Inside Higher Ed · 2 weeks ago
Executive Director, Swarthmore Dining
Swarthmore, PA
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
$148K/yr - $168K/yr
7+ years expSwarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and they are seeking an Executive Director for Swarthmore Dining. This role involves overseeing all dining operations, strategic planning, and managing a substantial budget while promoting sustainable practices and exceptional service to the campus community.
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Responsibilities
Oversee Swarthmore Dining, including residential dining, catering, retail outlets, bakeries, and student programs, with responsibilities including staffing, customer service, inventory, marketing, allergen management, and facility upkeep
Ensure strict adherence to nutritional, health, and sanitation regulations while maintaining high operational standards in safety, food quality, and service
Knowledge of dining software systems to support operations, staff, and customers
Promote sustainable practices, respond to special requests, and continuously improve offerings based on trends and feedback to enhance the overall dining experience
Improve operational efficiency, customer service, food quality, and offerings by leveraging data insights and developing actionable strategies
Stay informed about new concepts, food technologies, trends, and issues within the food service industry and higher education
Develop and implement policies in areas such as meal plans, pricing, food safety, waste reduction, cash handling, selecting menus, establishing service hours and locations, and quality assurance to maintain operational standards
Drive sales growth by developing and implementing impactful marketing strategies to enhance the experience for the campus community and its visitors
Oversee major dining events and catering logistics
Optimize kitchen and service area designs for workflow efficiency and enhanced customer experience, which includes product set-ups and capital improvements
Develop programs, including but not limited to nutritional programs, internships, teaching kitchen options, pop-up retail opportunities, etc., that encourage student interaction and social engagement with students, faculty, and staff
Develop and implement financial plans for dining services, including annual budgets, long-range capital planning, establishment and management of pricing structures, and deployment of resources to ensure that dining services are managed as efficiently and effectively as possible
Oversee vendor and contract management, including vendor negotiations and service delivery improvement
Build and maintain positive relationships within the department, uphold high professional standards, and resolve conflicts effectively. Ensure that the dining work environment promotes accountability and productivity
Partner with Human Resources to recruit, develop, train, and retain a team of qualified and productive dining service employees
Provide guidance on departmental goal development and implementation, and timely feedback regarding performance on meeting goals
Establish and oversee effective communication channels to ensure transparency, foster collaboration, and build trust among all campus stakeholders and/or external stakeholders
Build relationships and broaden networks to include local organizations, peer institutions, and other associations that could be a resource to the dining operations
Guide and support sustainability initiatives within the Swarthmore Dining Department, ensuring alignment with broader campus sustainability goals. Implement practices that reduce environmental impact and promote responsible resource use
Directly supervise the work of two Associate Directors, support the administrative manager, and oversee a team consisting of managers, supervisors/leads, all other dining staff, and student-managed programs and initiatives
Organize workflow and ensure staff understand their duties or delegated tasks
Ensure that staff have a professional development plan in place. Provide and develop training opportunities. Create and conduct staff performance evaluations
Communicate key issues and information to staff
Provide fair, constructive, and timely feedback
In partnership with Human Resources, follow disciplinary procedures as established in accordance with the employee handbook
Participate in supervisory training opportunities
Maintain a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree with at least seven years of progressively responsible experience in a leadership role or equivalent combination of education and/or experience
Certifications in ServSafe or other culinary food safety programs and/or allergen awareness
Proven expertise in production requirements, human resources, and fiscal management, especially in managing food and labor costs
Experience in hiring, selecting, retaining, training, supervising, and evaluating staff
Experience in budget development, financial systems, and operational budget management
Demonstrated leadership in developing vision and strategic planning
Strong problem-solving skills and a commitment to customer service within a diverse community
Must be intuitive, flexible, and readily available to address needs as they arise
Exceptional communication skills, including interpersonal, written, public speaking, teaching, and instruction
Proven track record of teamwork, collaboration, and partnerships with various operations, services, colleagues, and programs
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, email, CBORD (or similar systems), recipe software, inventory and timekeeping systems, and catering software
Knowledge of residential and retail food service programs in a college or university setting
Valid driver's license
Preferred
Master's degree in food service administration, institutional management, nutrition, dietetics, or a related field
At least ten years of progressively responsible supervisory and administrative experience in a high-volume food service operation with a diverse daily menu
Familiarity with restorative practices and approaches to student interactions
Benefits
Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
Retirement Plans
Tuition Grant Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Paid Time Off (Staff)
Holiday Schedule
Company
Inside Higher Ed
Inside Higher Ed is the online source for news, opinion, and jobs related to higher education.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
unknown2022-01-10Acquired
2006-08-31Series Unknown
Leadership Team
Stephanie Shweiki
Director, Foundation Partnerships
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