Higher Education General Manager

American Food & Vending; Kilgore (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

401K match

Employee assistance

Healthcare plans

FSA/HSA

Training programs

Bonus programs

Job summary

American Food & Vending is seeking a Higher Education General Manager to oversee dining, catering and hospitality operations at a Texas account. You will drive food quality, service excellence, and strong financial performance while leading a team and maintaining client relationships on-site.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in high-volume management, budgeting and labor oversight, and a proven ability to partner with culinary leadership to deliver exceptional dining experiences in higher

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred; culinary degree considered.
• Minimum 5 years in progressive management in foodservice or higher education dining.
• Proven ability to lead operations with strong financial results.

Responsibilities

• Lead dining and hospitality operations for the account including daily meals, retail, and catering.
• Represent American Dining Creations on-site and maintain client relationships.
• Collaborate with culinary leadership to ensure food quality and guest satisfaction.
• Monitor service standards, staffing, workflow, and cleanliness across the account.
• Oversee budgeting, labor, purchasing, inventory, and POS reporting.
• Prepare daily, weekly, monthly operational and financial updates for leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Labor management

Customer satisfaction

Operations management

Communication

Education

Bachelors in Hospitality/Business

Culinary degree considered

Tools

Microsoft Office

CaterTrax

Point-of-Sale systems

Job description

Pay: $70000 - $82500

Location: KILGORE, Texas

Summary

The Higher Education General Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and success of an assigned higher education dining account. This role oversees day-to-day dining, catering, and hospitality operations while ensuring exceptional food quality, outstanding customer service, strong financial performance, and a positive team culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead all dining and hospitality operations for the assigned account, including daily meal service, retail operations, and catering events.
• Serve as the primary on-site representative of American Dining Creations, maintaining a strong and professional relationship with clients, campus partners, guests, and vendors.
• Partner with culinary leadership to ensure successful execution of menu offerings, food quality standards, presentation, customer requests, and overall dining experience.
• Drive operational excellence by monitoring service standards, workflow, cleanliness, staffing, and guest satisfaction across all areas of the account.
• Oversee financial performance of the account, including budgeting, labor management, food cost awareness, purchasing, inventory controls, and point-of-sale reporting.
• Complete and manage daily, weekly, and monthly reports for district leadership, providing operational updates, financial insight, and recommendations for improvement.
• Manage staffing plans and work schedules in alignment with labor needs, service demands, and business goals.
• Recruit, train, coach, and develop team members to support engagement, retention, succession planning, and operational success.
• Foster a culture of accountability, hospitality, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Interact daily with clients, guests, students, faculty, and vendors to ensure a high level of responsiveness and service.
• Respond promptly and professionally to feedback, resolving concerns and implementing improvements when needed.
• Support special events, campus programs, openings, transitions, and other strategic initiatives as needed.
• Ensure all food handling, preparation, temperature logs, sanitation practices, and production records are completed accurately and in compliance with company policies and local health regulations.
• Maintain compliance with all local, state, and federal safety, sanitation, and workplace regulations.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business, Restaurant Management, or related field preferred; Culinary degree from an accredited culinary association also considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive management experience in foodservice, hospitality, retail dining, hotel, business dining, or higher education dining environments.
• Proven ability to lead operations in a high-volume service environment with responsibility for team performance, customer satisfaction, and financial results.
• Solid understanding of budgeting, food ordering, inventory, labor management, and point-of-sale systems.
• Experience managing service volumes of 500 or more customers daily and leading teams of 5 or more employees.
• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong client relationships and lead teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office,CaterTrax, and other online ordering or foodservice systems.
• Ability to work on a flexible schedule based on operational and campus needs.
• Valid driver’s license is required.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and move throughout the workday.
• Ability to lift 30 pounds unassisted.
• Ability to work in both office and foodservice environments as needed.

About Us

Together, American Food & Vending and American Dining Creations form one of the nation’s largest privately held dining and refreshment service organizations. Family-owned and headquartered in Syracuse, NY, we have served clients nationwide for more than 80 years, delivering customized dining and refreshment solutions across business, education, healthcare and cultural environments.

Recognized by NAMA and our peers as Operator of the Year, we combine national capabilities with a personal, responsive approach to create exceptional experiences for our clients and guests.

Our Mission

To create moments of happiness through customized hospitality experiences that delight guests and bring people together.

Our Vision

To be the best in the industry at elevating hospitality experiences for places where people want to be.

Our Values: F.I.R.S.T.

Family – Treat people as family.

Integrity – Do the right thing.

Responsiveness – Listen first. Then act with urgency.

Service Excellence – Deliver exceptional experiences every day.

Teamwork – Win together.

American Dining Creations Offers:

• Weekly pay
• 401K with company match
• Employee Assistance Program
• Eligible employees offered Medical, Prescription, Dental, and Vision Plans, FSA/HSA
• Ongoing training and development programs
• Bonus programs for eligible positions

American Food & Vending is an Equal Opportunity Employer.