Upper Crust Food Service is looking for an experienced and strategic director to lead our campus dining program at a major college in Seattle. 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 - Language Skills: Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) is a significant plus. - Attributes: Exceptional conflict resolution skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-unit environment. 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. The pay range for this role is: 82,000 - 90,000 USD per year (Seattle, WA)