General Manager for Student Dining
SLAC
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Job summary
Stanford University in Palo Alto is seeking a Food Service Manager within Residential & Dining Enterprises to lead a large dining unit with revenue targets and 15+ FTE. The role focuses on delivering exceptional meals, engaging students, and upholding safety and quality across all meal periods.
The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 5+ years in institutional food service management, including labor and cost controls.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in institutional management, nutrition, dietetics, or hotel hospitality.
- Five years of institutional, hotel, or restaurant food service facility management experience.
- Experience managing unionized employees is a plus.
Responsibilities
- Execute a high-quality daily dining experience by meeting standards for food quality, presentation, and hospitality, while meeting unit-level student satisfaction targets.
- Deliver strong student engagement at the unit level by maintaining high participation rates and a welcoming dining environment.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, ADA, and university standards; implement accommodations within the dining hall.
- Achieve financial and operational targets by managing labor, food cost, and waste within benchmarks.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Stanford University is one of the world's leading teaching and research universities. Founded in 1891, Stanford’s mission is to create and share knowledge and to prepare students to be curious, to think critically, and to contribute to the world. With world-class scholars and seven schools located together on a single campus, Stanford offers academic excellence across the broadest array of disciplines including business, education, engineering, humanities and sciences, law, medicine, and sustainability. It also is an engine of innovation, blending theory and practice to move ideas and discoveries from labs and classrooms out into the world. Stanford strives to foster a culture of expansive inquiry, fresh thinking, searching discussion, and freedom of thought – preparing students for leadership and engaged citizenship in the world. The university is located between San Francisco and San Jose in the heart of California's Silicon Valley, on a scenic 8,180-acre campus.
Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE), the largest auxiliary organization at Stanford University, supports the academic mission of the university by providing high-quality services to students and other members of the university community. R&DE has an annual operating budget of $400M, operates 24/7/365, and oversees a $3B asset portfolio comprising over 7 million square feet—one-third of the campus footprint. R&DE provides housing for 16,000 students and dependents, serves 8 million meals annually at 48 student dining venues and 32 culinary enterprises. In addition, R&DE provides executive services, conference operations, and guest lodging. R&DE is a talented and diverse team of 1,200+ who comprise the following divisions: Student Housing Operations & Stanford Conferences; Stanford Dining and Hospitality & Auxiliaries; Maintenance Operations and Capital Projects; and a team of R&DE strategic business partners—Finance & Administration, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Strategic Communications and Marketing.
“Students (Customers) First” is R&DE’s mantra and its strategic goals reflect its commitment to delivering service excellence to the campus community. R&DE’s belief is “students are never an interruption in our day; they are the reason we are here.” R&DE’s dedication to promoting fair treatment, access to opportunities, and a positive work environment is reflected in its essential priorities and efforts for cultivating a culture of operational excellence as a foundational cornerstone. R&DE is committed to creating and sustaining inclusive excellence where all staff feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to thrive.
This role is designated as essential and requires incumbents to report to work onsite. Telecommuting is not available for this role. Weekend and dinner service hours will be required.
Provide hands-on oversight during transaction periods of assigned units in larger and more complex operations to uphold customer service and food quality standards. Will typically be the leader for a standalone unit with more than $750,000 in revenue targets and 5 to 15 FTE. May also be part of the overall leadership team responsible for a large or multiple units with more than $750,000 in revenue targets and a combined size of 15 or more FTE.
Execute a high-quality daily dining experience by consistently meeting standards for food quality, presentation, and hospitality, while achieving unit-level student satisfaction targets.
Deliver strong student engagement at the unit level by maintaining high participation rates, responding to feedback, and creating a welcoming and inclusive dining environment.
Ensure compliance and operational integrity by meeting all food safety, ADA, and university standards, and effectively implementing accommodations within the dining hall.
Achieve financial and operational targets by managing labor, food cost, and waste within established benchmarks, including cost per meal and labor efficiency.
Maintain excellence in service execution across all meal periods, including late-night retail, ensuring proper staffing, throughput, and service consistency.
Perform general management duties of the food service manager 1, with a focus on controlling revenue and expenses, and provide strategic input into short and long term goals and talent decisions.
Uphold customer service standards, and ensure client expectations are met by receiving and resolving customer inquiries, concerns, and/or complaints; perform daily interactive customer discussions.
Contribute to business optimization by compiling and analyzing data and reports to guide daily operational decisions, ensuring budgetary goals are met, monitoring and meeting the revenue and expenses control goals, establishing and managing annual operational budget, and balancing customer service with labor, cost, and food quality goals (activities include, but are not limited to, the scheduling of labor to meet or exceed budgetary guidelines and productivity standards and the managing of food costs to meet quality and budgetary guidance).
Optimize employee relations by participating in the processes of interviewing, hiring, training, counseling, mentoring, and evaluating all levels of staff.
Lead local menu and marketing development by suggesting marketing and merchandizing strategies and features, overseeing strategy implementation, collaborating with staff to create innovative and fun programs and promotions, and planning and executing special events and theme dinners.
Lead health and safety standard compliance by conducting regular on-site food quality, merchandising, sanitation, equipment maintenance, real-time safety and food handling practices, and staff and facility appearance inspections at assigned unit.
Bachelor's degree in institutional management, nutrition, dietetics, or hotel hospitality. Five years of institutional, hotel, or restaurant food service facility management experience, including large quantity production culinary skills and experience managing unionized employees.
Proven track record of successfully controlling costs and managing annual budgets exceeding one million dollars.
Proficiency and experience with computerized culinary and menu management software, and knowledge of office and industry software applications.
Ability to work independently and show creativity and initiative on projects with minimal supervision.
Ability to effectively supervise and train a diverse work staff.
Demonstrated proficiency in the research, development, and implementation of new food products.
Strong technical skills and working knowledge of food production and food safety in a full service restaurant environment.
Demonstrated experience with a high volume, dynamic, and complex menu cycle that meets a variety of customer tastes.
Demonstrated experience with daily planning and daily organization.
ServSafe CA Certification.
Ability to exert up to 50 pounds of lifting force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Ability to bend, stoop, and perform extensive walking.
Ability to see and taste food for quality.
Ability to exert well-paced mobility to move quickly to the different areas of the facility as service and production demands require.
Work flexible and demanding hours. Frequently work long hours completing widely diverse duties. Subjected to wet floors, temperature extremes, and excessive noise.
Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University's Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu
The expected pay range for this position is $76,735 to $100,000 per annum.
Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.
Imagine a world without search engines or social platforms. Consider lives saved through first-ever organ transplants and research to cure illnesses. Stanford University has revolutionized the way we live and enriches the world. Supporting this mission is our diverse and dedicated 17,000 staff. We seek talent driven to impact the future of our legacy. Our culture and unique perks empower you with:
Freedom to grow. We offer career development programs, tuition reimbursement, or course auditing. Join a TedTalk, film screening, or listen to a renowned author or global leader speak.
A caring culture. We provide superb retirement plans, generous time-off, and family care resources.
A healthier you. Climb our rock wall or choose from hundreds of health or fitness classes at our world-class exercise facilities. We also provide excellent health care benefits.
Discovery and fun. Stroll through historic sculptures, trails, and museums.
Enviable resources. Enjoy free commuter programs, ridesharing incentives, discounts and more.
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the university will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job.
Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
- Fixed Term N
- Stanford Schools and Units Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE)
- Full time or Part time Full Time
- Regular or Temporary Regular
- Job Category Food Services
- Posting Date 09/21/2026, 06:21 PM
- Grade J
- Job Identification 109369
Be the first to know about job openings and updates.
18+ PTO days per year
Health benefits start when you start
Flexible work options
$6000+ annual tuition and training assistance
403(b) plan
Mental health and wellness programs
Free and discounted commuter transportation
Applies to regular full-time positions.
The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classifications and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.
Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job.
Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Stanford University provides job pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a particular job. The specific pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on a wide range of factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic work location, relevant knowledge, skills and abilities, relevant education, years of relevant experience, depth and breadth of relevant experience, and performance; further including but not limited to other business and organization needs such as the scope and responsibilities of the position, the minimum qualifications, departmental budget availability, and market and internal equity across the university, school/ unit, department, as well as job reporting relationships.
World-changing work in a culture of continuous learning
An inspiring community that values collaboration
High-quality health and wellness benefits that put you and your family first
Access to world-class education and career development, with tuition reimbursement, training assistance, and more
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