality, cultural institutions, or high-touch event environments
A collaborative leadership style with the ability to guide teams through complex, fast-paced event schedules
Strong organizational and time-management skills, with comfort managing multiple events simultaneously
Financial acumen, including experience with budgeting, labor management, forecasting, and P&L oversight
Clear and confident communication skills, both written and verbal, with clients, vendors, and senior stakeholders
Comfort working independently while also partnering closely with cross-functional teams
Thoughtful problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt quickly as event needs evolve
Negotiation and relationship-management skills that build trust with vendors and culinary partners
Experience hiring, training, mentoring, and developing hospitality teams
Ability to establish credibility and effective partnerships with culinary leadership and museum stakeholders
Familiarity with off-premise or large-scale catering environments is a plus
Three plus years of hospitality or events management experience, or a combination of experience and capability that demonstrates readiness for this role
Apply to Restaurant Associates today!
Restaurant Associates is a member of Compass Group USA
Click here to Learn More about the Compass Story (http://www.compass-usa.com/our-story/)
Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.
Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.
Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/
Associates at Restaurant Associates are offered many fantastic benefits.
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life Insurance/ AD
Disability Insurance
Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off
Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
Associate Shopping Program
Health and Wellness Programs
Discount Marketplace
Identity Theft Protection
Pet Insurance
Commuter Benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Paid Parental Leave
Personal Leave
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Restaurant Associates maintains a drug-free workplace.
Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here (https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023\WageTransparency\RA.pdf) or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.
https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023\WageTransparency\RA.pdf
Req ID: 1521160
Restaurant Associates
Michael Abbey
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