Senior Dining Advisory Leader

Brailsford & Dunlavey; New York (NY); On-site; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% company-paid medical, dental, and

Telecommuting / flexible work

401(k) retirement contributions

Parental leave

Vacation and holidays

Wellness programs

Job summary

Brailsford & Dunlavey is seeking a Senior Associate for its Dining Advisory Practice Group to guide colleges and universities through multi-faceted dining program decisions. You will lead engagements, manage contract processes, and coordinate with cross-disciplinary teams on campus planning efforts.

The role requires 7+ years in dining services management, procurement, and contract administration, with strong writing and presentation skills.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional experience in: Dining services management, Foodservice operations, Procurement, Contract administration, Advisory or related fields.
• At least 4 years of direct experience in: Dining solicitations, Agreement management.
• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Higher Education Administration, or related field required.
• An advanced degree is strongly preferred, including an MBA, J.D., LLM, or paralegal or other professional legal training.
• Higher education dining experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of solicitation and contracting structures, business terms, operational performance metrics, and procurement strategies.
• Excellent technical writing, verbal communication, facilitation, and presentation abilities.
• Accuracy, discipline, and attention to detail when developing and reviewing long documents.
• Strong analytical and organizational capabilities.
• Ability to work independently while leading multiple projects.
• Willingness to travel two or more times per month.
• Alignment with B&D’s mission, values, and collaborative culture

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage dining advisory projects from planning through implementation.
• Oversee the full client contract management lifecycle, including solicitation process development, process schedule development, RFP drafting, proposal evaluation, operating contract development and administration.
• Business term negotiation and decision support.
• Develop and oversee deliverables: needs assessments, operational reviews, program/service audits, operating model assessments, contractor solicitation management, financial reviews and modeling, business planning, market analyses.
• Advise clients during 3rd party contract negotiations and new operating agreements.
• Serve as the primary client relationship manager on assigned engagements.
• Translate procurement and contract complexity into clear strategic recommendations for clients.
• Coordinate dining advisory work with broader firmwide planning efforts across practice areas.
• Develop high-quality presentations, reports, and project documentation.
• Manage multiple engagements, ensure quality, schedule, and budget.
• Supervise and mentor junior staff.
• Support business development: proposals, conferences, thought leadership, relationships.
• Strengthen internal tools and advisory best practices

Skills

Dining services management

Foodservice operations

Procurement

Contract administration

Advisory or related fields

Education

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

MBA/JD/LLM or equivalent advanced degree

Job description

Brailsford & Dunlavey is seeking a Senior Associate for its Dining Advisory Practice Group to guide colleges and universities through multi-faceted dining program decisions. You will lead engagements, manage contract processes, and coordinate with cross-disciplinary teams on campus planning efforts.

The role requires 7+ years in dining services management, procurement, and contract administration, with strong writing and presentation skills.