Director of Banquet and Outside Catering Operations

START YOUR JOURNEY WITH US

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai welcomes you to the heart of the city's lively downtown district with modern luxury and award-winning service. Soaring above Sheikh Zayed Road, our bustling and dynamic 5-star hotel is one of the tallest in the world, consisting of two towers with 1608 rooms (with renovation about to start we are operating 804 rooms currently) and boasts awe-inspiring views of the water and Dubai cityscape. Enjoy a swim in the outdoor pool or a workout in the fitness center before easing tired muscles with a massage at Saray Spa. Sample the flavors of the world at our 10 restaurants and lounges, which offer Japanese, Italian, and Thai cuisine amongst others. For those planning an event in downtown Dubai, UAE our hotel offers 80,000 square feet of adaptable space, including a striking ballroom and outdoor venues. Explore, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Opera which are all minutes away.

LOVE WHAT YOU DO EVEN MORE

At JW Marriott®, treating guests exceptionally starts with the way we treat our associates. Because we believe it takes people who genuinely love what they do to create a truly extraordinary experience.

Here at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, we are looking for talented individuals, to join our amazing family and in return we are able to offer you the following:

• An amazing career opportunity to not just work with us but open opportunities worldwide with our extensive portfolio of hotels.
• Learning opportunities with some of the best professionals the region has to offer.
• We aim to promote our associates within as soon as the opportunity arises, so we hope to see you progress your career in line with our training and promotion schedule.
• A competitive salary with excellent benefits which include accommodation, meals on duty, Transportation, and:
  • World class training and development, including leadership development.
  • Recognition programs.
  • Discounted accommodation in over 8,000 hotels all over the world. Yes, 8,000!
  • Discounted food & drink in all our restaurants and bars.
  • Discounts for your friends and family.
  • Unlimited career opportunities (Internationally and locally)
  • Medical and Life insurance
• Amazing support to ensure you have all the tools you require to complete your day-to-day tasks.

JOB SUMMARY

Provides strategic and operational leadership for all Banquet and Outside Catering operations, ensuring the flawless planning and execution of meetings, conferences, weddings, social events, exhibitions, high-profile functions and off-site catering experiences. The position has full accountability for service delivery, guest and client satisfaction, financial performance, workforce planning, operational readiness, asset and logistics control, food safety, legal and brand compliance, and the development of a high-performing leadership team. Works in close partnership with Events Planning, Events Booking Center, Culinary, Stewarding, Engineering, Security, Finance, Procurement and other hotel functions to maximize revenue, productivity, quality and reputation while protecting the hotel’s assets and standards.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

• A Full Time senior leadership position based at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai.
• Operational responsibility for Banquet Operations and Outside Catering Operations across all event spaces and approved off-site venues.
• Number of Direct Reports - includes Assistant Directors, Senior Banquet Managers, Banquet Managers, Outside Catering Managers and other leadership positions as determined by the organizational structure
• Titles of Direct Reports - Assistant Directors, Senior Banquet Managers, Banquet Managers, Outside Catering Managers and below, as applicable.
• Responsible for leading large, complex and simultaneous events requiring extensive cross-functional coordination, logistics and manpower deployment.
• Responsible for the operational execution and delivery of banquet and outside catering business contributing significantly to the hotel's Food & Beverage and Events revenue performance.
• Direct impact on GuestVoice, Event Satisfaction, operational profitability, productivity, brand reputation and client retention.
• Leads large-scale operational teams and workforce deployment supporting hotel-based and off-site events.
• Contributes to the achievement of annual hotel financial, operational, associate engagement and guest satisfaction objectives through operational excellence and leadership.

Education and Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in Banquet, Catering, Food & Beverage or Event Operations within luxury or five-star hotels, with at least 4 years in a senior leadership capacity.

• Proven experience leading high-volume banquet operations and complex outside catering events, including large-scale conferences, weddings, VIP functions, exhibitions and high-profile social or corporate events.
• Demonstrated accountability for departmental budgets, payroll, productivity, cost control, guest satisfaction, talent management and operational performance.
• Strong record of leading multi-cultural teams, developing managers and implementing sustainable operating standards in a demanding luxury hospitality environment.
• Previous UAE or GCC luxury hospitality experience is preferred.
• Previous experience within Marriott International luxury or premium brands is preferred.

Education or Certification

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Hospitality Management, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Food Service Management, Business Administration, Events Management or a related major; equivalent senior-level operational experience may be considered.
• Recognized Food Safety / HACCP certification or equivalent is required or must be obtained in accordance with local and company requirements.
• Additional certifications in occupational health and safety, responsible beverage service, first aid, project management or event operations are advantageous.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes

• Comprehensive knowledge of banquet service, outside catering logistics, event setup, service sequencing, equipment deployment, temporary event infrastructure and luxury service standards.
• Advanced financial and commercial acumen with the ability to interpret budgets, forecasts, labour reports, productivity metrics, event profitability, cost of sales and operational KPIs.
• Strong knowledge of local legal, licensing, food safety, health and safety, alcohol service, transport, security and venue requirements relevant to hotel and outside catering operations.
• High level of proficiency in hotel and event-management systems, point-of-sale systems, Microsoft Office applications and operational reporting tools.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills; additional languages are an advantage.
• Demonstrated executive presence, sound judgment, resilience, organization, negotiation, conflict resolution and decision-making ability.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

The following are specific responsibilities and contributions critical to the successful performance of the position:

1. Provides overall strategic direction and daily leadership for Banquet and Outside Catering Operations, translating hotel objectives into clear operational priorities, standards and measurable results.
2. Owns the end-to-end operational execution of all banquet and outside catering events from final operational handover through setup, service, breakdown, reconciliation and post-event review.
3. Ensures every event is executed in accordance with signed agreements, Banquet Event Orders, floor plans, function sheets, service standards, guest preferences and approved operational requirements.
4. Leads operational readiness meetings for major, complex, VIP and high-risk events and confirms accountability, timing, manpower, equipment, culinary, engineering, security, transportation and contingency requirements.
5. Oversees simultaneous events across multiple venues and makes real-time deployment decisions to protect service quality, timing and guest experience.
6. Establishes, reviews and continuously improves banquet and outside catering operating procedures, service sequences, checklists, deployment standards and quality controls.
7. Maintains visible leadership presence during peak periods, major events and critical service moments and intervenes decisively when service, safety or execution is at risk.
8. Sets the service culture for the department and ensures leaders and associates consistently deliver JW Marriott luxury standards and personalized guest experiences.
9. Builds strong relationships with event organizers, wedding couples, corporate clients, VIP representatives and key decision makers and serves as the senior operational contact for high-profile functions.
10. Reviews guest and client feedback, GuestVoice results, event debriefs and service recovery cases; identifies root causes and implements corrective actions to improve performance.
11. Personally oversees the resolution of significant guest or client concerns and ensures timely, professional and commercially sound service recovery.
12. Partners closely with Events Planning and the Events Booking Center to ensure complete, accurate and operationally realistic handovers before events enter execution.
13. Challenges unclear, incomplete or operationally impractical event requirements before execution and ensures changes are documented, communicated and approved.
14. Supports the commercial team with operational expertise during site inspections, complex proposals, tastings, major account presentations and high-value event negotiations when required.
15. Partners with Events Sales, Event Planning, Revenue Strategy and Food & Beverage leadership to optimize event space utilization, maximize catering contribution and support achievement of annual revenue objectives.
16. Reviews business trends, operational demand patterns and market opportunities and recommends operational strategies that support revenue growth and profitability.
17. Identifies operational upselling opportunities and works with Events, Culinary and Finance to maximize event revenue while protecting guest value and delivery feasibility.
18. Owns departmental financial performance against budget and forecast, including labour, overtime, casual manpower, operating supplies, equipment hire, transportation, breakage and other controllable expenses.
19. Reviews event-level profitability and departmental cost drivers and takes corrective action where labour deployment, rentals, logistics or operating practices are reducing margins.
20. Establishes productivity standards and manpower models that align staffing with event complexity, guest count, service style, setup requirements and business volume.
21. Approves staffing plans and deployment for major events and ensures optimal use of permanent associates, casual labour, agency staff and cross-departmental support.
22. Works with Finance and Human Resources to monitor payroll, overtime, attendance, leave planning, vacancies, turnover and workforce efficiency.
23. Develops annual operating budgets, forecasts, capital requirements and operational plans for Banquet and Outside Catering Operations in partnership with the relevant hotel leaders.
24. Maintains effective inventory and asset controls for banquet furniture, linen, china, glassware, silverware, service equipment, mobile bars, outside catering equipment and other departmental assets.
25. Ensures appropriate par levels, storage standards, preventive maintenance, issue controls, loss prevention and replacement planning are in place for all operational equipment.
26. Leads the planning and control of outside catering logistics, including site inspections, loading plans, transportation, equipment movement, temporary kitchens, utilities, power, refrigeration, waste, stewarding, service stations, staff facilities and return-to-hotel procedures.
27. Ensures off-site venues are operationally assessed before commitment and that risks relating to access, capacity, weather, power, water, food holding, sanitation, emergency response and guest flow are identified and mitigated.
28. Coordinates all necessary permits, approvals, venue requirements and internal authorizations for outside catering operations in partnership with Security, Engineering, Culinary and other stakeholders.
29. Develops robust contingency plans for weather disruption, equipment failure, transport delays, utility interruption, manpower shortages, guest-count changes and other operational risks.
30. Ensures the safe transportation, handling, storage, temperature control and service of food and beverage for all outside catering functions in line with HACCP, local regulations and Marriott requirements.
31. Ensures alcohol service is controlled and compliant with applicable laws, licensing conditions, company policy and responsible service requirements.
32. Maintains strict compliance with food safety, sanitation, occupational health and safety, fire and life safety, security, loss prevention and environmental requirements.
33. Conducts regular operational audits, venue inspections, safety reviews and standards checks and ensures corrective actions are completed within agreed timelines.
34. Partners with Culinary leadership to ensure menu execution, food quality, timing, presentation, replenishment and service logistics meet the agreed event experience.
35. Partners with Stewarding to ensure sufficient clean equipment, dishwashing capacity, waste handling, sanitation and equipment turnaround for all events.
36. Partners with Engineering and IT on power, lighting, audiovisual interfaces, temporary infrastructure, equipment reliability and event-critical technical requirements.
37. Partners with Security and Loss Prevention on VIP movements, crowd flow, restricted areas, emergency procedures, cash or valuable-item controls and outside venue risk management.
38. Partners with Procurement and approved suppliers to ensure rental equipment, outsourced services and third-party support meet quality, safety, timing and cost expectations.
39. Evaluates supplier and contractor performance and escalates recurring service, safety, quality or commercial issues through the appropriate channels.
40. Leads departmental recruitment planning, selection and onboarding in partnership with Human Resources to maintain the leadership and operational capability required by business levels.
41. Builds a strong leadership bench by coaching Assistant Directors, Senior Managers and Managers, setting clear accountability and creating development and succession plans.
42. Sets individual and team performance expectations, conducts regular performance discussions, recognizes strong performance and addresses underperformance promptly and consistently.
43. Creates and maintains a structured training framework covering luxury service, technical banquet skills, outside catering logistics, safety, food hygiene, leadership and event-specific execution.
44. Promotes associate engagement, inclusion, teamwork and accountability and ensures concerns are handled fairly, confidentially and in accordance with company policy.
45. Leads daily and weekly operational meetings as required and communicates business levels, priorities, risks, guest intelligence, financial focus and departmental performance clearly to the team.
46. Uses data and operational reporting to track service quality, guest satisfaction, labour productivity, event profitability, breakage, equipment loss, overtime, training, safety incidents and other key performance indicators.
47. Presents operational performance, risks, major event readiness and improvement priorities to senior hotel leadership and recommends actions supported by clear operational and financial rationale.
48. Leverages emerging event technologies, digital planning platforms, event applications, operational dashboards and analytics tools to improve planning accuracy, communication, guest engagement and execution efficiency.
49. Evaluates operational technology opportunities and supports the implementation of solutions that improve productivity, service consistency and decision-making.
50. Drives innovation in event operations, service delivery, technology, equipment, workflow and manpower deployment to improve efficiency, consistency and guest experience.
51. Champions sustainable event practices including waste reduction, responsible sourcing, circular-use initiatives, food waste control, recycling, efficient energy and water utilization and environmentally responsible event operations in alignment with Marriott sustainability objectives and hotel priorities.
52. Protects the reputation of JW Marriott Marquis Dubai by ensuring all hotel and outside catering events represent the brand professionally in service, presentation, conduct and execution.
53. Acts as the senior operational authority for Banquet and Outside Catering matters and makes timely decisions during critical incidents, service failures or operational disruptions.
54. Assumes additional leadership responsibilities within Events and Food & Beverage operations when required and supports hotel-wide priorities, major activations and special projects.
55. Ensures departmental documentation, licenses, training records, operational records, event files, incident reports and audit evidence are accurate, current and available as required.
56. Maintains confidentiality of guest, client, associate, commercial and proprietary information at all times.
57. Performs other reasonable duties and responsibilities assigned by senior hotel management consistent with the scope and seniority of the position.