Position Summary The Assistant Food & Beverage Manager - Banquets & Events is a key salaried operational leader within Mountain Lake Food & Beverage and serves primarily as the resort's Banquet Manager. This position is responsible for the successful planning, coordination, setup, execution, service, and breakdown of banquet functions, weddings, rehearsal dinners, group meals, meetings, special events, festivals, and other catered experiences throughout the resort. This position works closely with the Food & Beverage Manager, Kitchen & Restaurant Operations Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, Sales, Catering & Events, Culinary, and other resort departments. The role serves as an operational bridge between the event promise made during the sales and planning process and the experience ultimately delivered to the guest. The successful manager must be equally comfortable leading a fast-paced, high-volume festival function, coordinating multiple events occurring simultaneously, and executing an elevated plated dinner or wedding reception requiring precise timing, presentation, professionalism, and service. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Banquet & Event Operations

• Serve as the primary operational leader for banquet and catered Food & Beverage functions throughout Mountain Lake.
• Coordinate and oversee weddings, rehearsal dinners, receptions, corporate meetings, conferences, group meals, social events, holiday functions, festivals, and resort special events.
• Review Banquet Event Orders (BEOs), event resumes, diagrams, menus, timelines, guarantees, special requests, dietary needs, VIP information, and other event documentation before execution.
• Ensure function spaces are properly set according to event specifications, service standards, safety requirements, and Mountain Lake expectations.
• Conduct pre-function inspections of tables, chairs, linens, place settings, buffets, beverage stations, bars, service equipment, staging areas, and other Food & Beverage requirements.
• Lead pre-shift and pre-event meetings so associates understand assignments, timing, menu details, service sequence, VIPs, dietary restrictions, and special guest needs.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on management presence throughout functions and respond immediately to operational or guest-service needs.
• Coordinate service timing between banquet service teams and Culinary to protect food quality, temperature, presentation, and the event timeline.
• Ensure proper breakdown, cleaning, storage, inventory return, closing procedures, and post-event reporting. Weddings & Elevated Events
• Serve as a primary Food & Beverage operational contact during wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, and other significant social events.
• Partner with Sales, Catering & Events to understand the client's vision and translate the event plan into polished operational execution.
• Ensure elevated service standards for plated dinners, receptions, VIP functions, formal dinners, and premium guest experiences.
• Coordinate cocktail hours, dinner service, speeches, cake service, beverage service, late-night offerings, and other Food & Beverage components with the master event timeline.
• Anticipate guest and client needs while maintaining professional, polished, calm, and discreet service.
• Respond confidently to last-minute changes without allowing behind-the-scenes adjustments to negatively affect the guest experience. Groups, Meetings & Conferences
• Coordinate Food & Beverage execution for resort groups, meetings, retreats, conferences, tours, reunions, and organized group business.
• Work closely with Sales, Catering & Events to understand group expectations before arrival and throughout the group's stay.
• Ensure breaks, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, receptions, bars, hospitality functions, and special meals are delivered accurately and on schedule.
• Communicate changes in guarantees, timing, locations, dietary requirements, and operational needs promptly to all affected departments.
• Develop professional working relationships with group contacts and respond promptly to operational requests. Festivals & High-Volume Resort Events
• Play a leadership role in Food & Beverage operations for festivals, holiday programming, resort celebrations, special weekends, and high-volume events.
• Assist in developing operational plans for temporary service locations, outdoor functions, bars, concessions, buffets, beverage stations, and event-specific operations.
• Coordinate staffing, equipment, supplies, product movement, replenishment, sanitation, and breakdown requirements.
• Remain calm, organized, visible, and solutions-oriented during periods of significant guest volume.
• Assist with contingency planning for weather, attendance changes, equipment issues, staffing shortages, timing changes, or other operational challenges.

Sales, Catering & Events Partnership This position is an important operational connection between Sales, Catering & Events and Food & Beverage Operations. The Assistant Food & Beverage Manager - Banquets & Events is expected to help ensure that commitments made to clients are clearly understood, operationally realistic, properly communicated, and successfully delivered.

• Participate in appropriate event planning, resume, BEO, and operational meetings.
• Review upcoming group and event business sufficiently in advance to identify staffing, equipment, setup, culinary, beverage, timing, and logistical requirements.
• Identify operational concerns before events occur and communicate practical solutions.
• Participate in site visits and client meetings when Food & Beverage operational expertise is beneficial.
• Maintain clear communication regarding guest-count changes, menus, timing, service requirements, locations, and special requests.
• Provide post-event feedback to Sales, Catering & Events, Culinary, and Food & Beverage leadership.
• Help identify opportunities to improve banquet offerings, guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and event revenue. Culinary Coordination
• Work directly with the Kitchen & Restaurant Operations Manager and Culinary leadership to coordinate event execution.
• Confirm menu timing, quantities, dietary accommodations, service sequence, presentation expectations, and special requirements.
• Coordinate timing between the kitchen and banquet service team so food is served at the proper temperature, quality, and presentation standard.
• Communicate guest-count changes and special requests promptly and accurately.
• Assist with buffet presentation, replenishment, action stations, dessert displays, coffee service, and other event food presentations.
• Maintain strong communication between front-of-house banquet operations and back-of-house Culinary operations.
• Participate in post-event reviews to identify opportunities for improved execution. Leadership & Associate Development
• Supervise banquet servers, bartenders, banquet captains, setup associates, temporary staff, and other associates assigned to events.
• Assist with banquet scheduling based on event volume, service style, setup needs, and operational requirements.
• Coordinate with Food & Beverage leadership regarding staffing needs across outlets and banquet operations.
• Train associates on banquet service standards, sequence of service, setup standards, guest interaction, sanitation, responsible alcohol service, and Mountain Lake expectations.
• Assign stations and responsibilities before each function and verify associates understand their roles.
• Coach associates during service and provide immediate, constructive feedback when standards are not being met.
• Recognize strong performance and promote teamwork, accountability, professionalism, and care for one another.
• Assist with onboarding and continued development of Food & Beverage associates.
• Lead by example and work alongside the team whenever necessary to ensure successful execution. Financial & Business Responsibilities
• Understand banquet revenue, labor, food cost, beverage cost, and other departmental financial considerations.
• Assist Food & Beverage leadership with labor planning based on banquet and event forecasts while maintaining appropriate service levels.
• Monitor banquet supplies, equipment, linens, glassware, china, flatware, and service items.
• Help minimize breakage, loss, waste, overproduction, and unnecessary expense.
• Ensure appropriate controls are followed for alcoholic beverages, cash handling, and other high-value inventory.
• Assist with accurate billing information, consumption reporting, event charges, bar reporting, and operational documentation.
• Identify opportunities to increase banquet and event revenue through upgraded service offerings, beverage opportunities, enhanced experiences, and operational recommendations. Guest Experience Standards
• Maintain a visible leadership presence during functions and throughout guest-facing Food & Beverage areas.
• Personally interact with clients, group leaders, wedding couples, and guests when appropriate.
• Anticipate needs rather than waiting for complaints or requests.
• Address guest concerns immediately whenever possible and involve additional leadership when necessary.
• Ensure banquet service reflects the hospitality, warmth, professionalism, and sense of place expected at Mountain Lake.
• Reinforce the Mountain Lake Promise in daily decisions, associate coaching, and guest interactions. Safety, Sanitation & Responsible Service
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, health department, and Mountain Lake standards.
• Maintain safe, clean, organized banquet service, storage, staging, and back-of-house areas.
• Ensure proper handling and storage of food, beverages, equipment, and supplies.
• Follow and enforce responsible alcohol-service requirements and applicable Virginia ABC regulations.
• Immediately report accidents, injuries, safety concerns, property damage, and significant guest incidents.
• Ensure event areas, service corridors, staging areas, and back-of-house spaces remain safe and professional throughout setup, service, and breakdown. Operational Support & Resort-Wide Leadership
• Assist restaurant, bar, pool, outdoor, and other Food & Beverage operations when business needs require.
• Participate in the Mountain Lake Manager on Duty program as assigned.
• Support major resort festivals, weddings, holiday programming, and property-wide events.
• Assist other departments during periods of high occupancy or unusual operational demand.
• Respond to guest concerns throughout the property when acting in a management capacity.
• Participate in management meetings, training programs, inspections, and special projects. Qualifications Required
• Previous supervisory or management experience in banquets, catering, restaurants, hotels, resorts, clubs, event venues, or a comparable hospitality environment.
• Demonstrated experience executing banquet or special-event functions.
• Strong understanding of banquet setup, sequence of service, and service standards.
• Ability to successfully manage both high-volume functions and elevated service environments.
• Ability to read, interpret, and execute Banquet Event Orders and event specifications.
• Strong organizational, time-management, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to professionally interact with wedding couples, event clients, group contacts, resort guests, associates, and leadership.
• Ability to lead teams in a fast-paced and frequently changing environment while maintaining composure and professionalism.
• Working knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and responsible alcohol service. Preferred
• Three or more years of progressively responsible Food & Beverage experience.
• Previous banquet management, catering management, or resort event experience.
• Experience with weddings and formal plated dinner service.
• Experience with outdoor events, festivals, and high-volume functions.
• Experience within a full-service hotel or destination resort.
• Knowledge of banquet/event management, point-of-sale, scheduling, and hotel systems.
• ServSafe and/or responsible alcohol-service certification. Physical Requirements
• Stand and walk for extended periods throughout banquet rooms, kitchens, service corridors, outdoor event areas, and resort facilities.
• Bend, reach, push, pull, and carry banquet supplies and equipment.
• Lift and carry up to 40 pounds independently and heavier items with assistance.
• Work indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Navigate stairs, uneven surfaces, event lawns, and multiple resort buildings.
• Maintain the physical stamina necessary for extended banquet, wedding, and festival operations.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Schedule Expectations This is a full-time salaried management position. The schedule is based on resort business levels, group activity, weddings, festivals, and event requirements. This position must be available to work days, evenings, weekends, holidays, early mornings, late evenings, and extended shifts during major events or periods of high business volume. The manager is expected to schedule around the needs of the business and should anticipate that many weddings, festivals, and major resort functions occur during evenings and weekends. Success in This Position

• Guest, wedding couple, client, and group satisfaction.
• Banquet service quality, consistency, professionalism, and timeliness.
• Accuracy of event execution against BEOs, diagrams, timelines, and client commitments.
• Food and beverage quality, temperature, presentation, and service coordination.
• Associate preparedness, training, engagement, and professionalism.
• Effective communication between Sales, Catering & Events, Culinary, and Food & Beverage Operations.
• Effective labor management and responsible use of resort resources.
• Reduction of preventable event errors, service failures, waste, and breakage.
• Safety, sanitation, and responsible alcohol-service compliance.
• Ability to successfully execute multiple, elevated, and high-volume events.
• Contribution to banquet revenue growth and the overall Mountain Lake guest experience.

Leadership Expectation At Mountain Lake, successful banquet leadership is about more than setting tables and serving meals. Events often represent some of the most important moments our guests will experience on the mountain—a wedding, family celebration, reunion, corporate gathering, holiday tradition, festival, or once-in-a-lifetime visit. The Assistant Food & Beverage Manager - Banquets & Events is expected to bring together planning, people, food, beverage, timing, presentation, communication, and hospitality so the experience feels seamless to the guest, even when significant coordination is occurring behind the scenes. Additional Duties This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the person assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Mountain Lake reserves the right to modify responsibilities based on operational needs. Other duties may be assigned by the Food & Beverage Manager, Kitchen & Restaurant Operations Manager, Director of Food & Beverage, General Manager, or other authorized leadership.

Pay:

$45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) matching Dental insurance Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Paid time off Paid training Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person