Assistant Director of Dining Services - Miss Porter's School

Flik Independent School Dining; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Flexible Spending Accounts

Job summary

Flik Independent School Dining seeks an Assistant Director of Dining Services for Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT. You will lead catering and events, oversee daily dining operations, and align service excellence with campus culture.

You will manage staff, budgets, and safety programs while delivering memorable dining experiences for students, faculty, and guests across campus functions.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive experience in catering, hospitality, food service management, or dining operations.
• Experience planning and executing catering events, conferences, special functions, or campus programming.
• Proven leadership experience supervising, training, and developing teams.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Knowledge of food service operations, catering logistics, service standards, and event execution.
• Experience managing budgets, labor, food costs, and operational reporting.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Associate's degree or higher in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Business, Event Planning, or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, coordination, and execution of catering events, ensuring high quality and service standards.
• Collaborate with administrators and campus partners to support school culture through events.
• Serve as primary contact for catering clients, managing details, timelines, and billing.
• Provide on-site leadership during events and address challenges.
• Build relationships with students, faculty, staff, parents, and guests to promote hospitality-centric culture.
• Support daily dining operations including staff leadership, client relations, and safety compliance.
• Lead, train, and motivate a team of associates for accountability and growth.
• Coordinate menus, signage, and marketing materials for dining programs.
• Assist with financial responsibilities: budgets, labor, expenses, and vendor invoices.
• Gather guest feedback to improve catering and residential dining experiences.

Skills

Catering management

Team leadership

Budget management

Event planning

Communication skills

MS Office

Education

Hospitality management degree

Culinary arts degree

Business degree

Tools

Catering software platforms

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

FISD

Salary: $67000 - $77000 / year

Other Forms of Compensation: N/A

Flik Independent School Dining has been leading the way in transforming private and independent school foodservice across 300 communities for over four decades. Our passionate team of associates is fully committed to delivering exceptional foodservice experiences every single time. Our meals are crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, supporting sustainable agricultural practices that benefit our communities. But we don't stop at just foodservice – we take it to the next level by offering cutting-edge nutrition education programs that empower students to make smart, healthy choices daily. By combining nutritious meals with comprehensive education, we equip students with the essential tools they need to lead a healthy and thriving life. We believe in nourishing the whole person, creating community through great food and programming, and doing what’s right, every time.

We are Nourishing a Brighter Future.

Job Summary

As the Assistant Director of Dining Services, you will play a key leadership role in delivering an exceptional dining experience for students, faculty, staff, and guests at Miss Porter’s School, an independent, college preparatory all-girls boarding and day school in Farmington, Connecticut, serving approximately 340-345 students in grades 9-12. With a primary focus on catering and special events, you will oversee the planning, coordination, and execution of campus functions while supporting the day-to-day operations of the school's dining program. Reporting to the Director of Dining Services, this position serves as a bridge between hospitality, event management, and dining operations. The ideal candidate is a service-focused leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels at building relationships, and is passionate about creating memorable dining experiences for the school's close-knit boarding and day school community. When catering activities are not in service, the Assistant Director will support daily dining operations, including staff leadership, client relations, financial oversight, safety compliance, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of all catering events, ensuring exceptional food quality, presentation, and service standards.
• Collaborate with school administrators, faculty, staff, and campus partners to develop and execute events that support the school's culture and community.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for catering clients, managing event details, communications, timelines, and execution. Utilize catering software and event management tools to coordinate logistics, staffing, billing, and event communications.
• Provide on-site leadership during events, proactively addressing challenges and ensuring seamless service.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with students, faculty, staff, parents, and guests to promote a strong hospitality-focused culture.
• Support the overall management of daily dining operations, ensuring high standards of food quality, customer service, safety, and sanitation.
• Lead, train, develop, and motivate a team of associates, fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and professional growth.
• Facilitate daily pre-service meetings and communicate operational priorities, service expectations, and event details.
• Support allergy awareness programs, food safety initiatives, and compliance with all company and school policies.
• Assist with financial responsibilities, including monitoring budgets, labor, expenses, vendor invoices, and sales reporting.
• Coordinate menu signage, promotional materials, and marketing initiatives that enhance engagement and showcase dining programs.
• Gather and analyze guest feedback to continuously improve both catering and residential dining experiences.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Dining Services.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive experience in catering, hospitality, food service management, or dining operations.
• Experience planning and executing catering events, conferences, special functions, or campus programming.
• Proven leadership experience supervising, training, and developing teams in a hospitality or food service environment.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Knowledge of food service operations, catering logistics, service standards, and event execution.
• Experience managing budgets, labor, food costs, and operational reporting.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with a strong customer-service mindset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint); experience with catering software platforms preferred.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, based on event schedules.
• Associate's degree or higher in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts, Business, Event Planning, or a related field preferred.
• Creative, detail-oriented professional with a passion for hospitality, guest engagement, and delivering exceptional experiences.

Associates at Flik Independent School Dining are offered many fantastic benefits.

• 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
• Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Personal Leave

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer

At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation

Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details

https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Flik Independent School Dining maintains a drug-free workplace.

FISD

STEPHANIE FREER