Private Events & Sales Coordinator
Department: Social Enterprise
Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time
Location: Seattle, WA.
Pay Rate: $26.15-$28.28/hour
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
FareStart has been helping people transform their lives through food for 30 years — one person, one job and one community at a time.
People experiencing poverty struggle to escape the cycle they are in and often face other compounding barriers to getting and keeping a job. At FareStart, we help people overcome barriers by teaching work and life skills needed to succeed in employment and in life. By investing in people, providing meals and building community, we transform homelessness, hunger and poverty into human potential.
OUR VISION
Every individual has the opportunity to thrive in an equitable and just world.
OUR MISSION
FareStart transforms lives, disrupts poverty and nourishes communities through food, life skills and job training.
OUR VALUES
- Acceptance: We build relationships based on the belief that the past informs but does not dictate the future.
- Respect: We treat everyone with dignity, regardless of background or differences. We actively listen and seek first to understand. We are honest, even when it is difficult.
- Openness: We create a culture of trust through transparency and open communication. We are open to new ideas.
- Collaboration: Contribute positively to strengthen the organization and our impact through teamwork and through partnerships.
- Accountability: We are responsible to each other, to our community and ourselves. We are committed to rigorous evaluation and making fiscally responsible decisions that align with our mission.
- Inclusion: We provide a community of belonging, regardless of background. We value and seek out diversity.
- Growth: We are a learning organization. We invest in continuous improvement and growth.
ABOUT THE POSITION
This position supports the Box Lunch and Private Event Programs through administration, event coordination, and strong client communication. This role ensures accurate documentation, billing, and logistics while helping deliver seamless service from inquiry to execution. Serving as a link between clients, the sales team, and operations, this position upholds high standards of organization, service, and professionalism.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:
- Coordinate and generate catering event correspondence, banquet event orders (BEOs), thank-you letters, event parking requests, name cards, floorplans, handouts, brochures, and other materials.
- Distribute BEOs, change logs, and other reports as needed.
- Submit final billing documentation to Catering Sales Team and Finance Team, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
- Intake initial catering inquiries via phone and email.
- Monitor and answer restaurant phone calls and take ad-hoc box lunch orders.
- Create task lists for front-of-house (FOH) staff for events, overseeing execution and assist as needed.
- Greet and run through brief training/orientation for external event staff.
- Print materials for FOH staff on event days.
- Coordinate logistics for box lunch program.
- Monitor BEOs in conjunction with management and alert culinary team of updates.
- Point of contact for minor adjustments to box lunch orders and private events.
- Deliver box lunches as needed.
- Create pack lists for offsite catering orders that require specific disposables.
- Create and print menus and buffet labels for private events.
- Act as event lead for private events.
- Act as a liaison between the sales team and clients as needed.
- Maintain catering sales share resources as needed.
- Attend trade shows and networking events as assigned.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
Don’t meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At FareStart, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
- Associate’s degree and four (4) or more years of food and beverage experience, private dining and/or catering sales experience; and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- A valid Washington State Driver’s License with a five (5) year clean driving record.
- A valid King County Food Handler’s Permit.
- A valid WSLCB Servers Permit.
- Demonstrated knowledge of catering software and diagramming (or design) software and Toast POS.
- Proficient and experienced in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams. Ability to work with customized databases and technology and to conduct internet research.
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
- Excellent organizational skills with the ability to balance and prioritize multiple tasks and requests and meet deadlines in a professional manner. Ability to be flexible and adaptable and change plans as needed.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to adapt communication based on audience and purpose with inclusivity.
- Ability to listen patiently and attentively, ability to express self clearly and effectively, and the ability to adapt communication based on audience and purpose with inclusivity.
- Ability to work independently as well as within diverse teams and environments, while treating everyone with respect.
- Ability to communicate effectively and comfortably with audiences of different backgrounds and experiences.
- Ability to employ best practices associated with the position, while displaying an on-going commitment to learning and self-improvement.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
- This position is exposed to a typical office environment.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.
- There may be a combination of remote work and onsite work dependent upon business needs.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
- This position may frequently be required to lift and/or move up to twenty-five (25) pounds and occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to fifty (50) pounds.
- This position is regularly required to stand for up to eight (8) hours or more.
- This position is occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand. The employee is frequently required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, or crouch.
BENEFIT HIGHLIGHTS
- Competitive pay based on experience and qualifications
- Paid time-off (5 weeks first year of employment)
- Paid holidays, including up 2 floating holidays
- 401(k) savings plan with company match
- Medical (including vision), Dental, Disability, and Life Insurance
- Employee discounts at FareStart retail social enterprises
- Employee Assistance Program
- Free ORCA pass
Why Should You Apply?
- Be part of our mission to disrupt poverty.
- Join a supportive, respectful, and celebratory community among our staff, students, board, and volunteers.
- Organizational commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
- FareStart encourages the personal and professional growth of its employees.
For information on FareStart, including more information on employee benefits and our company culture, visit our website at: www.farestart.org/about
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity
FareStart is committed to becoming a fully inclusive, antiracist, diverse organization. To fulfill our mission, vision, and values we are seeking candidates who demonstrate shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism.
Our Commitment to Anti-Racism
FareStart defines antiracism as the clear acknowledgment that racism permeates organizations, communities, and industries, including our own. We recognize that we have a duty to be vigilant in addressing and confronting racism in how we make decisions, show up in our communities, build business practices and policies, and engage in intentional partnerships and philanthropic endeavors to fulfill our mission and vision.
