OPERATIONS DIRECTOR - The George Washington University- Washington, DC

Compass Group•Riverdale Park, MD

2d•$125,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Residential Director of Operations leads all residential dining operations across George Washington University's campus dining program. The role provides strategic and operational leadership for multiple residential dining facilities, ensuring guest satisfaction, financial performance, food quality, safety, and team engagement. The Director partners with university stakeholders and Chartwells leadership to deliver an innovative dining experience that supports student success and campus life. The position oversees daily operations across all-you-care-to-eat venues, retail residential locations, late-night programs, and meal plan execution. It manages revenue, expenses, labor, and controllable costs; analyzes financial and operational metrics; and supports forecasting, budgeting, and capital planning. The Director recruits and develops managers and frontline associates, maintains employee relations, serves as an operational liaison to university stakeholders, and collaborates with campus partners. The role also ensures regulatory and food safety compliance, works with culinary leadership on menus and dining innovations, and uses feedback and data to improve student satisfaction and service quality. The position covers multiple residential dining locations, an annual managed volume of several million dollars, and leadership of managers, supervisors, and large hourly teams. It has direct responsibility for the student dining experience and residential meal plan operations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, Foodservice Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
5+ years of progressive foodservice management experience.
Strong financial acumen and responsibility for large operating budgets.
Proven leadership experience managing salaried managers and large hourly teams.
Experience with labor management, scheduling, and workforce development.
Knowledge of food safety and sanitation principles.
ServSafe Manager Certification.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Multi-unit dining, hospitality, or higher education dining leadership experience.
Higher education dining experience.
Experience managing residential dining programs and meal plans.
Union management experience.
Experience with large-volume dining operations serving thousands of guests daily.

Responsibilities

Direct daily operations of residential dining facilities, including all-you-care-to-eat venues, retail residential locations, late-night programs, and meal plan execution.
Ensure consistent delivery of high-quality food, service, and hospitality standards.
Lead operational planning, staffing strategies, and service enhancements.
Execute company and client initiatives while maintaining operational excellence.
Manage revenue, expenses, labor, and controllable costs to achieve budget targets.
Analyze financial reports, labor productivity, and operational metrics.
Develop action plans to improve profitability and operational efficiency.
Support forecasting, annual budgeting, and capital planning efforts.
Recruit, train, mentor, and develop managers, supervisors, and frontline associates.
Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, inclusion, and professional growth.
Conduct performance evaluations and succession planning for key leadership positions.
Maintain positive employee relations and support union interactions when applicable.
Serve as a primary operational liaison between Chartwells and university stakeholders.
Collaborate with housing, student affairs, athletics, and campus partners.
Participate in student engagement initiatives, dining committees, and campus events.
Respond to client concerns and implement service improvements.
Ensure compliance with local, state, federal, and company regulations.
Maintain food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards.
Lead preparation for health inspections and internal audits.
Support sustainability and responsible sourcing initiatives.
Collaborate with culinary leadership on menus, promotions, and dining innovations.
Enhance student satisfaction through continuous evaluation of dining experiences.
Monitor service standards and implement best practices across locations.
Use feedback, surveys, and operational data to drive improvements.