Director of food and beverage

About this search

This is a confidential executive search managed by The Wilkinson Firm on behalf of a premium full-service hotel and convention property in the Greenville, NC market. The hiring property is a brand-grade operator with established banquet, conference, restaurant, bar and catering operations. Client identity is disclosed to qualified candidates after a screening interview with The Wilkinson Firm.

About the role

The Director of Food and Beverage leads the full food and beverage operation of the property: banquets and catering, restaurant and bar, in-room dining, and stewarding. The Director owns the department's financial performance, service standards, and leadership bench, and partners with the General Manager, Sales, Convention Services and Culinary to deliver brand-grade events for groups of several hundred guests on a weekly basis. This is a working leader for a high-volume banquet house. The right candidate has run banquet or F&B operations at a full-service hotel or convention property, has hired and developed managers, and is comfortable on the floor for a 600-guest dinner.

Reporting

Reports to: General Manager

Supervises: Banquet Manager, Assistant Banquet Manager, Restaurant and Bar leadership, Banquet Captains, Stewarding, and Temporary/Event Staff

Department: Food & Beverage

Location

This role is located in the Greenville, NC market. We welcome candidates relocating from or commuting within Eastern North Carolina and Virginia, including the Raleigh, Durham and Research Triangle corridor, Wilmington, New Bern and the Hampton Roads area.

Key responsibilities

• Lead all food and beverage outlets with full accountability for revenue, labor, cost of goods, and guest satisfaction
• Build the annual F&B budget and forecast; manage departmental P&L to plan
• Direct banquet and catering execution for meetings, conferences, galas, weddings and social events, including review of Banquet Event Orders and pre-shift leadership
• Recruit, hire, train, coach and develop department managers and supervisors; build a leadership bench that runs without the Director on the floor
• Set and enforce brand service standards, sanitation, safety, and responsible alcohol service across every outlet
• Partner with Sales and Convention Services on menu design, pricing, and the group booking pipeline
• Manage purchasing, inventory, vendor relationships, and equipment for the department
• Serve as senior Manager on Duty for major events; resolve client and guest concerns directly

What the right candidate brings

• Five or more years of progressive F&B leadership at a full-service hotel, resort, convention center, or comparable high-volume operation, including at least two years at the department-head or senior banquet-manager level
• Demonstrated P&L ownership and labor management in a banquet-heavy house
• Experience with brand-managed properties and brand quality standards preferred
• Strong hiring and development record; a leader people follow
• Willingness to work evenings, weekends and holidays as the event calendar requires
• Food safety and responsible alcohol service certifications current or obtainable within 30 days

Compensation

Base salary up to $85,000 depending on experience, plus the property's standard benefits. Title and level are flexible for the right candidate; a strong Banquet Manager ready for the next step will be considered.

How to apply

Apply with a current resume. Qualified candidates will be contacted by The Wilkinson Firm for a confidential screening conversation.