Director of Dining Services

Southern Foodservice Management, Inc.; Richmond, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Foodservice Management, Inc. seeks a Director of Dining Services to oversee a large-scale campus dining operation serving approximately 20,000 meals daily across multiple buildings.

You will ensure culinary execution, guest experience, budgeting, staffing, purchasing, food safety, and client relationships. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience leading complex campus or institutional dining environments, with hands-on leadership, excellent communication, and the ability to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in foodservice management or related field.
• 5+ years of foodservice management experience in a large-scale operation.
• Experience leading multi-unit campus dining or institutional operations.
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, staffing, and client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for a large-scale, high-volume dining operation (~20,000 meals/day).
• Direct daily operations across multiple dining areas, menus, and service styles.
• Develop menus with culinary leadership; drive guest experience and quality.
• Manage budgeting, forecasts, P&L, and cost-control measures.
• Lead salaried managers and hourly staff; recruit, train, and develop teams.
• Maintain compliance with food safety standards and OSHA requirements.
• Serve as key client liaison and manage vendor relationships.

Skills

Executive Leadership

People Management

Operational Excellence

Food Safety

Budgeting & P&L

Menu Planning

Vendor Management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Foodservice Management

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Microsoft Word

Job description

Description

Southern Foodservice Management is seeking a highly motivated Director of Dining Services with strong leadership skills to oversee a large-scale, high-volume campus-style dining operation. This position plans, organizes, and directs daily foodservice operations serving approximately 20,000 meals per day across a dynamic, multiple-buildings environment.

The operation includes multiple dining and service areas offering a variety of food concepts and meal options throughout the day. The Director of Dining Services is responsible for all aspects of the operation, including culinary execution, guest experience, financial performance, staffing, purchasing, food safety, facilities, and client relationships.

The ideal candidate will bring experience leading a large-volume, multi-concept foodservice operation such as university or campus dining, institutional foodservice, contract dining, healthcare, or a similarly complex environment. This individual must be an energetic, hands-on leader with strong communication skills and the ability to develop teams while managing multiple operational priorities.

Southern Foodservice Management’s Culture

We have a philosophy for each and every one on our service team to give something extra. A Southern Foodservice Management employee:

• Exhibits a positive, friendly and respectful attitude towards guests and other team members.
• Arrives to work on time and in correct uniform, clean shoes, clean and pressed black pants and shirt, apron, name tag, and a SMILE.
• Understands job duties and responsibilities, as well as having an eagerness to learn more and develop new skills.
• Promotes a fun and efficient work environment, focusing on guest satisfaction.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide overall leadership and direction for a large-scale, high-volume foodservice operation serving approximately 20,000 meals daily.
• Direct daily operations across multiple dining and service areas, including menu planning, food production, service execution, and overall guest experience.
• Ensure all dining operations consistently meet established standards for food quality, presentation, service, sanitation, and safety.
• Lead and develop a large team of salaried managers, supervisors, and hourly foodservice employees.
• Recruit, interview, train, coach, and develop employees while creating a culture of accountability, teamwork, and excellent customer service.
• Partner with culinary leadership to develop menus, special events, promotions, and dining programs that provide variety and enhance the overall dining experience.
• Oversee high-volume food production while maintaining quality, consistency, portion control, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and manage operating budgets, forecasts, Profit & Loss statements, and financial reporting.
• Monitor food, labor, supply, and controllable expenses and implement appropriate cost-control measures.
• Oversee purchasing, inventory management, product utilization, and vendor relationships.
• Monitor operational performance and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, and financial results.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between Southern Foodservice Management and the client, maintaining a strong and collaborative partnership.
• Resolve employee, customer, and operational concerns in a professional and timely manner.
• Conduct regular management meetings, facility inspections, and operational reviews.
• Oversee the cleanliness, maintenance, and overall condition of dining facilities and foodservice equipment.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, food safety standards, sanitation requirements, OSHA regulations, and applicable federal requirements.
• Oversee Quality Control standards and ensure contractual performance requirements are consistently met.
• Manage employee relations and labor matters within a union environment, including corrective action and collective bargaining requirements when applicable.
• Prepare required client reports, invoicing, proposals, and other operational documentation.
• Maintain accurate operational records and protect confidential and sensitive information.
• Provide leadership and support during special events and other high-volume service periods.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant foodservice management experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of foodservice management experience in a large-scale operation.
• Demonstrated experience successfully managing a high-volume dining hall, campus dining program, institutional foodservice operation, multi-unit dining program, or full-service cafeteria environment.
• Experience managing multiple dining areas, service styles, or food concepts within one operation strongly preferred.
• Prior foodservice leadership experience within university dining, contract foodservice, healthcare, military/government dining, or another complex institutional environment preferred.
• Strong knowledge of both Front of House and Back of House operations.
• Proven experience leading and developing large teams of salaried and hourly employees.
• Strong understanding of high-volume food production, purchasing, inventory management, and food cost controls.
• Proficiency in labor management, budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, and controllable expenses.
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong customer service focus with the ability to build effective relationships with clients, employees, and guests.
• Knowledge of HACCP, food safety, sanitation, and applicable health and safety regulations.
• Computer proficiency, including working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities and effectively manage multiple areas of operation in a fast-paced environment.
• Flexible schedule and ability to support operations as business needs require.
• Current Food Protection Manager/ServSafe certification required.
• Must meet all requirements necessary to work within a federal government facility.

Requirements

Physical Requirements:

• Strength: Lift up to 50lbs
• Posture: Standing 50%, Walking 50%
• Movement of objects: Occasional
• Heavy lifting, Heavy Carrying, Pushing, Pulling
• Climbing or Balancing: Occasional
• Stooping: Frequent
• Reaching: Frequent
• Handling: Frequent
• Talking/Hearing: Frequent
• Seeing: Frequent
• Temperature Variation: Frequent
• Typing: Frequent
• Reading: Frequent