Banqueting Event Services Manager at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About the job:

The CSIR has a vacancy for a Banqueting Event Services Manager in the CSIR Conferencing and Accommodation (C&A) portfolio. The incumbent must proactively supervise, coordinate, and control the setup, execution and clearing or breakdown of venues. The Incumbent will be responsible for coordinating and controlling the food and beverage service for CSIR ICC ensuring the client’s venue set up, and food and beverage needs are met and exceed expectations whether on-site or during events. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key responsibilities:

• Liaising with clients during events to ensure client peace of mind and that all client’s requirements are taken care of, and total client satisfaction is ensured;
• Organizing and supervising the daily set up and running of events for the Banqueting Department according to event sheet specifications and set standards;
• Ensuring staff maintain a friendly and efficient service to all customers;
• Control of cashing up of bars and balancing cash float
• Ensuring beverage stock is packed and locked up in the fridge;
• Ensuring front and back-of-house areas are maintained according to set standards;
• Oversee the setup of venues for client events to ensure that space, fittings and fixtures, furniture, and lighting are used to create an atmosphere conducive to improving the client events and leaving brilliant impressions on the minds of all visitors to the Centre;
• Assist the Assistant Banqueting Manager with amending the Banqueting staff duty roster according to business needs and ensuring that the reporting staff are dressed appropriately;
• Liaise with internal clients by attending event sheet meetings, familiarising with event sheets for upcoming events, liaising with Event Coordinators as required, and liaising with other departments as needed to prepare for and execute events;
• Ensure that events run smoothly by ensuring that
  • Logistical requirements are met as per the event sheets, emails, etc. briefing, allocating, and supervising service staff accordingly,
  • Managing client subcontractors to ensure that CSIR ICC rules are adhered to,
  • Checking venue and food service to ensure setups are ready according to standard lead times and quality,
  • Equipment is checked out and back into stores according to standard;
• Check venue temperatures, access doors, lighting, background music, etc., and liaise with other departments to ensure that all venues to be used by clients are prepared to the required standard and ready at least 60 minutes before the scheduled start of use;
• Be the client interface by meeting and greeting the client, introducing yourself, confirming the client’s program, introducing them to their banquet service locations for the day, and confirming any additional needs with them
• Be available to the client throughout their event and, for day/night events hand over the client by introducing them to the replacement Banqueting Event Services Manager if required;
• Responsible for overseeing all operations, safety and security during evening and weekend events.

Qualifications, skills and experience:

• A Matric certificate with a minimum of two to three years’ experience in a convention venue or similar operation/position
• A National Diploma in Hospitality Management or a similar field will be advantageous
• Customer focussed and service driven
• People management skills
• Interpersonal/Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Service excellence skills
• Product and service knowledge
• Knowledge of the industry
• Effective supervision skills
• Complaint handling skills
• Ability to working under pressure