Overview
Event Manager Jobs in Greater Sydney Area at Cook & Waiter
Title: Event Manager
Company: Cook & Waiter
Location: Greater Sydney Area
About Us
Alder Road Group, led by David O’Brien, is a dynamic collective, passionate about food, drinks, and hospitality. Known for creativity and adaptability, the Group thrives in the evolving hospitality landscape, delivering exceptional experiences across a number of brands. High-end event catering brand Cook & Waiter, brings over a decade of expertise to special events, corporate gigs, weddings, launches and private parties, partnering with top brands and clients to deliver incredible hospitality across Sydney and select interstate work. Food Rascal specialises in delivering workplace hospitality for our corporate clients while also focusing on consulting, mentoring, retail, venue operations and product development. Our newest brand, Saltbox, is our first sole-operated event venue that elevates the event experience with outstanding food and drinks, housed within the Wunderlich Lane precinct and opened in May 2025.
Our culture is driven by our values: Everyone has a seat at our table, Plant the Seed, Flip the Raspberry and Stay Humble Apple Crumble. We are creative and we think big. Check out more about us here: www.alderroadgroup.com.auwww.cookandwaiter.com.au www.saltboxvenue.com.au www.foodrascal.com.au
About the Role
We're looking for an experienced Event Manager to bring our clients' visions to life through exceptional hospitality experiences. Reporting to the Head of Events, you'll lead the sales, planning and delivery of events for Cook & Waiter's enviable client portfolio, combining creativity, operational excellence and commercial acumen to deliver memorable outcomes.
While primarily focused on Cook & Waiter's premium off-site catering experiences including preferred venue partners where the organisation is an approved panel caterer, major events such as F3 Polo, private events, and high-end bespoke corporate brand events you'll also have opportunities to work across the wider Alder Road Group portfolio, including Saltbox and Food Rascal.
This role is based at our Alexandria HQ (with parking available).
We are also open to contract/consultant Event Planners/Managers to assist with our busy season.
In this role, you will:
- Lead end-to-end event delivery – Manage events from initial enquiry through to seamless execution, ensuring every detail is thoughtfully planned and flawlessly delivered.
- Drive sales and commercial outcomes – Prepare proposals, manage budgets and client invoicing, and consistently achieve revenue and margin targets.
- Deliver exceptional event experiences – Oversee on-the-day event execution, ensuring a smooth transition to operational teams and an outstanding guest experience.
- Coordinate logistics and operations – Manage timelines, suppliers, venues and event requirements to ensure efficient and successful delivery.
- Build lasting client relationships – Provide exceptional service at every touchpoint, creating trusted partnerships that drive repeat business and referrals.
- Collaborate across teams – Work closely with culinary, front-of-house and operations teams, alongside external suppliers and stakeholders, to bring events to life.
- Lead with confidence – Foster a positive, solutions-focused approach, navigating challenges with professionalism, sound judgement and creativity.
- Champion continuous improvement – Gather client feedback, identify opportunities for enhancement and contribute to the ongoing evolution of our offering.
About You
To thrive in this role, you'll bring:
- A minimum of 2 years' experience in event management, with a proven ability to deliver exceptional client experiences from enquiry through to execution. Experience in off-site catering, agency or brand-led events is highly regarded.
- Client sales experience, with a demonstrated ability to achieve revenue targets, drive growth and make commercially sound decisions.
- A passion for food, hospitality and creating memorable guest experiences, as food and hospitality is the heart of what we do.
- Experience delivering a diverse range of events, from luxury brand activations and corporate events to private celebrationsand weddings, with the same commitment to excellence regardless of client size or profile.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to confidently navigate client relationships while partnering effectively with internal teams.
- You thrive in a fast-paced environment and can hustle get things done, and enjoy working out creative solutions to client requests.
- Exceptional organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to keep organised all the moving parts involved in events.
- Experience with Event/Sales Management/CRM systems (highly regarded), along with a collaborative mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement.
