Director of University Dining

UWSTP University of Wisconsin Stevens Point; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Excellent benefits package

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point invites applications for the Director of University Dining. This senior leadership role directs a self-operated dining program across multiple campus locations, shaping menus, pricing, service quality, and strategic planning while ensuring food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.

You will oversee a core leadership team of twelve professionals, manage a substantial budget, and coordinate ongoing staffing including students.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, food service management, business administration, or closely related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive leadership experience in large-scale food service, dining services, or auxiliary operations, preferably in higher education or a similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-unit operations with full financial accountability, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.
• Proven leadership and supervisory experience, including staff recruitment, development, performance management, and team building across diverse employee groups.
• Experience overseeing dining technologies, such as point-of-sale systems, menu management platforms, and operational software solutions.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and regulatory compliance, including local health department requirements.
• Experience with procurement processes, contract management, and compliance with institutional or governmental purchasing policies.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, staff, faculty, and external partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to customer service excellence and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develops the unit budget
• Develops operating policies and procedures to ensure adherence to production, safe food quality, handling, and sanitation processes and procedures
• Directs strategic planning initiatives and establishes unit objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources and alignment with the strategic plan
• Serves as the unit liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the unit
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• Directs the creation of food menus, pricing structure, service quality goals, and product development

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Forecasting

Staff development

Food safety

Procurement

Communication

Customer service

Dining technologies

Education

Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or related field

Tools

POS systems

Menu management platforms

Operational software

Contract management systems

Job description

Current Employees

If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Position Title: Director of University Dining

Job Category: Limited

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Food Service Director

Job Duties: The University Dining Director provides strategic leadership and oversees the production and delivery of professional food service operations across the college campus. This role requires creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction, cost efficiency, strong financial performance, and exceptional product quality. The position carries fiscal responsibility and is accountable for the coordination, supervision, and evaluation of multiple aspects of a complex, self-operated University Dining program operating across multiple locations. The Director leads the University Dining core leadership team, comprised of twelve (12) professionals, and provides overall oversight for all full-time, part-time, temporary, and student staff. This role requires seasonal evening and weekend work. Integral to University Dining’s mission is the student employee experience, which plays a vital role in student engagement and success at UWSP. All University Dining staff are considered educators who support this high-impact, out-of-class learning experience. The position reports to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Develops the unit budget
• Develops operating policies and procedures to ensure adherence to production, safe food quality, handling, and sanitation processes and procedures
• Directs strategic planning initiatives and establishes unit objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources and alignment with the strategic plan
• Serves as the unit liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the unit
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• Directs the creation of food menus, pricing structure, service quality goals, and product development

Department

University Dining at UW-Stevens Point delivers over 1.3 million meals per year to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Retail operations include Lower DeBot Marketplace, DUC Food Court, Homegrown Café, and Common Ground Café. Upper DeBot Dining Center is our all-you-care-to-eat dining center primarily serving our residential student population. Catering handles both internal and external clients and serves over 800 events per year. University Dining is the largest student employer on the Stevens Point campus. We place a strong emphasis on quality, value, student employment, and sustainability.

Compensation

The Director of University Dining is a full-time, salaried, exempt, annual (12-month), limited appointee position. Salary commensurate with the candidate’s education, related experience, and qualifications. Relocation assistance is available. Eligible Universities of Wisconsin employees receive an excellent benefits package. To learn more about the benefits package, review the Universities of Wisconsin Employee Benefits Quick Guide (FA/AS/LI). Use the Health & Retirement Contributions Estimator to calculate the estimated value of your compensation and benefits.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in hospitality management, food service management, business administration, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive leadership experience in large-scale food service, dining services, or auxiliary operations, preferably in higher education or a similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-unit operations with full financial accountability, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.
• Proven leadership and supervisory experience, including staff recruitment, development, performance management, and team building across diverse employee groups.
• Experience overseeing dining technologies, such as point-of-sale systems, menu management platforms, and operational software solutions.
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation standards, and regulatory compliance, including local health department requirements.
• Experience with procurement processes, contract management, and compliance with institutional or governmental purchasing policies.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills, with the ability to engage effectively with students, staff, faculty, and external partners.
• Demonstrated commitment to customer service excellence and continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in hospitality management, business administration (MBA), or a related field.
• Experience in a self-operated collegiate dining program or similar environment.
• Familiarity with NACUFS, NACAS, AASHE, or other relevant professional organizations and industry standards.
• Demonstrated commitment to sustainability initiatives, local sourcing, and environmentally responsible practices in food service.
• Experience developing and implementing strategic plans, new dining concepts, and revenue-generating initiatives.
• Knowledge of student employment programs and experience integrating student learning and leadership development into operations.
• Experience in marketing, branding, and use of social media to promote dining programs and increase engagement.
• Experience managing catering operations and familiarity with alcohol service regulations and policies.
• Track record of using data analytics and assessment tools to drive decision-making and improve operational performance.

Notes

Special Notes: Through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge, UW-Stevens Point stimulates intellectual growth, provides a liberal education, and prepares students for a diverse sustainable world. The university is committed to creating a safe, inclusive learning community for all faculty and staff from a variety of backgrounds. Visit https://www.uwsp.edu/join-uw-stevens-point/ for more information about UW-Stevens Point. To learn about the Stevens Point (aka Point) area fun, jobs, housing, education, quality of life, and bragging rights, visit www.stevenspointarea.com. Individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process should contact Human Resources and Affirmative Action at 715-346-2606 or [e-mail]. The safety and success of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is paramount. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act requires the distribution of an annual security report to all current and prospective students, faculty, and staff. You may obtain the complete report at https://www3.uwsp.edu/protsv/Pages/Clery.aspx The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). An offer of employment will require a criminal background check and authorization to work within the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. The Universities of Wisconsin serve approximately 161,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the Universities of Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree – with a median salary of more than $66,000. The Universities of Wisconsin provides a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. The Universities of Wisconsin and its employees are purpose-driven, people-focused, and committed to stewardship.