Dining and Retail Service Director
About The Position
The Director of Dining and Retail Services provides senior leadership, operational oversight, and financial management for the University’s self-operated dining program serving a residential undergraduate population of more than 3,800 students, as well as a broader campus community of 23,000 students and over 6,000 faculty and staff. This position will supervise the leadership team that will help execute the departmental expectations. The dining program includes Sandburg Café, Palm Gardens, Cambridge Café, twelve retail dining operations, three convenience stores, and a full-service catering operation. Dining Services generates more than $20 million in annual revenue and employs approximately 60 full- and part-time staff in addition to 300 student employees. This position will champion the student experience with a passion for supporting UW Milwaukee’s diverse student population and tastes through an innovative culinary experience ensuring and sustaining strong financial operations. Working as a collaborative partner, this position will bridge the campus by ensuring a high level of service for both our internal and external guests. The director will establish a culture of excellence supporting all team members with proper training and development opportunities as valued members of our institution. This position will be visible on campus to ensure both formal and informal channels of feedback are available to support quickly addressing issues and opportunities.
Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree with at least (7) years of progressive experience working in food service operations
- Demonstrated experience in budget development and operational food service budget management
- Experience hiring, training, supervising, and developing staff
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in business, management, dietetics or related field
- Evidence of experience working in a self-operated university food service program in a leadership role
- Evidence of experience bringing innovation to food service operations through culinary or technology enhancements
- Evidence of experience utilizing data informed decision making to improve and enhance food service operations
Responsibilities
- Provides overall leadership and strategic direction to Dining & Retail Services
- Creates and foster a culture of excellence and accountability
- Supports the ongoing development of all departmental team members
- Cultivates and maintain collaborative partnerships
- Ensures alignment with University and Divisional priorities
- Accountability for all the financial operations of the dining program including budget development, reporting, and managing revenues and expenses to meet established goals
- Ensures proper internal controls and auditing are utilized for efficient operations
- Partners with team members to ensure accurate reporting is shared on a regular cadence to divisional leadership
- Improves operational efficiency, customer service, food quality, by leveraging feedback and data insights and developing actionable strategies
- Responsible for coordinating departmental emergency management functions
- Cultivate open communication, transparency and team work to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment
- Support and encourage the use of data to support the success of the food service operations
- Develops operating policies and procedures to ensure adherence to production, safe food quality, handling, and sanitation processes and procedures
- Directs strategic planning initiatives and establishes unit objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources and alignment with the strategic plan
- Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- Serves as the unit liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the unit
- Directs the creation of food menus, pricing structure, service quality goals, and product development
- Develops the unit budget
Benefits
- comprehensive benefits package
- extensive leave package including vacation, sick leave (with no expiration), personal holiday, and paid legal holidays
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Number of Employees
251-500 employees
