Remote Senior Dining Advisory Lead – Higher Education

bdconnect; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Brailsford & Dunlavey seeks a strategic, client-facing Senior Associate to guide higher education dining programs and advisory decisions. You will manage multi-faceted dining engagements and serve as a trusted advisor to institutional clients.

The role blends contract administration with strategic program design, coordinating across practice areas and delivering high-impact insights to campuses. Strong writing and stakeholder management are essential for success.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in dining services management, procurement, contract administration or advisory fields.
• At least 4 years of direct experience in dining solicitations, procurement processes, contract negotiations, and agreement management.
• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Higher Education Administration, or related field required. A master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead dining advisory engagements from planning through implementation.
• Oversee the client contract management lifecycle: solicitation process, schedule, RFP drafting, evaluation, and contract administration.
• Develop and oversee deliverables: needs assessments, operational reviews, program/service audits, and financial analyses.
• Advise clients during 3rd party contract negotiations and new operating agreements.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager and translate procurement complexity into strategic recommendations.
• Contribute to business development through proposals, conferences, and thought leadership.

Skills

Dining services management

Foodservice operations

Procurement

Contract administration

Advisory

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Higher Education Administration, or related field

Advanced degree (MBA/JD/LLM or paralegal or other professional legal training)

Job description

Brailsford & Dunlavey seeks a strategic, client-facing Senior Associate to guide higher education dining programs and advisory decisions. You will manage multi-faceted dining engagements and serve as a trusted advisor to institutional clients.

The role blends contract administration with strategic program design, coordinating across practice areas and delivering high-impact insights to campuses. Strong writing and stakeholder management are essential for success.