Director of Dining Services

Compass Group, North America

Seattle (WA)

On-site

USD 95,000 - 110,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

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

Job summary

Restaurant Associates in Seattle, WA seeks a Director of Dining Services to lead dining operations, budgeting, and culinary programs. You will manage a high-volume environment, partner with the chef team, and ensure exceptional client satisfaction.

The role requires strong leadership, cost control, and a passion for delivering an engaging and premium dining experience in corporate and museum settings.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Business, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
3-5 years of food service management experience in corporate dining, contract services, or high-volume hospitality.
Demonstrated budgeting, financial reporting, and cost-control experience.
Strong background in catering, events, and high-volume food production.
Proven ability to lead and develop teams, manage priorities, and execute initiatives.
Proficiency with Google Suite products (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets).

Responsibilities

Provide leadership for all food service operations, including dining services, catering, and events.
Build and maintain relationships with clients and employees to ensure outstanding service.
Partner with the Executive Chef and culinary team to develop seasonal menus and innovative programs.
Manage budgeting, forecasting, invoicing, daily sales reporting, catering invoicing, and period-end close.
Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and allergen standards; promote safety culture.
Lead pre-service meetings to align the team on expectations and standards.
Oversee recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, and performance management of dining staff.
Conduct mid-year and annual performance reviews; provide coaching and development.
Drive customer engagement through marketing, menus, promotions, and catering events.
Maintain high standards of service, cleanliness, and presentation across dining areas.

Skills

Budgeting

Financial reporting

Team leadership

Communication

Food safety

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Business, or related field

Tools

Google Workspace

Job description

Restaurant Associates

Position Title: Director of Dining Services

Location: Seattle, WA

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday

Salary: $95,000 - $110,000 / year

Bonus: Eligible

Become part of Restaurant Associates, the industry’s leading provider of dining and event catering for some of the nation's most prestigious museums, performing arts centers and corporations! Voted Glassdoor's Employee Choice Awards - Best Places to Work, This is R/A !

Job Summary

Position Summary

The Director of Dining Services is responsible for leading all aspects of dining operations within a corporate, contract services, or high-volume hospitality environment, ensuring exceptional service, food quality, and overall client satisfaction. This role oversees daily operations, financial performance, team leadership, and client relationships. The ideal candidate is a strategic, hands-on leader with a passion for food service excellence, team development, and creating an engaging and welcoming dining experience.

Key Responsibilities

Provide leadership and direction for all food service operations, including dining services, catering, and special events.
Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and employees to ensure outstanding service and satisfaction.
Partner with the Executive Chef and culinary team to develop and implement seasonal menus and innovative culinary programs.
Manage all financial aspects of the operation, including budgeting, forecasting, invoice processing, daily sales reporting, catering invoicing, and period‑end close.
Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and allergen standards while promoting a culture of safety.
Conduct daily pre‑service meetings to align the team on expectations, service standards, and key updates.
Lead recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training, and performance management of dining associates.
Conduct mid‑year and annual performance reviews, providing coaching, feedback, and development opportunities.
Drive customer engagement through marketing initiatives, menu innovation, promotions, and catering events.
Maintain high standards of service, cleanliness, and presentation across all dining areas.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Business, or a related field preferred, or equivalent work experience.
3-5 years of food service management experience, ideally in corporate dining, contract services, or high-volume hospitality.
Demonstrated experience managing budgets, financial reporting, and cost controls.
Strong background in catering, special events, and high-volume food production.
Proven ability to lead and develop teams, manage competing priorities, and execute key initiatives.
Proficiency in using Google Suite products including Gmail, calendar, docs, and sheets.
ServSafe certification preferred.
Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
A passion for continuous improvement, innovation, and delivering an exceptional dining experience.

Restaurant Associates is a member of Compass Group USA

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/

Associates at Restaurant Associates are offered many fantastic benefits.