Unit Chef - St Mary's

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY; Lower Merion Township (Montgomery County); Sur place; USD 60 000 - 67 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Generous paid time off

Tuition assistance

Professional development opportunities

Retirement savings plan

Well-being programs

Flexible work options where applicable

Résumé du poste

Villanova University is seeking a Unit Chef for St Mary’s Dining Operations. You will lead daily kitchen operations, oversee food production, staffing, scheduling, and ensure quality, safety, and sanitation standards for a high-volume campus dining program.

This role reports to the Chef Manager and Dining Services leadership, develops kitchen staff, and supports special events and catering as needed. Equal opportunity employer; strong teamwork expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in culinary field.
• 3–5 years minimum experience in food service, including supervisory experience.
• Serve Safe certification required.
• Experience in high-volume, higher education or institutional dining preferred.

Responsabilités

• Provide day-to-day leadership and direction to kitchen staff, including recruitment, scheduling, onboarding and training.
• Plan daily production and work schedules for cooks and related production staff.
• Evaluate menu items for production efficiency, food quality, taste and presentation.
• Ensure safety, sanitation and equipment maintenance across the unit.
• Coordinate between back-of-house and front-of-house to ensure a consistent dining experience.

Connaissances

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Time management

Food safety

Formation

Bachelor’s degree, culinary degree or equivalent

Outils

Excel

Word

Description du poste

Unit Chef - St Mary's

Schedule during normal operating hours: Sunday – Thursday 11:30am – 8:30pm. Special events and flexibility as needed.

Posting Details

Posting Number: 20260468S
Position Title: Unit Chef – St Mary’s
Position Type: Staff
Location: Villanova, PA
Recruitment Type: Internal/External Applicants
Work Schedule: full-time/12‑months
Avg Hours Week
Department: 412‑Dining Services Operations

Position Summary: Founded in 1842 and recognized among the nation’s best colleges and universities, we are a mission‑driven institution inspired by the values of truth, unity, love, and dedication to serving the common good. At Villanova, we believe our people are our most precious asset. That’s why we offer a vibrant and collaborative campus environment and invest in our employees through competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits that support your professional growth, personal well‑being, and long‑term success.

Benefits include:

• Generous paid time off and holidays
• Tuition assistance for employees and eligible family members
• Professional development opportunities
• Retirement savings plan with University contributions
• Well‑being programs and resources
• Flexible work options where appropriate

The Unit Chef provides culinary and operational leadership for St. Mary’s Dining Operations, supporting high-quality food production and an exceptional dining experience for students and the university community. This position leads daily kitchen operations, including menu execution, food production, staffing, training, scheduling, food quality, food safety, sanitation, inventory, and equipment oversight.

The Unit Chef works closely with the Chef Manager and Dining Services Leadership to ensure consistent execution of menus and recipes, effective use of resources, and compliance with Dining Services standards and university policies. The Unit Chef leads and develops kitchen staff, promotes a positive and collaborative work environment, and ensures the kitchen is organized, efficient, and prepared to meet operational needs.

This position may also support special events, catering, and other Dining Services operations as needed and may work directly in food production or on the service line to support the operation.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University’s mission and values.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Provides day-to-day leadership and direction to kitchen staff, including participating in recruitment, hiring, scheduling, onboarding, training and performance management. Develops and supports employees by providing training on food preparation, recipes, food safety, sanitation, equipment operation, and Dining Services standards. Promotes a safe, respectful, and collaborative work environment and holds staff accountable for established operational standards. Ensures kitchen staff are prepared to consistently execute menus and recipes in accordance with established quality standards.
• Responsible for planning daily production and work schedules for cooks and related production associates. Collaborates with Dining Services managers to forecast production needs and prepare for upcoming menus. Maintains all production records for the Unit. Supports food cost management by standardization of recipes, waste reduction. Inventory management, and appropriate utilization of product.
• Evaluates menu items and recipes for production efficiency, food quality, taste, presentation, and customer response. Provides feedback on menu performance and participates in ongoing menu and recipe improvement in collaboration with Dining Services leadership and appropriate culinary partners. Coordinates effectively between back-of-house food production and front-of-house service to ensure a consistent and positive dining experience. Oversee food presentation, service line appearance and garnishing.
• Responsible for all equipment in the kitchen. Assists with scheduling repairs and special cleaning projects. Trains all staff in safe operating procedures of all equipment, utensils, and machinery. Provides safety training in lifting, carrying, chemical control, first aid, and fire prevention and extinguishing.
• Responsible for the Pot sink area including staffing, cleanliness, and sanitation. Must provide assistance in dish room area as needed.

NONESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Coordinates special events with the Executive Chef and Special Events Manager. Must be available for special functions (catering) to assist in food production and service.
• Orders small wares and supplies as needed. Responsible for providing cooks with proper tools to perform their job tasks.
• Perform other duties and assist with projects assigned including opening and/or closing of unit.

Minimum Qualifications

Formal Education

• Bachelor’s degree, culinary degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.

Work Experience

• 3 – 5 years minimum experience in food service, including supervisory experience.
• Experience working in a high-volume food service operation, preferably in higher education, hospitality, or similar institutional dining experience preferred.

Work Skills

• Demonstrates the ability to lead and collaborate with a diverse team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and respond effectively to changing operational needs.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to food quality, customer service, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Specific Job Knowledge

• Must be Serve Safe certified.
• Must have strong knowledge of food ordering, production, preparation techniques, and team supervision, with proven ability to delegate and manage tasks effectively while maintaining a consistent commitment to quality.

Equipment Knowledge

• Knowledge of kitchen equipment and maintenance requirements.
• Knowledge of computers for performing daily routines.
• Computer basics and software programs such as Microsoft Excel and Word.

Preferred Qualifications

Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours:

Tools, machinery, and equipment used

• kitchen equipment

Environmental conditions

• Exposure to chemicals associated with food service industry

Physical requirements

• Standing for long periods of time, ability to lift a minimum of 30 pounds, requires bending, climbing, reaching, standing, walking, sitting, grasping, carrying, repetitive motions, visual acuity, hearing, good verbal skills and occasional exposure to extreme temperatures -10 degrees in the freezers and coolers

Posting Date: 10/26/2026 Closing Date (11:59pm ET):

The approved range for this position is $59,800-66,900. The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate’s qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity." Salary Grade: 13 Job Classification: exempt