Chef Manager - St Mary's
Villanova
A complete application in a minute
Tailored resume and cover letter, ready to send.
Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Villanova is seeking a Chef Manager for St Mary's to lead food production, staffing, and service operations in a high-volume campus dining environment. The role emphasizes menu planning, cost control, and maintaining top food quality across all outlets.
The position requires 3–5 years of supervisory culinary experience, a Bachelor’s or culinary degree (or commensurate experience), and Serve Safe certification. Work is in a Catholic university setting with competitive benefits.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree/culinary degree or commensurate work experience may be acceptable with 3–5 year minimum culinary and/or supervisory experience.
- Must be Serve Safe certified.
- Experience in a higher education dining operation is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Maintain and improve food quality levels across all outlets while ensuring proper food handling.
- Coordinate staffing, scheduling, coaching, training, and annual staff evaluations.
- Assist with front-of-house operations, payroll, cash handling, and customer interaction.
- Plan and participate in menu planning, portioning, food production, and cost controls.
- Ensure sanitation and safety standards are met and upheld.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Schedule during normal operating hours
Sunday – Thursday 12pm – 9pm
special events as needed
Do you have questions about the application process? If so, please refer to the Applicant FAQ’s.
Posting Details (Default Section) Posting Number: 20260485S Position Title: Chef Manager - St Mary's Position Type: Staff Location: Villanova, PA Recruitment Type: Internal/External Applicants Work Schedule: full-time/12-months Avg Hours Week Department: 412-Dining Services Operations Position Summary: Founded in 1842 and recognized among the nation’s best colleges and universities, we are a mission -driven institution inspired by the values of truth, unity, love, and dedication to serving the common good. At Villanova, we believe our people are our most precious asset. That’s why we offer a vibrant and collaborative campus environment and invest in our employees through competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support your professional growth, personal well-being, and long-term success.
Benefits include:
- Generous paid time off and holidays
- Tuition assistance for employees and eligible family members
- Professional development opportunities
- Retirement savings plan with University contributions
- Well-being programs and resources
- Flexible work options where appropriate
We invite you to join a community where your contributions are valued, your growth is supported, and your work makes a meaningful difference. Learn more about the benefits of working at Villanova on our website.
This leadership position will work with the management team and staff to instill and foster the values of the University and Dining Services Mission Statement, focusing on our core values. This position is the opening manager for Dougherty Hall.
Supervises and coordinates food production with an emphasis on the commissary production, catering production and the resident dining hall production. Assists the management team with front of the house operations, payroll, cash registers, student attendants, table visits and customer interaction, opening and closing routines, as required. Responsible for staffing issues and monitoring call outs, annual evaluations and disciplinary actions. Plans and participates in menu planning, food production, portioning, food presentation, and controlling food costs. Ensures food is fresh, well prepared, tasty and well presented.
Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS :
- Maintains and improves the food quality levels in all outlets of the operation, ensuring proper food handling.
- Maintains a cleaning schedule for all kitchen equipment on a daily, weekly and monthly basis utilizing staff.
- Ensures production records are properly maintained and monitored, including food temperature logs, and the overall the sanitation program in Dougherty Hall.
- Monitors food presentation, food temperature, taste and proper holding temperatures and times.
- Supports the General Manager and team in maintaining an industry leading clean operation.
Friendly Courteous Service ~
- Treats all personnel as their customer by providing our associates with the tools they need to serve food of the highest consistent quality in a friendly and efficient manner in a clean environment.
- Assists the management team in scheduling production, scheduling staff, coaching, training and administering annual staff evaluations.
- Assists with the day to day operations of the units, payroll, registers, cash handling, reconciling the safe, opening and closing the units, monitoring staffing levels due to call outs.
- Trains, develops, and directs staff using approved management practices.
- Reviews work processes and food preparation methods to improve service, performance and/or safety.
- Performs table visits and customer interaction to check quality of service and food. Resolves customer service issues/concerns with the management team.
Food Quality ~ Plans and participates in the menu planning and recipe adherence of all outlets including catering.
- Supervises culinary team and associates.
- Samples, monitors, and observes food to ensure conformance to recipes and standards of appearance and taste.
- Models the way by being very “hands on” in the preparation of food and menu items, ensuring the highest consistent quality product is served.
- Participates in food cuttings and samplings.
- Incorporates the latest market and nutritional trends on to the menu featuring new and interesting products each month.
- Plans, organizes, and coordinates daily specials.
Generates maximum financial performance including responsibility for effective cost control management.
- Accountable for recipe adherence and controlling food cost controls.
- Assists with ordering of food and non-food products.
- Conducts weekly forecasts and pre-orders with the management team along with daily and weekly inventories.
NONESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS :
- Assists in the planning and coordinating of special events, and supporting catering events.
- All other jobs as assigned.
Formal Education:
- Bachelor’s degree/culinary degree or commensurate work experience may be acceptable with 3 – 5 year minimum culinary and/or supervisory experience.
Specific Job Knowledge:
- Must be Serve Safe certified.
- Must have strong knowledge of food ordering, production, preparation techniques, and team supervision, with proven ability to delegate and manage tasks effectively while maintaining a consistent commitment to quality.
Minimum Work Experience:
- 3-5 years minimum experience in a food service supervisory position, preferably in a higher education institution.
Work Skills:
- Demonstrates the ability to lead and collaborate with a diverse team.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Capable of working independently and managing responsibilities without close supervision.
- Self‑motivated, proactive and able to work with a sense of urgency.
- Flexible adaptable to changing work schedules and operational needs.
Equipment Knowledge:
- Knowledge of preventive maintenance requirements on kitchen
- Knowledge of kitchen equipment and maintenance requirements.
- Knowledge of computers for performing daily routines.
- Computer basics and software programs such as Microsoft Excel and Word.
Tools, machinery, and equipment used:
- Kitchen equipment
Environmental conditions:
- Chemicals associated with food service industry
Physical requirements:
- Standing for long periods of time
- Ability to lift a minimum of 30 pound
- Requires bending, climbing, reaching, standing, walking, sitting, grasping, carrying, repetitive motions, visual acuity, hearing, good verbal skills and occasional exposure to extreme temperatures -10 degrees in the freezers and coolers
Special Message to Applicants: Schedule during normal operating hours
Sunday – Thursday 12pm – 9pm
special events as needed
Posting Date: 11/05/2026 Closing Date (11:59pm ET): Salary Posting Information: The approved range for this position is $59,800-66,900. The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate’s qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity.” Salary Grade: 14 Job Classification: exempt
References Needed Minimum Number of References Needed 3 Maximum Number of References Needed 3
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- * How did you first hear of this employment opportunity?
- Indeed.com
- Higheredjobs.com
- Glassdoor
- Chronicle Vitae
- Academic Keys
- PA CareerLink/JobGateway
- Professional Affiliation/Trade Website
- Diversity Association/Publication Website
- Advertisement in Academic or Professional Publication
- Referred by a current employee
- Referred by a friend, family member, or former employee
- Heard about it at a conference or career fair
- Browsing the Villanova website
- Cabrini University employee
- Other
- * If your answer to the above question is "Other", please specify the source below. If this question does not apply to you, enter N/A.
(Open Ended Question)
Required Documents
- Cover Letter / Letter of Interest
- Resume / Curriculum Vitae
Optional Documents
'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M101.744%2012.4726L102.894%2016.1947L99.0021%2013.2201L101.744%2012.4726ZM105.3%208.40937H100.488L99.0026%203.59473L97.5116%208.41047L92.7%208.40385L96.5965%2011.3834L95.1055%2016.1942L99.0021%2013.2196L101.408%2011.3834L105.3%208.40992V8.40937Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_5593_1381'%20x1='90'%20y1='9.44471'%20x2='99'%20y2='9.44471'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2300AD70'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.998594'%20stop-color='%2300B67A'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%23DCDCE6'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
