Unit Administrator - University Housing

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

About The Position

The Unit Administrator manages and maintains all operations within an assigned residential dining hall or catering unit at University Housing. The role oversees food service operations, inventory, procurement, distribution, equipment, sanitation, and compliance with health department, HACCP, OSHA, and University requirements. The administrator analyzes customer feedback and operational performance to identify improvements and works with dining leadership to support effective and fiscally responsible operations. The position leads a large and complex workforce that includes union-represented and non-union employees. It establishes expectations, supports a positive work environment, guides customer service, manages schedules and timekeeping, and addresses personnel matters. The administrator also supports operational budgeting and financial reporting, evaluates staff performance, and provides coaching, mentoring, and professional development. This is a 100% full-time Civil Service appointment on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the search closes. The budgeted salary range is $63,000 to $65,000.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
A total of eight years (96 months), in any combination, of qualifying coursework and food service management work experience. Qualifying coursework includes business, dietetics, culinary arts, food science, nutrition, hospitality, hotel, catering, restaurant, institutional management, or a closely related field.
Extensive knowledge of large-scale food service operations, including food production, inventory management, purchasing, and distribution.
Knowledge of food safety, sanitation procedures, health regulations, and workplace safety standards.
Knowledge of financial management principles, including budgeting, cost control, and financial reporting.
Strong leadership and supervisory skills, including coaching, developing, evaluating, and directing employees.
Ability to manage personnel matters and apply established policies and procedures consistently.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, including planning, prioritizing, and coordinating multiple operational responsibilities.
Ability to analyze operational and financial data, identify improvement opportunities, and implement effective solutions.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills and ability to build positive working relationships with employees, students, guests, and campus partners.
Ability to work collaboratively with staff and students from a variety of backgrounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing operations in a large-scale food service environment, such as university dining, institutional dining, catering, or commercial food service.
Experience supervising and managing employees in a union-represented work environment.
Experience developing, managing, and monitoring operational budgets in a food service setting.
Experience using food service management systems for inventory management, purchasing, and operational reporting.

Responsibilities

Manage and coordinate all operations of the assigned dining center.
Supervise, review, and manage inventory, storage, and distribution.
Monitor compliance with health department, HACCP, OSHA, and University policies and procedures.
Develop and implement procedures for sanitation, health code compliance, equipment maintenance, and repairs.
Monitor food-service industry and higher-education trends, and analyze customer feedback and operational data to identify improvements.
Manage and support operating units in procurement and distribution of products and services.
Coordinate with the Associate Director of Dining for Facilities and Equipment to ensure equipment operates correctly and recommend improvements or replacements.
Work with the Associate Director of Dining to establish and implement operational policies and procedures.
Manage union-represented and non-union staff, promote a positive work environment, and establish professional communication and customer-service expectations.
Build relationships with students, guests, parents, faculty, staff, and campus partners while guiding high-quality customer service.
Manage building emergency protocols and serve in a crisis-management role as needed.
Plan operational schedules and direct and approve timekeeping and in-excess needs according to operational demands.
Assist with operational budgets and develop short- and long-term financial reports with the Associate Director of Residential Dining.
Provide operational direction for staffing, evaluate practices, and recommend improvements to support fiscal responsibility and efficiency.
Review financial reports from Housing Business Services for accurate cost accounting.
Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development.
Communicate personnel direction and ensure benchmarks, goals, and objectives are clear and followed.
Work with departments to establish compliant best practices and provide feedback and guidance.
Use the Performance Partnership Program to guide staff performance, monitor unit logs, and address personnel matters.
Participate in personnel hearings and provide supporting documentation in coordination with Housing Human Resources and Labor and Employee Relations.
Perform other duties as assigned.