Director of Operations, Campus Dining

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION

Reporting to the assistant vice president of campus dining, the director of operations is a senior management team member providing leadership, expertise, and oversight of the dining facilities within Campus Dining. This position will also lead the development of capital and operational project delivery for Campus Dining by designing and managing efficient, effective, and collaborative processes to align internal and external project participants. The director will provide data and strategic direction to senior administration related to operations and service. The position will work collaboratively with the culinary and operations teams to ensure the delivery of an exceptional, consistent dining program in a safe manner. Responsibilities include direct responsibility for all capital projects, quality assurance standards, waste management, overall culinary programs for the dining program, residential and retail cost analysis, measuring operations for efficiency and results, and establishing safety programs. In addition, this position oversees the Campus Wellness Dietician, Purchasing, and the Sustainability Manager.

Essential duties and responsibilities as outlined in the position description include:

Capital and Operations Projects:

• Strategically identifies and plans capital investments that enable Campus Dining to maintain a dynamic campus dining environment. Recognizes the changing landscape of culinary excellence, laws and regulations, compliance, and technology, and advises operations about advances as it relates to heart-of-the-house and front-of-the-house operations.
• Partners with Campus Dining leadership team and the Office of Capital Projects on developing and implementing the new campus plan, which will include residential dining and campus nodes, ensuring that operational needs are met and optimizing resource allocation.
• Coordinates university capital projects for Campus Dining and leads all Campus Dining department projects.
• Oversees all major maintenance projects for Campus Dining.

Quality Assurance Standards and Processes:

• Collaborates with the Office of Finance and Treasury and facilities to develop an equipment inventory list and ensure maintenance of all departmental assets at each operating location.
• Determines life cycles and standard processes to identify equipment needs, evaluate repair versus replacement/renovations, and cost proposals for funding plans.
• Oversees all repairs, renovations, and replacements of capital equipment.
• Ensures compliance with all state, local, and university food safety, workplace safety, fleet safety, and HACCP policies and procedures. Ensures a safe work environment through addressing safety concerns to eliminate hazards; investigates and reports incidents by enforcing safety work rules and procedures.
• In collaboration with campus partners, ensures that standards are established for a safe work environment, through effective and consistent training, management, and enforcement of safe work practices. Along with the director of Residential Dining and the director of Retail & Catering Operations, resolves safety issues and investigates all accidents.
• Ensures all regulatory inspections and repairs (approximately 200 work orders monthly) are completed at prescribed schedules and fully documented.
• Chairs the Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Committee working with the directors of Residential Dining and Retail & Catering Operations.
• Conducts investigations and resolves safety issues in partnership with campus colleagues and Campus Dining staff.
• Develops facilities management safety and sanitation strategy and implements change as needed. Partners with the director of Residential Dining and the director of Retail & Catering Operations to ensure all Campus Dining venues adhere to safety standards by developing a schedule and conducting regular inspections of all dining facilities.
• Ensures continuity of established quality assurance schedules, preventative maintenance, and maintenance proposals that support the long-term goals of Campus Dining.
• Conducts field operations assessment with a hands-on approach, ensuring compliance and monitoring standard operating procedures.
• Sets standards for sustainable food service operations in terms of equipment, energy, water use, and waste management.

Culinary:

• Provides leadership to Campus Dining’s Culinary Counsel to ensure delivery of an exceptional dining program in a consistently safe manner.
• Provides oversight to Campus Dining’s wellness dietician.
• Reviews special culinary programs for functionality and delivery.
• Ensures programs to support special dietary needs are efficient and meet customer needs and expectations.

Sustainability:

• Works with Office of Sustainability to ensure Campus Dining’s sustainability goals are aligned and support the overall University goals.
• Provides oversight to Campus Dining’s sustainability program and sustainability manager.
• Responsible for monitoring progress toward sustainability goals.
• Reviews and recommends changes to current sustainability initiatives.

Emergency Preparedness:

• Leads emergency preparedness efforts on behalf of Campus Dining. Campus Dining provides essential services to students, faculty, staff, and the Princeton community during emergencies.
• Ensures Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) is up to date as needed (at least annually) and kept current in the database.
• Ensures University protocols, policies, and procedures are followed during emergencies.

The full position description may be found here.

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The successful candidate must possess a bachelor’s or culinary degree, experience in managing, resetting, and developing high-volume dining programs, and a minimum of ten years of experience, including planning and design management and implementation of capital programs. Qualified candidates must have a sustainability commitment and experience in developing partnerships with local farmers and business; knowledge of health department’s rules and regulations including HACCP, OSHA, ServSafe, and other federal, state, and local laws/codes; experience in consumer goods, food service operations, or multi-restaurant management.; proven ability to lead projects; knowledge of the maintenance requirements of equipment; ability to develop and implement training programs for employees to promote quality assurance; knowledge and experience with capital planning, developing budgets, analyzing financial information, and strategic planning; the ability to work independently with a high level of accuracy, manage multiple priorities, and delegate tasks efficiently; strong organizational and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability work in a timely manner, meet deadlines and act decisively; demonstrated ability to be effective at listening, understanding, and clarifying concerns and issues raised by various constituents and to work effectively with others; and must be a self-starter who demonstrates initiative and a drive for results. Experience working in a college or university setting is preferred. The ability to work nights, weekends, holidays, etc., is required.

In addition to the above qualification requirements, institutional stakeholders indicated that the following personal characteristics and experience would be sought in candidates to ensure their opportunity for success:

• Visionary and forward-thinking
• Exceptional skills in people management and professional development of staff
• Student-centered
• Excellent communicator
• Experience working with unions
• Good listener
• Understands the needs of students
• Organized and excellent with details and logistics
• Collaborator
• Experience working closely with multiple stakeholder groups
• Flexible and nimble
• Creative problem solver
• One who can pivot quickly and seamlessly
• Technologically savvy and able to make data-derived decisions
• Innovative
• Experience with renovations and construction
• Ability to balance multiple and competing priorities
• Strategic thinker
• Ability to work in a results-oriented culture
• Commitment to and respect for staff
• Politically savvy
• Confident leadership
• Commitment to and expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion
• A relationship builder
• Ability to delegate and support a strong team

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF THE ROLE

Campus Dining at Princeton is a dynamic and progressive department responsible for the food program management. The director of operations will come into a role in a highly respected and nationally recognized dining program. They must possess a broad and deep understanding of national trends and best practices concerning dining, catering, and retail operations, as well as exceptional skills in organization and people management. They will have the support of the administration and the campus community as they work to enhance and evaluate the current dining offerings. In addition to the minimum academic and experiential requirements indicated in the position announcement, some potential opportunities, priorities, and challenges of the position that arose during stakeholder conversations include the following:

Scope of Operation. It will be necessary for candidates to understand the full breadth of the operations that include:

• Residential dining program consisting of six colleges, the graduate school, and a kosher facility.
• Catering, which offers many services, including high-profile receptions, full-service dinners, catering delivery service, and a food truck.
• Retail dining program that consists of eight cafes, a food gallery in the campus center, a convenience store, Prospect House – the university’s faculty and staff club, Palmer House – a nine-bedroom guest house, and athletic concessions.

Change management. The director will be courageous in advancing new ideas, shifting the dining culture, and addressing challenges with creativity and innovation.

Staffing. Like many campus dining operations, competition for staff in the food service industry continues to be challenging. The new director will work with leadership to highlight competitive salaries, exceptional benefits, and a supportive working environment.

Content expertise. The director will possess an understanding of the opportunities for dining services in the rapidly changing landscape of higher education. They will be abreast of the current trends and dietary needs of students.

Staff management and development. The director will need experience supervising, training, and supporting staff in various stages of their careers. The team ranges from those individuals with 20+ years of experience to new staff in their first jobs. They must possess management experience to motivate effectively and engage and lead a complex organization. They must work effectively with union leaders and their concerns.

Strategic planning. The director will establish a strategic and integrated approach to implementing the Vision for the Future of Dining. They will provide data and strategic direction to senior administration related to operations and service.

Financial acumen. The new director will need strong business insight and an understanding of the area’s complex accounts, procurement, contracts, and finances. They will be responsible for residential and retail cost analysis and reporting.

Construction and renovation. The new director will have an opportunity to be involved in renovations and future construction for dining. They must work collaboratively with all campus partners, stakeholders, and staff to ensure appropriate planning and successful execution of these important projects.