Upper Crust Food Service is looking for an experienced and strategic director to lead our campus dining program at a major college in Tuscaloosa. This role oversees dining and catering services for a campus community of more than 500 daily diners, including residential dining, athletics-related food service, and large events. Our program focuses on high-quality food, sustainability, and technology to enhance campus life.
Key Responsibilities & Scope
- Lead and manage the campus dining program, including residential dining and large-scale catering operations.
- Oversee dining services for a campus community of more than 500 daily diners.
- Ensure excellence in culinary quality, sustainability initiatives, and technology integration across operations.
- Serve as the primary leadership partner for campus dining stakeholders.
- Foster a people-first culture through emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and strong leadership.
- Maintain high standards of ethics, trustworthiness, reliability, accountability, and executive presence.
- Use data-driven insights to guide decision-making and improve operational performance.
- Manage financial performance with strong fiscal discipline.
- Collaborate effectively with diverse and complex stakeholder groups.
- Ensure consistency in service delivery, culinary standards, and overall guest experience.
- Identify and implement opportunities for business growth, operational efficiency, and innovation.
Health, Safety, & Regulatory Compliance
- Operational Excellence: Maintain a "Gold Plate" standard for safety, ensuring a perfect 100% health inspection record across all managed residential, retail, and concession sites.
- Certification Leadership: Hold and maintain an active ServSafe Foodservice Manager Certification; you will be responsible for ensuring all subordinate managers and supervisors are also certified and compliant with state and local health mandates.
- Allergen & Transparency: Oversee the integration of digital menu platforms to ensure 100% accuracy in allergen tracking and nutritional transparency for a diverse student body.
- Risk Mitigation: Implement rigorous HACCP protocols and standardized sanitation schedules to mitigate risk in high-volume, multi-unit production environments.
Strategic Operations & Financial Stewardship
- Directly manage an annual P&L exceeding $10M, ensuring fiscal responsibility through meticulous labor cost optimization and CAPEX planning.
- Campus Engagement & Program Innovations
- Athletics: Lead the strategy and execution for pre or pos athletic events, focusing on speed of service and revenue growth.
- Catering & Events: Manage a premium catering department for everything from high-profile presidential galas to student events.
- Sustainability: Drive "Farm-to-Campus" initiatives to increase local sourcing by at least 20%.
- Leadership & People Development
- Lead and mentor a diverse team of 50 culinary and service professionals.
- Communication: Facilitate clear, effective communication across a diverse workforce; proficiency in Spanish is a plus.
- Champion DEI workshops and professional development programs to build a high-morale, equitable workplace environment.
Qualifications & Technical Expertise
- Experience: 5+ years of progressive leadership in collegiate or high-volume hospitality operations.
- Systems Proficiency: Advanced expertise in CaterTrax, TouchNet or comparable software is a plus
- Certifications: Active ServSafe Foodservice Manager and Alcohol Service certifications are required or renewed within 30 days
- Attributes: Exceptional conflict resolution skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-unit environment.
Why Join Upper Crust Food Service?
We offer a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive benefits and the opportunity to lead a flagship account within the Seattle collegiate landscape. Ready to lead the next era of campus dining?
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Life Insurance/ AD
- Disability Insurance
- Retirement Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
- Associate Shopping Program
- Health and Wellness Programs
- Discount Marketplace
- Pet Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
- Paid Parental Leave
- Personal Leave
Apply today to join a team dedicated to culinary excellence and student success.