Deputy General Manager Marketing

About the Role

Catering Collective is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and creative Head of Marketing to lead the brand, digital, and customer engagement strategy across its premium catering and venue businesses. This role demands a modern marketing leader who can balance long-term brand building with performance-driven execution, inspiring both in-house and agency teams to deliver exceptional outcomes.

Reports to: Business Head, Catering Collective

Key Responsibilities

Brand Strategy & Portfolio Management

· Define and drive the positioning, personality, and architecture for Catering Collective and its brand portfolio (e.g., Blue Sea Catering, Araya Bagh, future luxury brands).

· Lead new brand creation when needed, including name generation, identity development, and go-to-market planning.

· Ensure a consistent luxury tone and high visual identity across all brand and customer experience touchpoints.

Culinary & Product Integration

· Collaborate closely with culinary and product teams to bring to life theme-led menu concepts.

· Package these concepts into compelling stories and formats that excite clients, align with market trends, and support the sales team in effective storytelling.

· Champion the guest's culinary experience as a core expression of the brand.

Content, Campaigns & Communications

· Build brand equity through creative and cohesive content across owned, paid, and earned channels.

· Lead the development of campaign ideas, narratives, and brand-led experiences to keep the portfolio relevant and top-of-mind.

· Drive an aggressive social media and influencer strategy to build brand awareness and recall, supported by the in-house and agency teams.

· Oversee creation of all marketing collateral including decks, videos, presentations, invites, and PR kits.

Performance Marketing & Digital Growth

· Guide and optimise lead generation strategy across digital channels (SEO, paid media, email marketing, etc.).

· Partner with the Digital Marketing Manager and agency teams to track ROI and improve campaign performance and conversion metrics.

· Identify marketing technology needs and oversee implementation.

Sales Enablement & Business Impact

· Work closely with the sales team to ensure marketing initiatives directly support business growth and revenue goals.

· Equip the sales team with impactful tools: pitch decks, case studies, curated tasting events, and content that inspires client confidence.

· Monitor market feedback and adapt strategies based on sales performance and client insights.

Networking & Firsthand Consumer Insights:

· Actively participate in relevant trade events, industry showcases, and key events hosted or catered by us to build strong networks within the ecosystem and gain deeper insight into our consumer base - allowing for more consumer-centric brand and campaign decisions.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

· Lead and mentor a four-person in-house team and manage external creative, PR, and performance agencies.

· Build strong working relationships with senior leadership, operations, culinary, and on-ground teams to ensure alignment and execution excellence.

· Help build a high-performance, insight-led, and innovation-driven marketing culture.

:

· 10–15 years in brand and growth marketing within premium F&B, hospitality, luxury lifestyle, or allied consumer sectors.

· Demonstrated success launching or repositioning food-centric brands; able to converse fluently with chefs, product developers, and operations.

· Balanced skill set: long-term brand building and data-driven performance marketing.

· Proven leadership of small, multi-disciplinary teams and agency ecosystems.

· Strong storytelling eye- visual, verbal, experiential.

· Comfort with budgets, KPIs, marketing tech, and executive-level reporting.

Ideal Candidate Traits

· Culinary-Curious: instinctively connects food trends to guest desires and commercial strategy.

· Strategic Executor: flips easily from high-level brand vision to hands-on campaign optimisation.

· Story-Seller: crafts narratives that excite executives, chefs, and clients alike.

· Data-Minded: comfortable treating leads, ROAS, and brand equity as equally vital KPIs.

· Collaboration Catalyst: builds trust across departments to turn ideas into flawless service on the floor.

Top Types of Companies to Consider:

Given the nature of the role and the kind of marketing maturity we're aiming for - strategic brand building, campaign execution, GTM thinking, and a deep interest in food and experiences – here are some company types and specific industries we should

target while sourcing candidates. However, bear in mind to look for candidates at corporate/ brand levels versus single unit/ regional level.

Premium Hospitality Groups

Candidates from hospitality brands that operate luxury hotels, event venues, or catering services will understand the nuances of high-touch experiences and service-led storytelling. Examples:

· The Oberoi Group

· Indian Hotels Company (Taj)

· Leela Palaces

· Marriott Luxury Collection (especially JW Marriott, St. Regis)

· The Table Group (if looking for someone boutique/luxury dining-oriented)

Experiential F&B or Restaurant Chains (Premium to Luxe)

People who’ve worked with chef-led restaurant brands or upscale QSRs with brand-thinking DNA can bring storytelling, culinary understanding, and visual excellence. Examples:

· Hunger Inc. (The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Veronica’s)

· Olive Group

· Impresario (Smoke House Deli, Salt Water Café)

· EHV International (Indian Accent, Comorin, Koloman)

· Bastian, Yauatcha, Masque, or even newer, creative restaurant groups

D2C Food/Lifestyle Brands with Strong Brand Thinking

This includes premium consumer brands where storytelling, digital presence, and design play a major role. Ideal for candidates who can scale brand presence digitally and creatively. Examples:

· Sleepy Owl, Blue Tokai, Slurrp Farm, Vahdam Teas

· The Whole Truth, Anveshan, or Sujatha-led FMCG startups

· Epigamia, Paper Boat (particularly for nostalgic and story-led campaigns)

Creative Agencies Specializing in Luxury, F&B, or Hospitality

Senior account planners, strategy leads, or client servicing leads from boutique or premium agencies working on lifestyle and F&B brands can also bring excellent strategic and creative skills. Examples:

· Animal, Spring Marketing Capital, Chlorophyll, Motherland, 22Feet

· Design-based firms like Codesign, Please See, or Studio Sky

Luxury Real Estate or Experience Brands (Secondary Fit)

These can be good if the candidate has worked on venue launches, lifestyle experiences, or event marketing with a storytelling lens. Examples:

· Lodha Luxury Division

· Isprava, RA Villa Homes

· Aman or Soneva (for hospitality-adjacent roles)

About Catering Collective:

At Catering Collective, our vision is simple yet profound - to create memories that last a lifetime.

We craft extraordinary food & beverage experiences through our award-winning brands such as Blue Sea Catering. From curating bespoke menus to collaborating with renowned international, national, and regional chefs, we craft memorable culinary journeys designed to complement the moment and elevate every occasion.

Our stunning venues, Blue Sea Mumbai and Araya Bagh New Delhi provide the perfect setting to bring these celebrations to life, each designed with a distinct story and theme to cater to diverse event visions and serviced exclusively by our bespoke catering brands to deliver on our promise. Beyond our owned venues, Catering Collective is empanelled at leading destinations across India and caters to high-profile events, including destination weddings, exclusive social gatherings, and corporate galas, both within India and overseas.

At the core of Catering Collective is an uncompromising passion for food and innovation. We believe that every menu should tell a story, every dish should spark emotion, and every event should be a feast for the senses. Our approach is rooted in culinary creativity and continuous exploration - drawing inspiration from global trends, reimagining traditional flavours, and designing immersive dining experiences that redefine luxury catering. Beyond the food, it is our dedication to service that defines us – our teams ensuring every detail is executed flawlessly, every guest feels valued, and every experience is elevated through thoughtful, intuitive hospitality.

With a legacy of serving industry leaders, celebrities, and global brands, we continue to set the benchmark for luxury catering and event experiences. Catering Collective is where vision meets execution, where celebrations turn into legacies, and where every guest leaves with an unforgettable experience.