Retail Dining Manager

Rice University • Houston, TX

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Retail Dining Manager for Rice Hospitality provides front-of-house leadership and operational oversight across multiple retail and hospitality outlets, including coffee shops and campus dining concepts. This role is responsible for ensuring consistent service standards, operational efficiency, and exceptional guest experiences across all assigned locations.

Working collaboratively with culinary leadership and hospitality management, the Retail Dining Manager plans, organizes, and supervises front-of-house teams while supporting financial objectives, staff development, and service excellence. This position serves as a key liaison between Rice Hospitality, campus partners, vendors, and guests, ensuring seamless day-to-day operations across diverse service models.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree (In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted)
• Three or more (3+) years of administrative or hospitality management experience (In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted)
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Service-oriented leadership style
• Ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism and positivity
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel

Nice To Haves

• Experience managing multiple food and beverage outlets
• Fast-casual and full service restaurant dining experience strongly preferred
• Background in hospitality, hotels, restaurants, or campus dining
• Proven ability to lead front-of-house teams and deliver consistent service standards
• Experience with POS systems, scheduling software, and basic financial reporting

Responsibilities

• Provide daily front-of-house operational leadership across retail dining locations
• Establish service standards and ensure consistent guest experience across all outlets
• Collaborate with culinary leadership on menu execution and service flow
• Oversee scheduling, labor deployment, and staffing optimization
• Monitor operational performance and address service or staffing gaps
• Serve as liaison with campus partners, vendors, and internal departments
• Support financial oversight, including basic budgeting, labor tracking, and reconciliation
• Assist with equipment needs, vendor coordination, and operational improvements
• Train, guide, and supervise student and hourly staff
• Prepare reports, communications, and operational documentation
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of Rice Hospitality objectives
• Directly supervises front-of-house staff, including serving staff, banquet staff, cashiers, baristas, and temporary employees
• Provides coaching, training, and performance feedback
• Conducts performance evaluations and supports staff development
• Enforces safety, sanitation, and service standards
• Investigates incidents and completes required reports
• Coordinates staffing and coverage across multiple outlets.

Benefits

• Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
• Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University https://www.rice.edu/mission-values

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level