Director, Conferences, Events & Catering

Description:

University of Toronto Food Services delivers a diverse range of dining and hospitality services to students, faculty, staff, and the broader Toronto and regional communities. Food Services operations include residence dining, retail food outlets including self-branded concepts, franchise partners and third-party partners, vending, conferences and events, catering services, campus beverage services and campus events. We also support a variety of initiatives that enhance student life and community and cultural engagement.

As a self-funded department, Food Services is committed to providing exceptional customer experiences through meaningful, authentic, and innovative programs while achieving positive net income and maintaining financial sustainability for the programs. We strive to create a vibrant campus environment that supports the needs of the campus community and greater Toronto and regional communities.

Reporting to the Executive Director Food, Catering and Campus Events, the Director, Conferences, Events and Catering (CEC) is a senior leader responsible for leading a team of conference, events and catering professionals to develop, manage and operationalize exceptional conference, events and catering experiences. The Director CECS develops, leads, and oversees the execution of all activities, consistent with in-class conference, events and catering operations in the competitive market, for The Conference Centre at the University of Toronto, Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus Events Spaces and future conference and events spaces, St. George Catering, and Campus Beverage Services (alcohol service for the conference and events spaces, and the greater campus).

Your Opportunity

The Director, Conferences, Events and Catering (CEC) develops and leads the operational programs for conferences, events, catering, and beverage services by implementing industry-leading standards that align with both external market expectations and the University's mission and strategic objectives. The role is accountable for leading the delivery of exceptional end-to-end client experiences across the conference, events, catering and beverage services portfolio, serving as the primary driver of service excellence from initial client engagement through event execution and post-event evaluation.

The Director oversees the full lifecycle of conference, events, catering, and beverage services, ensuring a seamless and highly responsive client journey from concept and operational development, proposal creation and contract negotiation, through planning, delivery, and post-event follow-up. The Director works closely with key clients and event organizers, and leads culinary, and operational staff managers for the design of customized event solutions, tailored food and beverage and service offerings, and oversees the sales and business development team to establish pricing and service packages.

The Director champions a client-centric approach, building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders while identifying opportunities to enhance service offerings, increasing client satisfaction, and strengthening the University's reputation as a premier conference and event destination. The role provides strategic oversight and hands-on leadership for high-profile, complex, and revenue-generating events, often maintaining an on-site presence to ensure flawless execution, proactively resolving issues to deliver superior guest experiences. The Director works closely with the SRIC Eco System to support mission aligned events and conferences. Through continuous assessment of service standards, market trends, and client feedback, the Director drives operational excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth across the conference, events, catering, and beverage services portfolio.

The Director is accountable for performance indicators (KPIs) related to sales growth, conversion rates, and operational utilization across the conference and events spaces. This includes establishing and monitoring revenue and sales targets, leading business development initiatives, maximizing lead generation and prospect engagement, and driving the conversion of inquiries and proposals into confirmed bookings. The role is responsible for optimizing venue utilization to maximize capacity, profitability, and operational efficiency while maintaining exceptional service standards. Through the analysis of performance metrics, market demand, booking trends, staff productivity, and resource allocation, the Director implements strategies to increase revenue, improve conversion rates, enhance utilization levels, and achieve overall business objectives. The Director also establishes performance expectations for staff and monitors individual and team KPIs related to sales activity, client retention, booking conversion, event execution, labor utilization, and customer satisfaction to ensure continuous improvement and accountability across the department.

Qualifications Required:

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field, with a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible conference and event management experience, including at least five (5) years in a leadership capacity. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of progressive conference, meetings, and event management, and food and beverage experience, with five (5) years in a leadership or management role.
• Experience creating and managing budgets, forecasts, performing financial analysis, and client contract management.
• Experience delivering large-scale conferences and events.
• Experience managing in a unionized environment an asset.

SKILLS:

• Demonstrated strategic leadership and team management skills
• Conference and event planning expertise
• Exceptional communication and client stakeholder relationship skills
• Strong organizational abilities
• Proficiency with event management platforms and Microsoft suite of applications
• Ability to manage multiple large-scale events simultaneously
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, strategic planning, and decision-making skills

OTHER:

• Budget and financial analysis skills, including the ability to interpret financial information and make recommendations and implement decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to drive service excellence through customer-centric approach to operations.
• Ability to lead and manage a large workforce, ideally familiar with labour relations practices.
• Must be able to work independently and have a proactive approach to resolving issues.
• Good organizational skills, administrative skills, and the ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Must have good motivational, conflict resolution, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills; and conceptual and strategic thinking skills.

Closing Date: 08/20/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Personnel Subarea: PM
Appointment Type : Ancillary Operations
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  PM 5 -- Hiring Zone: $120,499 - $140,583 -- Broadband Salary Range: $120,499 - $200,831
Job Category: Hospitality