Hospitality Manager

Rice University•Houston, TX

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Hospitality Manager provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all hospitality functions within Residential Dining. This role is responsible for supervising Dining Managers, servery attendants, and student intern teams to ensure excellence in customer service and front‑of‑house (FOH) execution. Key initiatives include designing a pilot student internship program, establishing campus-wide service standards, and developing comprehensive hospitality training programs aligned with Housing & Dining’s mission. The Hospitality Manager acts as a central resource for hospitality strategies, service quality, and stakeholder engagement. This role collaborates closely with the Executive Chefs, Dining Director, and Residential College leadership to deliver exceptional guest experiences. The ideal candidate is an experienced hospitality leader who thrives in dynamic environments, excels at training and team development, and brings strong interpersonal and customer service skills. The candidate demonstrates strategic thinking, initiative, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while promoting excellence in service.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience)
3+ years of experience in hospitality, dining, customer service, or a supervisory role
Demonstrated ability to manage staff performance and provide constructive feedback
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with diverse groups
Strong time‑management skills and the ability to prioritize multiple projects in a high‑pressure environment

Nice To Haves

Experience leading large‑scale hospitality or dining teams in a university environment
Proven track record of developing and launching staff training or student internship programs
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all hospitality functions within Residential Dining.
Supervises Dining Managers, servery attendants, and student intern teams to ensure excellence in customer service and front‑of‑house (FOH) execution.
Designs and launches a pilot student internship program.
Establishes campus-wide service standards.
Develops comprehensive hospitality training programs aligned with Housing & Dining’s mission.
Acts as a central resource for hospitality strategies, service quality, and stakeholder engagement.
Collaborates closely with the Executive Chefs, Dining Director, and Residential College leadership to deliver exceptional guest experiences.
Oversees all digital signage platforms and ensures the accuracy of menus and service information displayed online and within each servery.
Develops and manages a standardized signage program for all serveries, including templates, branding, content guidelines, and update procedures.
Conducts routine audits of digital and printed signage and partners with dining managers, culinary teams, and IT to maintain accurate, timely, and reliable communication across locations.
Provides leadership and direct supervision to Dining Managers and servery attendants, ensuring consistent execution of hospitality standards across all locations.
Designs, launches, and manages a student hospitality internship pilot program, including recruitment, training, scheduling, evaluation, and mentorship.
Develops and implements campus‑wide hospitality training programs for all front‑of‑house staff, ensuring alignment with Rice hospitality values and service expectations.
Conducts regular quality assurance reviews of FOH service, customer interaction, and adherence to procedures.
Creates and maintains service guidelines, SOPs, and customer‑experience standards.
Collaborates with Executive Chefs to ensure coordinated FOH/BOH service delivery and smooth meal‑service operations.
Oversees daily customer interaction touchpoints, engages with students and college leadership, and responds to feedback or service issues.
Tracks FOH performance metrics and provides regular updates to leadership.
Assists in planning and coordinating hospitality‑related events, training sessions, and special programs.
Supports hiring, onboarding, and performance management of hospitality staff.
Ensures compliance with safety, sanitation, and Rice University operational standards.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Conducts service audits and supports improvement plans for all dining locations.
Partners with H&D leadership to develop recognition programs and staff engagement initiatives.
Oversees FOH inventories for smallware, disposables, uniforms, and customer service materials.
Assists with communication to Residential College leadership on service updates and operational changes.