VP, Food, Beverage, Concessions & Warehouse

Smithsonian Institution•Washington, DC

2d•$170,000 - $180,000•Onsite

About The Position

This position is directly responsible for the administration of the Smithsonian Enterprises Food & Beverage and Concessions operations currently contracted through third party companies. Incumbent is responsible for overseeing food & beverage operations in restaurants and cafes, staff cafeterias, food carts, vending machines operated in all Smithsonian facilities in the DC/NY Metro areas, ATMs, and souvenir penny machines. This position is also directly responsible for administration of the Smithsonian Enterprises Retail, outsourced store warehousing fulfillment operations. Incumbent is the key decision maker regarding retail warehouse/distribution/fulfillment operations representing the SE Retail Division.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Hospitality, Supply Chain, or related field and/or 10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in food & beverage, hospitality, concessions, retail operations, or supply chain/distribution.
Proven executive-level experience managing multi-site operations and large-scale P&L responsibility.
5–10+ years of experience leading contract negotiations, RFP development, and third-party vendor management.
Demonstrated success driving revenue growth, operational efficiency, and strategic transformation.
Strong business and financial expertise, including budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis.
Ability to translate strategy into actionable operational plans and measurable outcomes.
Deep understanding of food service, concessions, and/or supply chain operations.
Proven ability to manage complex, multi-unit operations with high visibility and volume.
Advanced skills in RFP development, contract negotiation, and vendor performance management.
Experience establishing KPIs, service standards, and accountability frameworks.
Exceptional leadership and team development capabilities in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment.
Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior leaders and external partners.
Data-driven decision-making with strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
Ability to navigate ambiguity and implement effective, scalable solutions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentations.
Ability to clearly convey complex operational and financial information.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and financial/reporting systems.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with POS systems, inventory tools, and supply chain technologies preferred.

Responsibilities

Overseeing the operations for 12 restaurants and numerous outside food carts, is responsible for the successful running of these operations and the financial results for SE Retail.
Working with senior staff members from each museum with food operations to understand the expectations for mission related food operations and working directly with food concessionaire to ensure expectations are met.
Working with the food service contractor, identify new food or drinks offering opportunities for internal restaurants and external cart services.
Working with Director, Theaters & Group Sales, establish voucher programs that expand the availability for services and increase restaurant sales.
Working with building management, Smithsonian Facilities, and food contractors to guarantee food facilities are operational and meet all local safety and health codes.
In partnership with SVP, Retail Group, reviews and approves purchases of major equipment and major repairs for all food operations.
Working with the food service contractor, museums and SF support Smithsonian initiated sustainability programs, establishing the partnership with all involved parties to meet SI goals.
Working with museums, internal and external design units to establish new food venues within existing and new museums, as well as renovations to existing restaurants.
Developing relationships/partnerships with museums to enhance the opportunity for dialogue and action to increase the revenue generation concession opportunities within the museums.
Responsible for managing the outsourced distribution center.
In partnership with Retail Merchandising and Operations teams, manage the replenishment of merchandise for all Retail outlets in museums and Reagan Airport.
P&L responsibility for all food & beverage operations, as well as all other contracted concessions.
Working with SVP, Retail Group and contracted food and concession contractors to develop annual revenue budgets for all associated contracted operations.
Managing the RFP processes for all food, beverage and other revenue generating concessions for SE Retail; establishes the appropriate RFP team, collects data, writes content, reviews, and edits documents, works with the office of contracting to execute the RFP process from creation to contract execution and implementation.
Together with the SVP of the Retail Group, develop and executes overall operations strategy and policies for the food and beverage operations.
Partners with museum staff to ensure needs of museums are met while ensuring that SE’s interests are communicated and preserved. This includes the planning, supervising, and coordination of needed coverage for normal operating hours and special events.