Director of Dining Services

Upper-Crust-Food-Service

Tuscaloosa (AL)

On-site

USD 120,000 - 180,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Life Insurance/ AD

Disability Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Holiday Time Off

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Upper Crust Food Service is seeking an experienced campus dining director for a major Tuscaloosa college. You will lead residential dining, large-scale catering, and athletics-related food service across a 500+ daily diner community.

You will drive culinary quality, sustainability, and technology integration, partnering with diverse stakeholders while mentoring a 50-person culinary and service team in a fast-paced multi-site environment.

Qualifications

5+ years leading collegiate or high-volume hospitality operations.
Active ServSafe Manager and Alcohol Service certifications current.
Experience with hospitality software such as CaterTrax or TouchNet preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage campus dining, residential dining and large-scale catering.
Oversee dining services for 500+ daily diners.
Ensure culinary quality, sustainability, and tech integration.
Serve as primary leadership partner for dining stakeholders.
Develop people through coaching, DEI initiatives, and leadership.
Drive data-informed decisions and maintain fiscal discipline.

Skills

Leadership

Data-driven decision-making

Conflict resolution

Education

ServSafe Foodservice Manager Certification

Alcohol Service Certification

Tools

CaterTrax

TouchNet

Job description

Upper Crust Food Service is a premier hospitality partner delivering high-end, chef-driven dining solutions to over 750+ partners nationwide. While our footprint is expansive, we have intentionally maintained a culture that is small enough to care deeply for our employees and clients. We deliver elevated restaurant-quality culinary experiences, and a hospitality-first culture. At Upper Crust, we believe that great food is the cornerstone of the student experience, and we empower our leadership teams to run their accounts with the entrepreneurial spirit of a boutique restaurant, backed by the robust resources of a national industry leader.

Upper Crust Food Service is looking for an experienced and strategic director to lead our campus dining program at a major college in Tuscaloosa. This role oversees dining and catering services for a campus community of more than 500 daily diners, including residential dining, athletics-related food service, and large events. Our program focuses on high-quality food, sustainability, and technology to enhance campus life.

Key Responsibilities & Scope

Lead and manage the campus dining program, including residential dining and large-scale catering operations.
Oversee dining services for a campus community of more than 500 daily diners.
Ensure excellence in culinary quality, sustainability initiatives, and technology integration across operations.
Serve as the primary leadership partner for campus dining stakeholders.
Foster a people-first culture through emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and strong leadership.
Maintain high standards of ethics, trustworthiness, reliability, accountability, and executive presence.
Use data-driven insights to guide decision-making and improve operational performance.
Manage financial performance with strong fiscal discipline.
Collaborate effectively with diverse and complex stakeholder groups.
Ensure consistency in service delivery, culinary standards, and overall guest experience.
Identify and implement opportunities for business growth, operational efficiency, and innovation.

Health, Safety, & Regulatory Compliance

Operational Excellence: Maintain a "Gold Plate" standard for safety, ensuring a perfect 100% health inspection record across all managed residential, retail, and concession sites.
Certification Leadership: Hold and maintain an active ServSafe Foodservice Manager Certification; you will be responsible for ensuring all subordinate managers and supervisors are also certified and compliant with state and local health mandates.
Allergen & Transparency: Oversee the integration of digital menu platforms to ensure 100% accuracy in allergen tracking and nutritional transparency for a diverse student body.
Risk Mitigation: Implement rigorous HACCP protocols and standardized sanitation schedules to mitigate risk in high-volume, multi-unit production environments.

Strategic Operations & Financial Stewardship

Directly manage an annual P&L exceeding $10M, ensuring fiscal responsibility through meticulous labor cost optimization and CAPEX planning.
Campus Engagement & Program Innovations
Athletics: Lead the strategy and execution for pre or pos athletic events, focusing on speed of service and revenue growth.
Catering & Events: Manage a premium catering department for everything from high-profile presidential galas to student events.
Sustainability: Drive "Farm-to-Campus" initiatives to increase local sourcing by at least 20%.
Leadership & People Development
Lead and mentor a diverse team of 50 culinary and service professionals.
Communication: Facilitate clear, effective communication across a diverse workforce; proficiency in Spanish is a plus.
Champion DEI workshops and professional development programs to build a high-morale, equitable workplace environment.

Qualifications & Technical Expertise

Experience: 5+ years of progressive leadership in collegiate or high-volume hospitality operations.
Systems Proficiency: Advanced expertise in CaterTrax, TouchNet or comparable software is a plus
Certifications: Active ServSafe Foodservice Manager and Alcohol Service certifications are required or renewed within 30 days
Attributes: Exceptional conflict resolution skills and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-unit environment.

Why Join Upper Crust Food Service?

We offer a competitive compensation package, including comprehensive benefits and the opportunity to lead a flagship account within the Seattle collegiate landscape. Ready to lead the next era of campus dining?