Part-Time Event/Catering Captain

Company: Italic Catering
Location: Longmont, Colorado, and event locations
Position type: Part-time, event-based

Base Wage: $26 per hour (initial wage). Could be raised to $30 per hour based on your performance over a 3-month period.

Expected total hourly earnings range: $26–$40 per hour, including optional tips when available. Optional tips vary by event and are distributed through a two-week pool with other eligible event team members and kitchen staff. Tip amounts are not guaranteed.

About the Role:

The Event/Catering Captain leads event execution from preparation through setup, service, strike down, and reporting. The Captain coordinates with the team through Sling, follows the event plan and company procedures, and helps ensure clients, guests, staff, and venue partners receive professional service. This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced catering professional. Captains are expected to arrive prepared, give the team clear direction, handle equipment carefully, communicate problems promptly, and take responsibility for completing assigned tasks.

Responsibilities:

Event Preparation and Team Communication:

Review the event order, timeline, menu, staffing plan, venue details, and service instructions before each event.
Contact the assigned team through Sling before the event to confirm details and make sure staff know their arrival time, uniform, responsibilities, and event expectations.
Monitor Sling for event updates and share relevant changes with the team.
Raise missing information, supply needs, staffing concerns, or other potential problems with the manager as early as possible.
Conduct venue walkthroughs at locations where Italic Catering provides service, as assigned. Review access, setup areas, kitchen or staging space, guest flow, loading and unloading, and other logistics. Share relevant findings with the manager and event team.
Follow packing lists and event checklists to verify that food, beverages, supplies, equipment, linens, and service items are packed.
Check items for quantity and condition before loading, and ensure they are secured properly for transport.
Arrive on time and ready to work in the required attire.

Event Leadership:

Lead setup and assign clear responsibilities to event staff.
Brief the team on the schedule, menu, service style, guest needs, and service standards.
Set the expectation that every team member clocks in and out accurately using the required timekeeping process. Remind staff to record their own actual work time and promptly report missed punches or discrepancies to the manager.
Coordinate with the kitchen, venue staff, vendors, and event contact as needed.
Keep service organized and on schedule while maintaining a welcoming, professional atmosphere.
Monitor food presentation, service quality, cleanliness, and staff readiness.
Handle routine issues calmly and contact the manager promptly when a decision or support is needed.
Treat management, guests, clients, coworkers, venue staff, and vendors with courtesy and respect.

Uniform and Presentation:

Wear the required event uniform: dress shirt and pants, half apron, tie, and black non-slip shoes.
A casual shirt or T-shirt may be worn during setup, but change into the required uniform before the event begins.
Follow any event-specific uniform direction. Casual-event or summer exceptions may be approved, but attire must always be clean, neat, and professional.

Strike Down and Event Reporting:

Lead strike down and cleaning according to the event plan and venue requirements.
Use the checklist to verify that company equipment, supplies, and rentals are accounted for before leaving the venue.
Check the vehicle and returned items when unloading at the Longmont shop. Promptly report missing, damaged, or malfunctioning items.
Complete a Captain’s Log after each event. Include:
- What went well and what could be improved.
- Staff arrival and departure times, including late arrivals, early departures, or timekeeping discrepancies.
- Specific examples of strong performance or follow-through concerns that affected the event.
- Client or venue feedback, incidents, missing or damaged items, and follow-up needs.
Keep the log factual and limited to what you directly observed. Submit it directly to management or through the designated management-only reporting channel. Management reviews concerns and determines any follow-up.

Professional Standards:

Respectful communication: Speak professionally, including during stressful moments and when receiving feedback. Raise concerns calmly with the manager. Abusive language, intimidation, or threats to quit in response to being confronted are not acceptable.
Follow procedures: Use the event order, Sling instructions, checklists, uniform requirements, food-safety practices, and other established procedures. Ask before making significant changes.
Careful handling: Handle food, equipment, décor, vehicles, and client or venue property with care. Do not rush in ways that cause items to be damaged, misplaced, or left behind.
Accurate timekeeping: Record your own actual work time correctly and reinforce the same expectation with the event team. Do not alter another employee’s time record.
Accountability: Take responsibility for assigned tasks, communicate problems promptly, and help correct mistakes. Do not conceal errors or assume someone else will resolve them.
Professional leadership: Be punctual, prepared, composed, and helpful. Give staff clear direction without disrespect or unnecessary confrontation.
Reliable attendance: Accept shifts you can work, arrive on time, and notify the manager as early as possible if an emergency affects your availability.

Qualifications:

At least 10 years of professional catering or banquet experience, including substantial experience leading events as a captain, banquet lead, or in an equivalent role.
Ability to lead events independently while following written instructions and company procedures.
Strong knowledge of buffet, plated, and family-style service.
Proven organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Professional judgment and a steady approach under pressure.
Comfortable using Sling and completing event checklists and written reports.
Reliable transportation to the Longmont shop and event locations.
Availability for event shifts, including evenings and weekends.
Ability to perform the physical work of setup, service, loading, and strike down, including standing for extended periods and lifting or carrying event items.

Paid Working Interview:

Candidates may be invited to complete a scheduled working interview at an event. The working interview is paid at the $26-per-hour base wage for all time worked. Candidates must record their working time using the required timekeeping process. Any tip eligibility will follow the company’s written tip-pool policy.

What Success Looks Like:

A successful captain prepares the team before the event, arrives ready to lead, follows the event plan, completes assigned venue walkthroughs, reinforces accurate timekeeping, and protects equipment and property. They communicate promptly when something needs attention and submit a clear, factual log after every event so management can recognize strong work and address problems consistently.

Italic Catering

Part-Time Event/Catering Captain

About the Job