Director of Dining Services

Restaurant Associates; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance / AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

FSAs

Paid Parental Leave

Personal Leave

Job summary

Restaurant Associates is seeking a Director of Dining Services to lead all dining operations in Seattle, WA, including corporate dining, contract services, and high‑volume hospitality. The role focuses on service excellence, food quality, and client satisfaction.

The director will oversee daily operations, financial performance, team leadership, and client relationships, partnering with culinary leadership to advance menus and events while ensuring safety standards and operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Business, or related field.
• 3‑5 years of food service management experience in corporate dining or high‑volume hospitality.
• Experience managing budgets, financial reporting, and cost controls.
• Background in catering, events, and high‑volume food production.
• Proven ability to lead, develop teams, and manage priorities.
• Proficiency with Google Suite (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets).
• ServSafe certification preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for all food service operations including dining, catering and events.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients and employees to ensure outstanding service.
• Partner with Executive Chef to develop seasonal menus and culinary programs.
• Manage budgeting, forecasting, invoices, daily sales reporting, and close processes.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation and allergen standards.
• Lead daily pre‑service meetings and align team on standards.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, training and performance reviews.
• Drive marketing initiatives, menu innovation and catering events.
• Maintain high standards of service, cleanliness and presentation across dining areas.

Skills

Leadership

Food service management

Budgeting

Customer service

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality / Culinary Arts / Business

Tools

Google Suite

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.

Associates At Restaurant Associates 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

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/

Restaurant Associates maintains a drug-free workplace.

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information. https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_RA.pdf