Food Service Shift Lead

University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

USC Auxiliary Services is seeking a Food Service Shift Lead to assist management in daily operations at USC Dining venues in Los Angeles. You will guide frontline staff, ensure service standards, and support senior management while maintaining safety and quality in a fast-paced environment.

The role emphasizes training, teamwork, and adherence to USC’s unifying values, with an hourly wage of $28.00 supporting a broad benefits framework for USC employees.

Qualifications

• Minimum education: high school or equivalent.
• 1 year of customer service in retail or restaurant.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to learn quickly and work as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Leads activities of back-of-house and front-of-house staff.
• Assigns tasks, oversees station deployment and break scheduling.
• Trains staff on safety, service standards and procedures.
• Ensures unit meets food safety and sanitation regulations.
• Responds to customer requests and provides excellent service.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork

Feedback ability

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

POS systems

Job description

USC Auxiliary Services, one of the largest divisions at The University of Southern California, is focused on making a difference for over 65,000 students, athletes, faculty, staff, and guests who visit our campuses each day. Through our innovative services, our six central business units (USC Bookstores, USC Hospitality, USC Housing, USC Transportation, the USC Hotel and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum) collectively create the best USC experience for future leaders, scientists, filmmakers, engineers, and doctors alike. Auxiliary Services works tirelessly to welcome all visitors into the Trojan family. From fine dining restaurants to residential dining, USC Hospitality serves over 65,000 students, athletes, faculty, and staff, as well as our many visitors. Hospitality is one of the six core business units that comprise USC Auxiliary Services and one of the largest employers on campus. The team at USC Hospitality is led by innovative executive chefs and directors who strive every day to craft nourishing and wholesome alternatives for our hungry Trojan Family and our guests. We are driven to succeed by our commitment to uphold our unifying values. We are seeking a Food Service Shift Lead to join our rapidly growing team.

The Opportunity:

Our Food Service Shift Lead assists management in leading daily operations and activities at retail or residential dining venues, enhancing customer dining experience. Provides guidance and mentorship to all service employees. Leads, trains and deploys staff according to established standards. Provides support to senior management.

The Accountabilities:

• Leads activities of back-of-house and front-of-house staff.
• Assigns tasks, oversees station deployment and maintains break scheduling.
• Assists in staff training, conducting training classes regarding safety, security, service standards and departmental procedures.
• Demonstrates techniques, proper equipment usage and procedures to employees.
• Provides guidance and assigns workloads according to standard operating procedures.
• Ensures all unit‑specific standards and/or brand standards are maintained.
• Ensures unit meets all applicable food safety, health and sanitation regulations.
• Responds to requests from customers, supervisors or management in a timely manner.
• Provides customer service by guiding and working alongside staff in all stations, as needed.
• Prepares and coaches the preparation of food and beverages to standard recipes or customized for customers, adapting to recipe changes (e.g., temperature, quantity of ingredients, substituted ingredients).
• Responds to and tracks customer feedback.
• Handles point‑of‑sale products, pricing and new‑item requests.
• Assists with administrative duties (e.g., placing and receiving orders, placing and tracking repair and maintenance orders) when needed.
• Assists in regular inventory maintenance as needed.
• Monitors and checks all opening, closing, and side‑work checklist as assigned by the management.
• Communicates with management on challenges and success of daily operations.
• Promotes an environment that fosters inclusive relationships and creates unbiased opportunities for contributions through ideas, words, and actions that uphold principles of the USC Code of Ethics.
• Perform other related duties as assigned or requested. The University reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The Qualifiers:

• Minimum Education: High school or equivalent.
• Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
• Minimum Experience: 1 year in customer service in a retail or restaurant environment.
• Minimum Field of Expertise: Ability to learn quickly.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in a retail environment.
• Proven interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to build relationships and work as part of a team.
• Ability to provide and receive immediate feedback, following standards based on established operating procedures.
• In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC's Unifying Values.

What We Prefer:

• Preferred Education: 3 years in customer service in a retail or restaurant environment.
• Preferred Field of Expertise: Experience leading the work of others.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and train employees.

The Trojan Family Rewards:

We pride ourselves in creating the BEST USC EXPERIENCE, and that begins with our employees! We offer a wide variety of benefits and programs that support our staff and their families. For more information please visit https://employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks This support advocates work-life balance and employee well-being. As members of the Trojan family, employees are connected by the traditions and history that make us proud to be Trojans! The work culture thrives on mutual respect, trust, and synergy amongst all of its members. USC has great minds that transform the world with their talents and research. Will you be one? Join us! FIGHT ON!

The hourly rate for this position is $28.00. When determining an offer, the University of Southern California considers factors such as the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, education, training, key skills, internal peer alignment, applicable laws, contractual requirements, grant funding, and market conditions.

The Qualifiers:

• Minimum Education: High school or equivalent.
• Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education
• Minimum Experience: 1 year in customer service in a retail or restaurant environment.
• Minimum Field of Expertise: Ability to learn quickly.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in a retail environment.
• Proven interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to build relationships and work as part of a team.
• Ability to provide and receive immediate feedback, following standards based on established operating procedures.
• In addition, the successful candidate must also demonstrate, through ideas, words and actions, a strong commitment to USC's Unifying Values.

USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at [phone], or by email at [e-mail]. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law. Notice of Non-discrimination Employment Equity Read USC’s Clery Act Annual Security Report USC is a smoke-free environment Digital Accessibility If you are a current USC employee, please apply to this USC job posting in Workday by copying and pasting this link into your browser: https://wd5.myworkday.com/usc/d/inst/1$9925/9925$140730.htmld USC is a leading private research university located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles - a global center for arts, technology and international business. As the largest private employer in the city - responsible for more than $5 billion annually in economic activity in the region - we offer the opportunity to work in a dynamic and diverse environment, in careers that span a broad spectrum of talents and skills. As a USC employee, you will enjoy excellent benefits and perks and you will be a member of the Trojan Family - the faculty, staff, students and alumni who make USC a great place to work.