Budgeting, Cash Management, Catering Services, Contract Management, Cost Control, Cost Forecasting, Customer Relations, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Support/Service, Environmental Management, Food Safety, Food Services, Food and Beverage Industry, Healthcare, Leadership, Maintain Compliance, Military, Payroll Administration, Profit & Loss, Regulatory Compliance, Retail, Safety Compliance, Safety Standards, Safety/Work Safety, Sanitation, Staff Development, Team Player
Overview
We are seeking an experienced General Manager – Campus Dining to lead all food and beverage operations at the University of Tennessee at Martin. This senior leadership role is responsible for full P&L ownership, contract management, and operational oversight across residential dining, retail food outlets, and catering services.
The ideal candidate brings strong food service leadership experience in high-volume, multi-outlet environments, with a proven ability to deliver operational excellence, financial performance, and exceptional client satisfaction in a university or institutional setting.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage all campus dining operations, including residential dining, retail, and catering programs
- Serve as the primary client contact, building and maintaining strong day-to-day relationships with university partners
- Own full financial performance (P&L accountability), including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
- Oversee hiring, training, scheduling, and development of managers and staff across all units
- Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards
- Drive customer satisfaction through service innovation and operational consistency
- Manage cash handling, payroll processes, and internal controls
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, service quality, and profitability
- Lead and develop a high-performing team culture focused on accountability and excellence
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- Minimum 5+ years of food service management experience, ideally in campus or institutional dining
- Minimum 5+ years of leadership experience managing managers and multi-level teams
- Proven P&L ownership in a high-volume food service environment
- Experience managing multi-outlet operations (residential dining, retail, catering, or equivalent)
- Strong understanding of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance
- Demonstrated success in client-facing leadership roles and contract-managed environments
- Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost management
Preferred Experience
- Campus or university dining leadership experience
- Large-scale institutional food service (healthcare, military, corrections, corporate campuses, or similar environments)
- Experience managing accounts with significant annual revenue and complex operational structure
- Strong background in hospitality leadership and customer service excellence
What We Offer
- Opportunity to lead a high-impact dining program in a university setting
- Responsibility for full operational and financial leadership of a multi-outlet campus account
- Collaborative environment with strong client engagement and leadership autonomy
- Opportunity to drive innovation in campus dining services
Work Environment
This is a fully onsite leadership role based at the University of Tennessee at Martin. The General Manager will act as the senior-most on-site leader for all dining operations and must be able to work closely with university stakeholders and operational teams on a daily basis.