Director Campus Dining Retail (4634)

Position Information

Posting Detail Information

Working Position Title Director Campus Dining Retail (4634) Classification Food Service Administrator IV Position Number 00004634 Open Date 09/03/2026 Close Date 09/17/2026 Priority Review Date Employee Class Staff Full-Time/Part Time Full-Time FTE 1.00 Position Status Regular FLSA Exempt Job code 0039 Union Representation Non-Union Union Code N/A Unit/Department Campus Dining Service College/Unit Campus Dining Service Division Student Affairs Location NE Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page https://www.niu.edu/dining/index.shtml

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Overview

The department of Campus Dining handles all things dining on campus. From residential meal plans to event catering, we provide nutritional food for students, faculty, staff and guests. We manage over a dozen eating establishments at NIU including residence hall dining, restaurants and coffee shops at the student center, and the café in Barsema Hall. We employ the students and professionals who work in our restaurants and cafes.

Position Summary

The Retail Dining Director position is critical to the successful operation, compliance, and continued growth of our retail dining program. This role provides leadership and oversight for over 25 full-time employees across seven locations, including branded locations, creating a level of operational complexity that requires dedicated management and accountability. The Retail Dining Director ensures consistent execution of food safety and regulatory requirements, university policies, operational procedures, and brand standards across all locations. Dedicated oversight is essential to identifying and addressing risks proactively, maintaining consistency, developing and coaching employees, and ensuring quality guest experiences.

This position also serves as a key relationship manager for both internal and external partners, collaborating with the other branches of Campus Dining and other departments, vendors, and branded partners. This role provides communication and collaboration that are essential to resolving issues, meeting partner expectations, and maintaining the integrity of our branded operations. Given the scope of responsibility, number of employees, locations, compliance and brand requirements, this position provides necessary leadership and accountability to protect the NIU's reputation, strengthen partnerships, and drive consistent operational performance across the retail dining program.

Plans and executes all Campus Dining retail operations at NIU. Ensures that the retail operations attain both revenue and profitability growth. Directs all Campus Dining retail initiatives at NIU and contributes to the overall effort to satisfy clients and customers. Continue to evaluate the mix of national and in-house brands currently operated at NIU and make recommendations to the Executive Director of Campus Dining for possible changes. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of the university audit and survey processes and ensures that all dining units and retail locations at the university consistently use and support these processes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operational Activities

• Ensure food and vending services meet customer satisfaction and quality standards and meet financial objectives.
• Provide expert advice and guidance relating to daily operations for food and vending services.
• Oversee compliance with client and/or program contracts for one or more operational functions.
• Oversee operating standards and procedures for Campus Dining retail program.
• Oversee all marketing of retail location on campus.
• Oversee Contract with campus wide beverage company.
• Play a leading role in the development of new business opportunities.

Human Resource Activities

• Communicates unit policies and procedures.
• Oversee the hiring of front of house and production staff.
• Supervise and evaluate capabilities of employees in determining work responsibilities.
• Develops and maintains a positive professional relationship with student staff, student leadership and customers.
• Develop and own the Campus Dining Services retail strategy and provide input to Executive Director of Campus Dining on its implementation.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the university's audit and survey processes.
• Oversee all human resource and financial standards and procedures per NIU guidelines.
• Analyze current staff, identify gaps and recommend hiring needs.
• Hire, evaluate, discipline, and terminate staff as needed.
• Direct management staff and provide professional development opportunities.

Planning/Organizing Unit Activities

• Plan, oversee, and execute Campus Dining retail operations within the university, ensuring alignment and compliance with national brand management requirements.
• Determine the mix of national and in-house brands.
• Ensure retail operations provide revenue and profitability growth.
• Establish strategies or methods for accomplishing major new directives.
• Implement and execute strategies that result in the achievement of sales, market share, or market growth targets.
• Develop strategic action plans for accounts and monitor results.
• Oversee customer service, customer needs and expectations.
• Monitor and evaluate the Food Retail Managers progress on meeting customer service needs and expectations, as well as compliance with brand requirements.
• Oversee the development of account business plans to enhance customer service, facility layout and design, account profitability and retention, and client and customer satisfaction.
• Plan projects, including defining objectives, methods, timetables, and budget.
• Manage overall financial performance and attainment of financial goals of function.
• Manage costs through effective cost containment/reduction strategies and control of overhead spending.
• Monitor market and industry trends, competitor strategies, and Northern Illinois University's strategy toward addressing those trends.
• Provide initial design consulting and conceptual design services to internal and external clients.
• Maintain in-house design resources and outside consultants for production of design presentations and for subsequent stages of design development.
• Interface with engineers, architects, contractors, and project managers to ensure successful project completion.
• Develop and present well-researched and validated insights that lead its clients to greater branding and sales success.

Public Relations Activities

• Promotes the unit and department to customers and the community.
• Responds to customer complaints, vendors, and other operational situations by exercising sound judgement and decision-making skills.
• Develop and maintain relationships with departments on campus including, but not limited to Marketing and Communications, Human Resources, and Procurement.
• Provide feedback to Human Resources on policies and procedures to help streamline the HR function.

Other Related Duties

• Performs the duties of all supervised employees when staffing needs warrant such activities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• Any one or combination totaling eight (8) years (96 months) from the categories below:

• Coursework in business, dietetics, culinary arts, food science, nutrition, hospitality, hotel, catering, restaurant, or institutional management, or a closely related field as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:

• 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)

• Associate's Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)

• 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)

• Bachelor's Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)

• Food service management work experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

• Knowledge of food service organization, operation, methods, and equipment.
• Full knowledge of food management techniques including purchasing, food storage, inventory, food production and control, service personnel management, marketing, financial management, facilities management, and health and safety regulations.
• Knowledge of sanitation procedures to ensure clean machines, proper rotation of food products, and, safe food handling procedures.
• extensive working knowledge of a wide variety of institutional food service operations (such as dormitory food service, catering, bakery, fast foods, sit-down dining, etc.)
• Knowledge of high-end cuisine and event coordination.
• Knowledge of computer programs relating to menu management, inventory management, catering program, and point-of-sale systems to effectively process raw sales information into cogent sales reports to effectively marshal resources.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership techniques, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Knowledge of marketing strategies, merchandising, and promotional advertising.
• Knowledge of human and public relations.
• Knowledge of the techniques and equipment related to associated with food products (both plant and animal) for preparation and consumption including storage/handling techniques, equipment specification development and purchasing, processing, and warehousing.
• Extensive knowledge of equipment related to credit/debit.
• Skill in researching current trends to write and standardize recipes.
• Excellent/strong verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills.
• Strong administrative skills (interact with others either in person or on the phone, planning, and organizing problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Intermediate math skills including cash handling.
• Skill in using logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Skill in good recordkeeping and concise report preparation.
• Skill in service orientation.
• Skill in decision-making, independent judgment, initiative, and leadership.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills such as training, instructing, and disciplining employees.
• Strong skills in operations analysis.
• Skill in time management i.e. managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Ability to supervise.
• Administrative ability.
• Demonstrated ability to work with a variety of people i.e. diverse students, faculty, staff, and the general public in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Ability to read, understand, follow, and enforce all policies and procedures.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and make decisions under pressure.
• Ability to deal effectively with employee and customer conflicts.
• Ability to organize, prioritize and multitask.

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

None

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

• Bachelor's degree.
• Master's degree in food service management or MBA.
• Demonstrated supervisory, leadership and human resource management experience to effectively administer and manage within a diverse and complex organization including recruitment, hiring, evaluation, compensation, time management, training and safety programs, and performance standards.
• Advance knowledge of computer programs (Word, Excel, & Power Point) and menu and inventory management systems to administer and manage food service systems.
• Ability to create spreadsheets, reports, and presentations.

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

N/A

Additional Requirements (SPS)

N/A

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

N/A

Physical demands/requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk or hear; and taste or smell.
• The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date 10/16/2026 Anticipated Appointment End Date Percent of Staff Year 1.00 Standard Hours Per Week 37.50 Working Hours Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm; Some evenings and/or weekends as needed. Salary $75,000.00 - $85,000.08/annually; NIU offers a robust benefits package. Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range $3,125.00 - $3,541.67/semi-monthly Earn Type Salary

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedures:

• Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Important: Please upload any unofficial transcript(s) and/or documentation that verifies any education, experience, and/or training you have received.

• If eligible for Veteran's Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination.

• After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this position. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register.

• Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from jobs@niu.edu and CivilServiceTesting@niu.edu. Please add these emails to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication.

• Illinois residency required within 180 days of the hire date.

Credentials Assessment Examination:

• The examination for this position is a Credentials Assessment and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. A Credential Assessment is a rating by the Human Resources Office of an applicant's/employee's education, experience, and special credentials/qualifications (licenses, etc.). Applicants are required to upload documentation to verify the minimum qualifications for this position has been met.
• Required documentation noted in the posting, such as a driver's license, licensures, or certifications MUST be uploaded with your application materials.
• After assessment of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three (3) scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.

Additional Details:

• Click on Food Service Administrator IV for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.

• Applicants who may assume they do not meet the exact minimum qualifications are still invited to apply. Within the application documents, applicants should be sure to explain how their credentials and related qualifications address the requested minimum requirements.

• Please click on Human Resource Services - Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University's benefits package.

• Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Special Instructions Quick Link to Applicant https://employment.niu.edu/postings/96692 Is Background Check Required? Yes EEO Statement Summary

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Director of Civil Rights Office, Title IX Coordinator

Health Services 2nd floor

CivilRights@niu.edu

815-753-0455

Visa Policy

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person's disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form. For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) at ada@niu.edu.

Safety Information

NIU provides annual reports on campus security and fire safety.

Read the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-9364 for a hard copy.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• List of at least 3 Professional References

Optional Documents

• Military Discharge Documents ONLY (DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256)
• Transcripts (unofficial with official required at hire)
• Other

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Are you currently a citizen or resident of the State of Illinois?

• Yes

• No

• • What is the highest level of education attained?

• GED

• High School Diploma

• Associates Degree

• Bachelors Degree

• Masters Degree

• PHD

• Have you attached transcripts to support the degree(s) you are submitting for consideration with this posting?

• Yes

• No

• Not Applicable

• • How many years of experience do you have in this type of position?

• 0-1

• 1-3

• 3-5

• 5-7

• 7+

• • Please provide the name of the employer and the dates of employment where you gained this experience. Please note that this information must be verified on an NIU application and/or résumé. ("See Résumé" is not an acceptable response.)

(Open Ended Question)

• • If applicable, have you attached a copy of your DD214, DD215, NGB22, or DD256 for consideration of Veterans Preference Points? The copy submitted should reflect the status of discharge in order to be considered.
• Yes
• No
• Not Applicable