Catering & Events Manager
About Loaf Catering
We are Loaf Catering, we are a social enterprise supporting people with learning difficulties and autism into jobs with a future.
The Role
As Catering & Events Manager you will provide excellent leadership and management to drive performance and quality across our Cafes and events. You will ensure that quality and reputation are at the forefront of all business activity, and grow an exciting brand while creating training and employment opportunities for local people with learning difficulties & autism.
The successful candidate will have a love for food, a keen eye for detail and a passion for training and developing our participants. This is a fast-paced catering business with a real purpose.
Key Responsibilities
1. Oversee the day-to-day operations ensuring smooth and efficient functioning of Loaf Café in the Ewart.
2. Co-ordinate and manage various departments; external events and corporate catering sales pipeline.
3. Ensure the Café and corporate catering meet and surpass financial objectives and maintain good financial controls.
4. Provide strong leadership and effective operational management.
5. Ensure that NOW Group participants are supported and mentored to achieve their training and employment aspirations.
6. Ensure high levels of quality standards are maintained in line with quality framework and industry regulations.
7. Ensure excellent customer satisfaction ratings are maintained at the site and in Corporate Catering.
8. Support the Chief Operating Officer by identifying opportunities to generate income in line with strategic growth.
9. Develop and implement sales strategies to drive revenue growth and achieve sales targets.
10. Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including corporate clients, events, and group bookings.
11. Maintain strong relationships with existing clients and partners.
12. Act as the public face of Loaf’s catering and events, representing the brand at markets, corporate events, community engagements and networking opportunities to raise visibility and drive new business.
This job description is not definitive and may be subject to review as the duties and responsibilities determine.
What We Offer
At Loaf Catering, we value and invest in our team. As part of our organisation, you’ll benefit from:
25 days annual leave plus 12 statutory days (pro-rata)
Health Cash Plan (on successful completion of probationary period)
Access to confidential Staff Counseling & Financial Advisory Services
Stakeholder Pension Scheme (5% employer contribution)
Bike to Work Scheme
Holiday purchase scheme
Flexible working initiatives
Wellbeing initiatives
About the role
Additional Information
Loaf Catering is committed to fair recruitment practices. Policies on safeguarding, recruitment of ex-offenders, and data protection are available upon request.
What you will need
Required criteria
- 1. A proactive, solutions‑focused attitude with the ability to work independently and lead a team.
- 2. Experience using Microsoft Office and Catering/Hospitality EPOS/Procurement Systems.
- 3. Experience in cash handling, stock control, portion control and achieving GP targets.
- 4. Proven ability to motivate and drive team performance through effective leadership.
- 5. Essential Food Hygiene Certificate.
- 6. Strong knowledge of Health & Safety procedures including COSHH and HACCP.
- 7. Understanding of modern customer care practices and service excellence.
- 8. Ability to work evenings and weekends.
- 9. Full clean driving licence with access to a car.
Desired criteria
- 1. Previous experience of developing a business
- 2. Experience of working within the food production sector
NOW Group
NOW Group are an award-winning social enterprise who deliver services across Ireland supporting people with learning difficulties, autism and neurodiverse conditions into jobs with a future.
We are passionate about changing lives and our priority is on outcomes and impact for individuals, their families and communities who are the most disadvantaged. We support participants to have better health, a better education and a brighter future. Our services are continually evolving as a result of co-design, participant feedback and project learning.
At the heart of the NOW Group’s mission is its commitment to empowering individuals to gain skills and access meaningful employment. It achieves this through tailored employment academies, which provide participants with industry-specific training and work placements, and through their social enterprise businesses Loaf Catering and Cafes and Loaf Pottery. One of the best-known contributions from the NOW Group is the JAM (“Just A Minute”) Card® - a tool that allows people with invisible disabilities to discreetly ask for patience in everyday interactions. It’s a very successful initiative with over 182,500 users and 3, 000 global organisations regarded as being JAM Card Friendly. The NOW Group’s impact is driven by innovation, dedication, and an unwavering focus on changing lives for the better.
At NOW Group, our culture is what sets us apart. It’s built on collaboration, compassion, and a shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. Across our integrated team — from Training and Employment to Family Service, JAM Card, Loaf Cafés, Catering and Pottery, Social Groups, and vital support services like HR, Communications, Finance and Compliance — we are united by one purpose: to support people with learning difficulties, neurodiverse conditions, ADHD and autism into sustainable employment. We don’t just work side by side — we work together. Each department brings its own strengths, but our true power lies in our ability to collaborate across teams. Our participants come from all walks of life, and it’s our culture of teamwork, flexibility, and deep empathy that allows us to meet their varied needs with real impact. In 2024/2025 alone, our culture of care and commitment helped place nearly 400 people into meaningful, sustainable employment across Ireland and supported 2,168 individuals to achieve 1,824 qualifications. These aren’t just statistics — each number represents a life transformed, a family supported, and a community benefitted. What truly defines our team is heart. We care deeply — not just about the work, but about the people behind it. Our team members show up every day with passion and purpose, knowing that their efforts are making a lasting difference. They don’t see targets — they see individuals, and the ripple effect that a single opportunity can have.
Our benefits
Benefits at NOW Group NOW Group is dedicated to the wellbeing and growth of our employees, offering a comprehensive benefits package designed to support both personal and professional needs. We provide 25 days of annual leave plus 12 statutory days (pro-rata), allowing ample time for rest and rejuvenation. We prioritize health and wellness through a Health Cash Plan, which becomes available upon successful completion of the probationary period, and confidential staff counseling and financial advisory services, ensuring support for your physical, mental, and financial health. To help plan for the future, we offer a Stakeholder Pension Scheme with a generous 5% employer contribution. Employees can also take advantage of our Bike to Work scheme and holiday purchase options, promoting flexibility and convenience. Our flexible working initiatives, including a hybrid working model, and various wellbeing programs, reflect our commitment to fostering a positive and adaptable work environment for all team members.
Vacation, Paid time off
Cycle to work
Competitive salary
Long service recognition
Hybrid Working
On the job learning
Progression opportunities
Catering & Events Manager
NOW Group are an award-winning social enterprise who deliver services across Ireland supporting people with learning difficulties, autism and neurodiverse conditions into jobs with a future.
We are passionate about changing lives and our priority is on outcomes and impact for individuals, their families and communities who are the most disadvantaged. We support participants to have better health, a better education and a brighter future. Our services are continually evolving as a result of co-design, participant feedback and project learning.