Associate Director, Food & Beverage

Company Overview

Who We Are:

Based in Stratford, Ontario, the Stratford Festival is one of the world’s foremost repertory theatre companies. It operates year-round, presenting a season of about a dozen plays each year between the months of April and November, a rich stream of digital content and hundreds of events designed to deepen understanding of the plays. For every person a theatregoer sees on our stages, we have seven people working behind the scenes, some of the world’s most dedicated and experienced arts workers.

The Stratford Festival is committed to ongoing work to support equity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppression in all areas of our work. These areas include play selection, casting, marketing and public relations efforts, education programs, production, design, recruitment of staff and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors.

Why You Should Apply:

• Creative work environment     
• Paid operational shutdown in December, with flexibility of days being used at alternative times during the year
• Group Insurance Benefits
• Employer matched RRSP
• Employee Assistance Program to encourage work-life balance and strong mental health
• Complimentary & discounted ticket offers and events
• Employee discounts on merchandise and event space
• Being a part of the magic of live theatre!

Job Description

The Associate Director, Food and Beverage provides leadership to the senior culinary and service team, who together oversee the recruitment, training, and performance of a large culinary and bars & events service staff team. The role requires advanced financial acumen to manage across a broad portfolio with both internal and external demands.  Cross-functional collaboration is essential to ensure both audiences and internal stakeholders are left delighted by their experience while ensuring efficient management of resources to effectively deliver against aggressive profit targets.  The role is an oversight position, but the direct reports require a high level of hands-on support, and the Associate Director must balance strategic and operational realities with a high degree of business acumen and interpersonal savvy. 

Responsibilities:

• Lead a multi-functional business unit to drive revenue that supports Stratford Festival’s financial targets. 
• Oversee the culinary team to ensure operational efficiency, effective food cost management, enforcement of standards, and waste reduction. 
• Responsible for overseeing menu development for the organization, including comprehensive pricing analysis to ensure profitability of food services at the Festival. 
• Serve as the initial contact for event booking and planning services for both internal and external clients. Distribute the event booking schedule and liaise with other departments to manage events, ensuring appropriate planning and staffing in collaboration with the Events Manager. 
• Forecast Food & Beverage budgets and collaborate with the team to achieve revenue and expense targets aligned with aggressive profit objectives. 
• Develop and implement strategies to increase sales and minimize expenses while maintaining a focus on delivering an excellent guest experience. 
• Regularly manage a core leadership team and oversee 50+ seasonal employees, including culinary and service staff. 
• Support the leadership team in liaising with third-party suppliers to address daily departmental needs and negotiate vendor deals to manage costs effectively. 
• Review daily reports and support leadership team to solve operational issues that affect staff satisfaction and guest experience. 
• Resolve escalated guest issues, including both internal and external clients.  
• Assist Audience Engagement senior leadership in developing and executing 'Sense of Occasion' strategies to ensure the delight of audiences and event guests. 
• Recruit, manage and provide direction and support to employees, fostering professional development, effectively managing performance, and maintaining a caring and inclusive work environment. 
• Adhere to the Stratford Festival Health & Safety Commitment and Procedures and ensure that safe work practices and policies are supported and enforced within reporting structure. 
• Perform other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• University undergraduate degree (four year program) or equivalent (i.e. BA, BSc, BComm, etc) in in Food & Beverage/Hospitality plus advanced knowledge of all regulations affecting the food service and liquor sales industry. 
• 4 to 6 years of related experience. 
• Ability to build rapport and effective working relationships with internal and external clients, vendors and staff. 
• Ability to work in high-pressure situations and apply solid problem solving skills.  
• Ability to delegate and work independently anticipating event and team needs 
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and events simultaneously 
• Advanced financial acumen, including demonstrated proficiency in forecasting, pricing, and ongoing alignment to budgets that exceed $2M in annual revenues. 
• Strong culinary management background considered an asset. 

Behavioural Competencies:

• Leadership: successfully guide others to maximize their capabilities to achieve a collective goal; help them to succeed and thrive 
• Critical thinking: effectively and efficiently contextualize situations, explore alternatives and select optimal solutions 
• Decision-making: rationally, objectively and expediently make transparent and fair decisions
• Analytical skills: gather relevant information, see patterns in data and make appropriate connections to enable informed decision-making