Our Vision:
Central Synagogue is one of the leading and largest Reform congregations in the country. Located in Midtown Manhattan, Central’s reach includes more than 2,800 member families, a livestream community numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and more than 800 students, from birth to twelfth grade, in the Nursery and Religious schools. It has long played a significant role in the national Reform movement and is known for its innovation and leadership in worship, leading to a greatly expanded audience over the last two decades.
Central Synagogue works toward a world in which Judaism is core to the lives of Central members and Jews everywhere and is a profound and positive force for humanity. Central continually redefines what it means to be Jewish today, both within the Synagogue community and far beyond the Synagogue’s walls. The diverse clergy and professional team work hard, in collaboration with lay leadership, to build deep and enduring relationships among Central members, creating a caring, dynamic, and joyful community.
Central Synagogue is an inclusive and welcoming community. The Synagogue encourages participation from all who seek a connection to Jewish life and want to be part of its sacred community regardless of religious background, race, ethnicity, gender, ability, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Central is committed to being an open tent, a place that welcomes all people, including those who have been historically and institutionally marginalized or excluded from the Jewish community.
The Synagogue is well resourced, has over 100 staff, and is governed by a 29-member Board of Trustees. To learn more, please visit: https://www.centralsynagogue.org/.
Job Summary/Objective: Food plays a pivotal role in creating meaningful and successful events at Central Synagogue, from nursery school activities and adult education classes to Friday night challah orders. The Catering Coordinator is central to this experience, ensuring that catering for classes, meetings, and events meets the highest standards for quality, safety, and inclusivity. This role involves managing catering needs across all departments, including the LCLJ (Lese Center for Living Judaism), Clergy Study, and Adult Education programs. The Catering Coordinator must have exceptional attention to detail, particularly regarding dietary restrictions and food allergies, such as nut and dairy sensitivities, to create a safe and welcoming environment for all. While being a foodie isn’t required, the ideal candidate should have a solid understanding of food safety, dietary accommodations, and innovative catering solutions that enhance our members' ability to connect and enjoy their experiences at Central Synagogue.
Reports to: Director of Event Operations
Department Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:30am-5:30pm or equivalent, flexible hours required including evening
Full-time, non-exempt and eligible for overtime
- May be required to work the Jewish High Holy Days (Erev Rosh Hashanah, Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidrei, and Yom Kippur) and other special events/programs from time to time.
- Given the nature of this work, availability after hours, weekends, and holidays is sometimes required.
Date: November 2024
Key Responsibilities/Essential Functions:
Your responsibilities as a Catering Coordinator will include, but are not limited to:
- Serves as the main contact between all departments for in-house catering needs
- Coordinates orders for all aged programs within the different departments
- Places catering orders that are ongoing deliveries, dinners, challah orders, etc.
- Maintains and regularly updates a detailed catering Excel sheet, ensuring it is accurate and distributed to relevant parties every Friday. Continuously revise and refine the sheet throughout the week to reflect any changes or additions
- Maintains constant contact with the facilities team to ensure catering has been delivered, was correct and is satisfactory
- Meets with event owners to see if they need catering, their catering has been delivered and if there are any issues with catering
- Monitors EMS to see if any requests have come for a catering order
- Remains pro-active and reaches out to event owners to see if catering is needed for an event
- Confirms orders have been placed and sends confirmation to event owner
- Codes Amex expense reports and submits to Finance Dept in a timely manner
- Maintains and builds relationships with vendors
- Tracks amount to ensure if over ordering/under ordering is happening and learns/adjusts for future events
Core Competencies:
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications including Microsoft word, excel, outlook, PowerPoint are a must. Preferred knowledge of Zoom and Microsoft Teams a strong plus
- Strong attention to detail and ability to execute
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
- High degree of enthusiasm, flexible attitude and open demeanor
- Takes initiative, anticipates needs and adapts to situations as they arise
- Strong email and phone etiquette
Qualifications:
- 1 – 2 years’ experience working in hospitality/food industry or similar area with a focus on planning and/or coordinating
- Keeps up to date on food trends and share ideas with event owners
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Ability to manage multiple catering requests at a time
- Exceptional customer service skills via email, phone and Zoom
- Comfortable working at a computer and handling phone calls
- Ability to remain positive and calm and to multi-task effectively and independently in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment
- A great deal of flexibility, resiliency, and a ‘can-do’ attitude
Other Duties:
Please note, the above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or physical requirements. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
The expected annual salary range for this position is $63,000 to $68,000. Central Synagogue offers an extensive benefits package designed to meet the needs of our dedicated and diverse community. The salary is commensurate with experience based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, skills, knowledge, training, education, areas of specialization and depth and scope of experience. The above salary range represents the Synagogue’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible compensation range at the time of posting.
Hybrid Schedule: One day remote on Monday and four days in the office.
