Assistant Director of Banquets (Full-Time)

Fairmont Château Laurier is the iconic hotel of Ottawa - Canada's capital city. Built in the age of grandeur, Ottawa's very own castle is a magnificent limestone edifice with turrets and masonry reminiscent of a French château. A symbol of timeless elegance, the hotel combines a distinctive blend of historic charm and modern efficiencies.

Fairmont Château Laurier is proud to provide employment accommodation during the recruitment process. Should you require any accommodations, please notify us.

Our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: We are an inclusive company and our ambition is to attract, recruit and promote diverse talent.

Job Description

Engaging service, delicious cuisine and distinctive surroundings make every special event at Fairmont Château Laurier a truly memorable affair. Reporting to the Director of Banquets, the Assistant Director of Banquets will liaise between multiple departments to ensure the success of every group function – and model exceptional service and leadership skills among your team.

Responsibilities:

• Consistently offer professional, friendly and engaging service;
• Provide leadership, direction, training and support for the Colleagues and leaders in the department;
• Assist in the completion of annual reviews, ongoing mentorship, and providing regular feedback to exceed performance goals;
• Ensure smooth and efficient functioning of the Banquet Department on a daily basis;
• Contribute to the weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual objectives;
• Creative, cost-effective scheduling of the banquet Leadership Team, Captains, Banquet Servers, Coordinator, and Housepersons to minimize productivity to forecast and budget;
• Maintain open communication lines with Catering and Convention Services in order to promote teamwork and exceed guest service expectations;
• Maintain, enforce and enhance Fairmont Service Standards and Conference Services/F&B Core Standards;
• Proactively analyze, develop, and revamp internal processes to create new ways of providing unique and innovative services ideas and incentives;
• Maintain a constructive, harmonious and communicative working relationship with all supporting departments;
• Ensure all financial reporting is maintained and accurate;
• Ensure proper training of Banquets Managers and Colleagues;
• Maintain and enhance staff morale and promote a positive team environment;
• Ensure departmental adherence to, and awareness of Health & Safety standards;
• Share in the responsibility to achieve or exceed financial and guest satisfaction goals for the department;
• Active interaction with guests and conveners on an ongoing basis;
• Assume responsibility for all equipment, inventories, supplies, furniture and fixtures assigned to the Banquet Department;
• Responsible for recruitment and training of new employees and maintain appropriate staffing levels at all times;
• Ensure all union guidelines are followed with regard to seniority and the existing union agreement;
• Establish, evaluate, and enforce performance standards;
• Responsible for the timely, precise and expert execution of all banquets functions;
• Attend Operations meetings, pre-convention meetings and other departmental meetings as required;
• All other related responsibilities and duties.

Qualifications:

• Post-Secondary Education or Hospitality Certificate;
• Post-Secondary Degree in Hospitality or Food and Beverage Management is an asset;
• Minimum five (5) years’ experience in Food and Beverage Management including a minimum of three years in a Banquet Manager or Assistant Banquet Manager setting is an asset;
• Highly organized individual with the ability to multi-task;
• Ability to delegate tasks to team members and ensure their completion with a strict adherence to deadlines;
• Strong, proven leadership qualities and management skills;
• Proven staff scheduling skills;
• Ability to recognize and correct guest service issues through an established presence on the Banquet floor;
• Management/Leadership courses are an asset;
• Working knowledge of Micros, Timesaver, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word;
• Fluent in both official languages is an asset.