Dining Services Director

Charter Senior Living; West Bend (WI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Charter Senior Living of West Bend is seeking a Dining Services Director to lead our culinary and dining operations in a newer, residents-first community. You will coach a seasoned team, ensure high-quality meals, and collaborate with the leadership group to elevate resident satisfaction and dining experiences daily.

This full-time leadership role emphasizes hospitality, accountability, and continuous improvement in a resident-centered environment, with a Monday–Friday schedule and rotation

Qualifications

• Previous dining services leadership or management experience.
• Previous dining experience in a healthcare or senior living setting.
• Supervise, coach, and manage dining associates.
• Understand food service operations, quality, and sanitation.
• Commitment to exceptional resident-centered service.
• Manage performance, accountability, and daily operations.
• Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving.
• Collaborate with community leadership and other departments.
• Knowledge of food safety practices and regulatory expectations.
• ServSafe certification or ability to obtain certification.
• Availability to work Monday–Friday and Manager-on-Duty rotation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily dining and culinary operations.
• Lead, coach, mentor, and support dining department associates.
• Establish clear expectations for performance, professionalism, teamwork, and service.
• Provide consistent leadership, accountability, and follow-through.
• Support employee scheduling, training, and performance management.
• Foster a positive and respectful team environment.
• Address operational concerns and employee challenges proactively.
• Build strong working relationships with culinary and dining associates.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and community leadership team.
• Oversee meal preparation, presentation, and service standards.
• Ensure residents receive high-quality meals that meet dietary requirements.
• Support menu planning, meal variety, and resident preferences.
• Maintain consistency in food quality, portioning, presentation, and service.
• Monitor kitchen organization, cleanliness, and operational efficiency.
• Oversee food purchasing, inventory management, and cost controls.
• Manage departmental resources and expenses within approved budgets.
• Ensure food safety and sanitation standards are consistently maintained.

Skills

Dining leadership

Healthcare dining

Staff coaching

Food service operations

Customer service

Food safety

Organizational skills

Communication

Problem solving

Collaboration

ServSafe certification

Job description

Dining Services Director (Food Service Director) – Senior Living

Charter Senior Living of West Bend | West Bend, WI

Salary: $70,000–$75,000 Annually

Full-Time | Monday–Friday | Manager-on-Duty Rotation

Lead a Great Team. Elevate the Dining Experience. Make a Difference.

Are you an experienced Dining Services Director, Food Service Director, or Culinary Manager who knows how to lead a team, deliver exceptional service, and create a dining experience residents genuinely enjoy?

Do you believe great dining is about more than preparing meals? It's about hospitality, relationships, consistency, and making residents feel valued every day.

Charter Senior Living of West Bend is seeking a confident, organized, and resident-focused Dining Services Director to lead our culinary and dining operations!

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a newer senior living community with an established dining team, strong staffing, and a collaborative leadership environment.

We're not looking for someone to rebuild an understaffed department. We're looking for a leader who can provide guidance, strengthen accountability, develop associates, and take an already established team to the next level.

If you have experience leading healthcare or senior living dining operations and enjoy creating an exceptional resident experience, we'd love to meet you!

Why Join Charter Senior Living of West Bend?

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Earn a competitive salary of $70,000–$75,000 annually.

• Lead an established dining department with strong staffing levels.

• Work in a newer senior living community, approximately one year old.

• Join a collaborative community leadership team.

• Focus on coaching, team development, service excellence, and operational improvements.

• Bring your ideas and leadership experience to an established department.

• Build meaningful relationships with residents and their families.

• Make a direct impact on resident satisfaction and quality of life.

• Be part of an organization whose mission is To Enhance the Human Spirit.

What You'll Do

Dining Services Leadership & Team Development

• Oversee daily dining and culinary operations.

• Lead, coach, mentor, and support dining department associates.

• Establish clear expectations for performance, professionalism, teamwork, and service.

• Provide consistent leadership, accountability, and follow-through.

• Support employee scheduling, training, and performance management.

• Foster a positive and respectful team environment.

• Address operational concerns and employee challenges proactively.

• Build strong working relationships with culinary and dining associates.

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and community leadership team.

Culinary Operations & Food Quality

• Oversee meal preparation, presentation, and service standards.

• Ensure residents receive high-quality meals that meet established dietary and nutritional requirements.

• Support menu planning, meal variety, and resident preferences.

• Maintain consistency in food quality, portioning, presentation, and service.

• Monitor kitchen organization, cleanliness, and operational efficiency.

• Oversee food purchasing, inventory management, and appropriate cost controls.

• Manage departmental resources and expenses within approved budgets.

• Ensure food safety and sanitation standards are consistently maintained.

Resident-Centered Dining & Hospitality

• Create a welcoming, enjoyable, and resident-focused dining experience.

• Build relationships with residents and seek feedback about meals and service.

• Address dining concerns professionally and with a sense of urgency.

• Support individualized dietary needs and preferences in collaboration with appropriate care team members.

• Encourage a culture of hospitality, respect, and exceptional customer service.

• Identify opportunities to improve resident satisfaction and dining engagement.

• Support special dining events, celebrations, and community activities.

Food Safety, Compliance & Accountability

• Maintain compliance with applicable food safety, sanitation, and healthcare dining requirements.

• Ensure appropriate food handling, storage, temperature monitoring, and kitchen sanitation practices.

• Maintain necessary dining department records and documentation.

• Support inspections and corrective action when needed.

• Reinforce safe work practices and consistent department procedures.

• Maintain or obtain ServSafe certification as required by the position.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Previous dining services leadership or management experience.

• Previous dining experience in a healthcare or senior living setting.

• Demonstrated ability to supervise, coach, and manage dining associates.

• Strong understanding of food service operations, quality standards, and sanitation practices.

• Commitment to exceptional resident-centered customer service.

• Experience managing employee performance, accountability, and daily department operations.

• Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively with community leadership and other departments.

• Knowledge of food safety practices and regulatory expectations.

• ServSafe certification or ability to obtain certification.

• Availability to work Monday–Friday and participate in the Manager-on-Duty rotation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Dining Services Director, Food Service Director, Culinary Director, or similar leadership role.

• Senior living dining experience.

• Experience managing food costs, inventory, purchasing, and departmental budgets.

• Experience overseeing meal service for residents with varying dietary needs.

• Experience training, developing, and retaining culinary and dining associates.

• Experience improving resident satisfaction and dining service standards.

Who Will Thrive in This Role?

You’ll be a great fit if you:

• Are a strong leader who knows how to develop and motivate a team.

• Can provide direction while building positive working relationships.

• Believe accountability and respect go hand in hand.

• Take pride in delivering excellent food and exceptional service.

• Understand the importance of resident preferences and hospitality.

• Are comfortable overseeing both kitchen operations and dining room service.

• Communicate clearly and follow through on commitments.

• Know how to address employee concerns and performance issues professionally.

• Are organized, dependable, and proactive.

• Enjoy working in a collaborative leadership environment.

• Want to make a lasting impact on residents' everyday experiences.

Compensation & Schedule

Annual Salary: $70,000–$75,000

Full-Time Leadership Position

• Primary schedule: Monday–Friday

• Manager-on-Duty rotation required

• Flexibility to support community dining operations and special events

Join Charter Senior Living!

At Charter Senior Living, our mission is To Enhance the Human Spirit.

We believe dining is an essential part of the resident experience. Every meal is an opportunity to bring people together, create meaningful connections, and provide comfort, hospitality, and exceptional service.

Our Dining Services Directors play an important role in building strong teams and delivering experiences residents look forward to every day.