Banquet Captain

About Rice

Boasting a 300‑acre tree‑lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6‑to‑1 undergraduate student‑to‑faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses and student government. Developing close‑knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture, and they are often recalled simply by our name – RICE:
Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

The Banquet Captain plays a key leadership role across Rice Hospitality’s event operations, supporting Cohen House and campus‑wide catering services. This position is responsible for executing high‑quality events, ensuring exceptional service standards and serving as a primary point of contact for clients before and during events.

The ideal candidate is a proactive and service‑driven leader with experience in banquet, catering or high‑volume event service. They excel in coordinating and supervising service operations across multiple venues and are comfortable guiding and training part‑time staff and student employees. The candidate demonstrates exceptional customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to anticipate client and event needs. They thrive in dynamic, fast‑paced environments, can shift between locations such as Cohen House and Rice Business School, and manage multiple events simultaneously with professionalism and poise.

Strong communication skills, a polished presence, and the ability to maintain Rice Hospitality’s service standards are essential. Experience with university events, private event service, or multi‑site catering is highly preferred.

Classified as LIGHT work, requiring the ability to exert up to 25 lbs. occasionally, and walk or stand for up to 8 hours. Additional physical requirements include manual dexterity; bending, crouching, kneeling; reaching, climbing, maintaining balance; lifting/carrying equipment; and the ability to see, hear, detect scents, and discern flavors.

Work takes place in commercial kitchens, banquet areas, and event service environments, with possible exposure to temperature extremes, cleaning chemicals, wet/slippery floors, hot equipment, high‑temperature machinery, and other typical commercial kitchen hazards.

This role is exclusively on‑site and requires all duties to be performed in person across Rice Hospitality venues and assigned campus locations. Per Rice Policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. Standard hours are Monday‑Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., with variable scheduling based on event needs. Evening, weekend, early morning, and any assigned shift may be required to support university events and hospitality operations.

This role is classified as an Essential On‑Campus Position, requiring on‑site presence to effectively carry out its vital functions. During emergencies or crises, the employee is required to report to campus as directed to ensure continuity of critical operations and must remain accessible to leadership to fulfill responsibilities necessary for maintaining institutional functions.

$20.64 to $22.12 per hour, contingent upon qualifications and experience.

Minimum Requirements

• HS diploma or equivalent
• Two or more (2+) years of related experience in food and event services
• TABC seller‑server license
• Certified Food Handler’s Permit (Houston) or equivalent (Serv Safe)

• Ability to prioritize, manage shifting demands, and handle multiple time‑sensitive projects.
• Demonstrated creativity, problem‑solving,…