Food and Beverage Director job description.
A food and beverage director oversees all dining, bar, banquet, and catering operations for a hotel, resort, or large hospitality venue. They set service standards, manage budgets and vendor contracts, and lead department managers across multiple outlets. The role blends strategic planning with hands-on leadership to deliver profitable, high-quality food and beverage experiences that align with the property's brand.
The Food and Beverage Director job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 9 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Food and Beverage Director Reports to: General Manager or Hotel General Manager
A food and beverage director oversees all dining, bar, banquet, and catering operations for a hotel, resort, or large hospitality venue. They set service standards, manage budgets and vendor contracts, and lead department managers across multiple outlets. The role blends strategic planning with hands-on leadership to deliver profitable, high-quality food and beverage experiences that align with the property's brand.
- Direct all food and beverage outlets, including restaurants, bars, banquets, and room service
- Develop and manage department budgets, forecasts, and cost controls
- Set and enforce service, quality, and presentation standards across outlets
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
9 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
General Manager or Hotel General Manager
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Direct all food and beverage outlets, including restaurants, bars, banquets, and room service
- Develop and manage department budgets, forecasts, and cost controls
- Set and enforce service, quality, and presentation standards across outlets
- Hire, train, and evaluate outlet managers and department leads
- Negotiate vendor and supplier contracts
- Collaborate with sales and events teams on banquet and catering menus
- Monitor guest satisfaction data and address service gaps
- Ensure compliance with health, safety, and alcohol-service regulations
- Analyze P&L performance and identify revenue and efficiency opportunities
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- 5+ years of progressive food and beverage management experience
- Proven experience managing multiple outlets or a large hospitality operation
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting and P&L management
- Leadership experience overseeing department managers
- Working knowledge of health, safety, and alcohol-service compliance requirements
- Bachelor's degree in hospitality management or related field
- Experience in a hotel, resort, or large-scale catering environment
- Sommelier or beverage certification
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Food and Beverage Director job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Food and Beverage Director job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (General Manager or Hotel General Manager) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- How does this role differ from a food and beverage manager?
- A food and beverage director typically oversees the entire department across multiple outlets and sets strategy and budgets, while a food and beverage manager runs day-to-day operations for one outlet or shift.
- What experience level is typical for this hire?
- Most employers look for candidates with several years of progressive hospitality management experience, often including prior outlet-manager or assistant director roles in a hotel or large venue.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Food and Beverage Manager
A Food and Beverage Manager oversees dining, bar, and catering operations within a hotel, resort, or hospitality venue.
Restaurant Manager
A Restaurant Manager oversees daily operations of a restaurant, including staffing, customer service, and financial performance.
General Manager
A General Manager oversees the operational, financial, and people performance of a business unit.
This Food and Beverage Director job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.