Dining Operations Manager

Pomona College•Claremont, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Dining Operations Manager provides hands-on leadership of front-of-house and back-of-house operations at an assigned Pomona College dining facility. The manager is accountable for coordinating daily meal service, including food production, customer experience, employee supervision, staffing and scheduling, sanitation, safety, inventory, cost controls, and opening and closing readiness. The role requires culinary leadership sufficient to direct kitchen production, assess food quality, coach culinary staff, and resolve routine production issues while overseeing customer-facing operations. The manager is the single point of accountability for assigned shift operations and is expected to delegate, verify completion, follow through, and escalate matters when appropriate. Reporting to the Assistant General Manager (AGM), the manager implements approved menus and culinary standards established by the Executive Chef and coordinates with Chef Managers and other Dining Services leaders. The position supports efficient staffing, consistent service, employee development, and responsible stewardship of College resources. Day-to-day authority includes directing assigned employees, adjusting task priorities and deployment within approved staffing parameters, correcting quality or safety deficiencies, responding to routine guest concerns, and coordinating shift execution. Material budget changes, significant staffing or personnel decisions, unapproved menu or recipe changes, unresolved safety concerns, and matters reserved to other leaders must be escalated through established procedures. This is a regular, full-time, exempt, benefits-eligible position. It requires scheduling flexibility based on College and Dining Services operational needs. Schedules may include evenings, weekends, and holidays and may change with business needs. The manager may provide coverage at different dining locations across campus, and work location, hours, and shifts may change periodically. The position is based in Claremont, California. Pomona College requires employees to be California residents. The annual salary range is $70,000 to $79,000, with a competitive benefits package. The College considers education, training, relevant prior experience, and performance in prior roles when determining an offer. Staff positions are ineligible for visa or permanent resident card sponsorship.

Requirements

High school diploma, GED, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Formal culinary training or equivalent substantial hands-on culinary leadership experience.
At least five years of progressively responsible food-service, culinary, restaurant, hospitality, or institutional dining experience, including significant supervisory or management responsibility.
Demonstrated hands-on leadership in a high-volume kitchen, including directing cooks, executing standardized recipes, planning production, managing yields and portions, and assessing food quality and food safety.
Experience overseeing customer service, scheduling, labor costs, employee performance, and integrated operations.
Ability to independently coordinate front-of-house and back-of-house operations during active meal service.
Practical culinary expertise in high-volume production, standardized recipes, food quality, allergen controls, sanitation, and safe equipment use.
Ability to delegate appropriately, verify task completion, conduct effective shift handoffs, and hold employees accountable.
Sound judgment in resolving operational problems and identifying matters requiring escalation.
Knowledge of employee supervision, coaching, performance management, scheduling, labor productivity, and applicable union procedures.
Working knowledge of budgets, food and labor costs, purchasing, inventory, waste reduction, and financial controls.
Strong hospitality, written and verbal communication, conflict resolution, organizational, and time-management skills.
Ability to use Microsoft Office, Jamix, point-of-sale systems, and other relevant Dining Services technology.
Must obtain and maintain a valid food-protection manager certification meeting applicable California and local requirements within the timeframe established by the College.
Willingness and ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and adapt to changes in work location and scheduling.
California residency is required for Pomona College employees.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, hospitality, food-service management, business administration, or a related field.
Collegiate or institutional dining experience.
Experience in a union environment.
A valid driver’s license and ability to meet College vehicle-insurance requirements may be required based on assignment.

Responsibilities

Independently direct assigned daily shifts across front-of-house and back-of-house functions, including food production, service, cashiering, dishroom, utility, receiving, stocking, sanitation, and closing activities.
Assign responsibilities, set priorities, communicate shift expectations, and verify completion of critical tasks.
Ensure each meal period is prepared with appropriate production, staffing, equipment, supplies, food-safety controls, and service readiness; conduct walkthroughs before, during, and after service.
Coordinate opening, meal-period transitions, handoffs, and closing; verify building security, equipment shutdown, cash-handling procedures, cleanliness, and completion of required checklists.
Address routine operational disruptions, staffing shortages, service delays, and production problems within delegated authority; notify the AGM of significant incidents, unresolved risks, or decisions requiring higher approval.
Maintain a visible management presence and effective coordination among culinary and service employees.
Lead daily kitchen execution using approved menus, standardized recipes, production methods, portion standards, and food-safety requirements; coordinate with Chef Managers and the Executive Chef.
Direct and coach cooks and production employees on preparation techniques, recipe scaling, batch cooking, yields, equipment use, portioning, presentation, and service timing.
Prepare and adjust production plans using projected meal counts, historical participation, inventory, staffing, and equipment capacity; monitor replenishment to prevent shortages and unnecessary overproduction.
Conduct and document food-quality checks before and during service, and correct deficiencies before service.
Verify ingredient substitutions, allergen information, dietary accommodations, labeling, and cross-contact controls; stop service of an affected item until uncertainty is resolved.
Review production records, leftovers, yields, and waste trends and recommend operational adjustments to the Executive Chef and AGM.
Implement culinary direction and approved recipe changes from the Executive Chef; submit proposed menu or recipe changes for appropriate approval.
Oversee dining-room readiness, cashiering and point-of-sale activity, customer flow, station presentation, cleanliness, stocking, and hospitality standards.
Monitor service quality, engage with students, faculty, staff, and guests, resolve routine concerns, and follow up on recurring issues.
Ensure opening, transition, breakdown, and closing procedures are followed and financial transactions comply with College controls.
Coordinate with culinary staff to align food availability, labeling, service pace, and guest communication.
Directly supervise, guide, coach, train, evaluate, and hold assigned employees accountable across operational functions.
Communicate performance, attendance, safety, service, and conduct expectations; address deficiencies and document coaching, counseling, and corrective action in coordination with HR and leadership.
Participate in recruitment, interviews, selection, onboarding, scheduling, evaluations, and employee development.
Provide station-level culinary instruction and verify employee competency in recipes, equipment, sanitation, allergens, and safe food handling.
Delegate work according to employee skills and classifications, monitor completion, follow through on deficiencies, and promote respectful teamwork and cross-training.
Prepare and adjust schedules to maintain safe, effective production and service coverage within approved labor budgets and applicable staffing requirements.
Assess workloads, meal counts, and operational priorities to deploy employees effectively and control avoidable overtime and unnecessary management overlap without compromising quality or safety.
Arrange and communicate coverage for absences, breaks, transitions, and unexpected demands; ensure clear supervisory handoffs.
Maintain accurate attendance, timekeeping, scheduling, and performance records and address exceptions promptly.
Apply applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement provisions and College policies consistently; coordinate employee-relations matters and union communications with HR and senior leadership.
Assist the AGM with operating budgets; monitor labor, food, supply, and other expenses and identify variances requiring corrective action.
Coordinate ordering and receiving with purchasing personnel, Chef Managers, the Executive Chef, and AGM; verify product specifications, quantities, quality, and suitability for approved recipes.
Maintain inventory controls, par levels, storage, rotation, labeling, security, and waste-reduction practices.
Use participation, production, inventory, labor, and waste data to recommend improvements in cost efficiency, productivity, and service.
Maintain required food-protection manager certification and ensure compliance with HACCP, College procedures, and applicable health and safety requirements.
Inspect production, receiving, storage, service, dining, and dishroom areas; verify required food-safety logs and corrective actions.
Ensure allergen controls, employee hygiene, cleaning, sanitation, equipment use, and safe work practices; address unsafe conditions immediately.
Identify facility or equipment deficiencies, initiate and follow up on work orders, and coordinate repairs with Facilities and Campus Services.
Coordinate with the AGM, Executive Chef, Chef Managers, Catering, Purchasing, and other Dining Services managers to maintain consistent standards and clear responsibilities.
Participate in management meetings, training, operational reviews, student engagement activities, and approved special meals and events.
Provide management coverage at other Dining Services locations as operationally necessary.
Support sustainability, food-waste reduction, service improvements, and other College priorities; perform related duties as assigned.