Join our team at the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo and grow your experience at one of the most unique sites in Calgary! Our Catering Front of House team is seeking permanent part-time Catering Coordinator (30-hours per week) who will add impact to bridge the gap between strategic department goals and exceptional on-the-floor execution.

The Coordinator will support scheduling, delegation, and mentoring the Banquet Captains in preparation and throughout events. They ensure that every venue, timeline, and detail specified in the Banquet Event Orders (BEO) is executed to meet the organization’s guest service standards of excellence.

As a hands-on mentor for the Catering team, the Catering Coordinator leans on their experience to ensure a smooth event experience. They help to provide event related coaching, identify priorities, support staff on a peer-level with understanding the strategic plan, and support the engagement of the catering team during events. 

Whether engaged in collaborative brainstorms to solve operational bottlenecks, tracking inventory levels, or rolling up their sleeves to act as a Banquet Captain during peak volumes, the Catering Coordinator is an operational anchor of the catering team.

Our Purpose | We act for wildlife; saving species and inspiring people to join us.

Our Core Values | Drive impact, nurture connection, cultivate hope, and be bold.

What you will do

• Support the Banquet Captains day-to-day, provide mentorship and coaching, set short- and long-term performance goals aligned with strategic priorities under the direction of the Catering Manager.
• Schedule and lead regular Banquet Captain meetings to align expectations, address ongoing challenges, manage staffing needs, and proactively address inventory or equipment shortages.
• Communicate new departmental initiatives to the floor team, identify and troubleshoot initiatives that are lagging or delinquent, and drive collaborative brainstorming to solve recurring operational issues.
• Support as needed across all active venues to monitor setup, execution, and breakdown, ensuring BEO specifics, timing, and service standards are met perfectly.
• Ensure all banquet teams are organized, pre-briefed, and assigned to their respective roles to guarantee seamless service delivery.
• Maintain active readiness to step directly onto the floor and act as a Banquet Captain during peak volumes, staffing shortages, or high-profile events.
• Assist the catering leadership team with monthly inventories, tracking supply levels, and ensuring storage areas and venues are fully stocked and organized. 
• Maintain open lines of communication between kitchen operations, banquet staff, and catering management to ensure smooth service transitions and guest satisfaction.
• Act as the first point of contact for real-time issues on the floor, resolving customer complaints, timing delays, or equipment malfunctions with speed and professionalism.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

What you will bring

• At least 1 year of Banquet Captain or equivalent experience within the food and beverage industry
• A valid ProServe is required
• Proven ability to mentor, coach, and support team members
• Familiarity with goal setting, including setting professional short- and long-term goals aligned with organizations and team’s goals
• Ability to lead productive, collaborative team meetings and lead discussions around event challenges, staffing needs, and solution-oriented brainstorming.
• Capability to identify inefficiencies and collaboratively develop actionable solutions.
• Expert-level ability to read, interpret, and execute complex BEOs with absolute attention to detail, timing, and quality standards.
• Ability to support across multiple diverse venues at the same time, managing real-time logistics, service standards, and banquet schedules simultaneously.
• High adaptability and willingness to step directly into the trenches — including acting as a Banquet Captain on the floor when operational volumes or staffing levels require it.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to liaise effectively between the senior catering management team, the Banquet Captains, and frontline banquet staff.
• Ability to handle unexpected on-the-floor challenges and staff concerns with composure, diplomacy, and a solutions-first mindset.
• Ability to assess equipment and staffing shortages proactively and coordinate resources efficiently across venues is an asset
• Solid understanding of food, beverage, and equipment inventory processes, with a willingness to support hands-on stocking and supply management.

Working Conditions

• Must be able to work a variable schedule including early mornings, late nights, weekends, and holidays based on event bookings and operational demands.
• Shifts may start as early as 4:00am and end as late as 2:00am, based on event needs.
• Overtime shifts may be required during peak seasons or complex events with manager approval.
• This is an active, hands-on role. Candidates must be comfortable spending most of their shift moving between multiple indoor and outdoor venues across outdoor pathways, stairs, and various terrain as move between the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo’s spaces.
• Candidates must be comfortable working in a wide range of weather conditions—from peak summer heat to cold winter climates.
• Ability to assist with physical tasks as required to support the team, including lifting and moving inventory, carrying heavy banquet trays, stocking bar/service areas, and helping with event teardowns.

The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo is an outdoor facility and all staff working at the zoo must be comfortable working in a large variety of outdoor conditions. The Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo follows the advice of Environment Canada when responding to temperature and air quality issues.

What the Zoo Offers

• Competitive compensation, vacation and flex days entitlement
• Flexible benefits plan, including a health spending account
• Employer matching RRSP program
• Discounts on food, beverage, and merchandise
• Participation in the Staff Pass Benefit plan 
• A fun, rewarding work environment and the opportunity to work in a park full of wild animals 

Are you ready to join one of Canada’s leaders in wildlife conservation? If this position suits your skills, experience and personal attributes, we want to talk to you. 

Apply by doing the following

1. Watch this video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0] about the conservation work being done at the Wilder Institute. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J1VH1MBXm0) 
2. Submit your resume with an optional cover letter via our online application system. 
3. Fill in the Application questions:
   • Confirm eligibility to work in Canada.
   • If hired, when would you be available to start?
   • Do you have a ProServe Certification?
   • If hired, what would be your wage expectations?

 Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. 

If this position is a fit for you, we encourage you to apply with a resume and cover letter online by our application deadline: August 19, 2026 at 10:00pm MT.

The Wilder Institute strives to cultivate a workplace in which everyone feels welcome and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. As a conservation organization, we respect and value the diversity of all life and come together as individuals and teammates to achieve the organization’s mission and vision. We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work to advance our culture to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard, and everyone has an equitable chance to succeed and thrive. 

This position is an existing vacancy within our organization. The Wilder Institute uses basic knockout questions in application to support screening; applications are otherwise assessed and selected by real humans. 

All candidates are thanked for their applications and advised that they will be contacted once applications have been reviewed, and a final decision has been made.