Campus Dining & Hospitality Director

In select cases, and depending on market conditions or exceptional candidate qualifications, compensation may exceed this range, provided it aligns with applicable law and our compensation policies.

Aztec Shops offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a CalPERS defined-benefit retirement plan; a choice of CalPERS medical plans and dental coverage with significant employer contributions for employees and eligible dependents; and employer-paid basic life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance. Eligible employees may also qualify for lifetime medical benefits upon meeting applicable age and service requirements. Additional benefits include 24 days of vacation and 12 days of sick leave annually, paid holidays, up to $5,000 per year in tuition reimbursement, voluntary 403(b) and 457 retirement savings plans, flexible spending accounts, employer EAP including financial wellness resources, and additional employee benefits.

Additional information about our compensation scales is available at: www.aztecshops.com/employment.

Summary

The Director of Campus Dining & Hospitality provides strategic, financial, operational, and people leadership for a complex, high-volume division generating more than $50 million annually. The Director leads more than 100 full-time employees and several hundred part-time and student employees across dining halls, quick-service restaurants, convenience stores, catering, a farmers market, a faculty-staff club, central food production, warehouse operations, and hospitality services supporting campus venues.

The Director is a people-centered leader who builds trust, celebrates success, sets clear expectations, develops employees, and creates a culture of service, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement. The role is responsible for long-range planning, financial performance, operational excellence, culinary quality, customer experience, and the growth of a strong hospitality culture.

Although Snapdragon Stadium operations are not part of this position's direct responsibilities, the Director maintains a collaborative relationship with Snapdragon Stadium leadership. Both organizations share expertise, institutional knowledge, training, operational support, and other resources as needed to strengthen food, beverage, and hospitality programs across the broader San Diego State University (SDSU) community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Depending on Location

NOTE: The duties listed below are examples of the variety and general nature of those performed by employees in this job description. The list is descriptive only and should not be used for any other purpose. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. This is not an all-encompassing list and additional duties may be assigned based on business needs. The responsibilities listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

People and Culture Leadership

• Provides strategic leadership, direction, and support to a large and diverse workforce of more than 100 full-time employees and several hundred part-time and student employees, fostering a culture of engagement, collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
• Creates a positive, inclusive, and hospitality-focused culture in which employees feel valued, informed, supported, and accountable.
• Provides leadership and oversight to ensure consistent standards for all company policies, including but not limited to performance, service, conduct, safety, and attendance across the department.
• Champions a culture of continuous learning and professional development by providing strategic direction for workforce development, leadership effectiveness, and employee engagement.
• Develops managers and emerging leaders, supports succession planning, and strengthens leadership capacity throughout the division.
• Provides leadership and oversight in addressing employee performance and conduct matters, ensuring consistent application of organizational policies and appropriate corrective action, including direct involvement in complex or significant employee relations matters when necessary.
• Promotes open communication, collaboration, and employee engagement and provides leadership in advancing the organization's Community Success Plan and commitment to inclusion and belonging.
• Ensures student programs, services, and decisions support student well-being, belonging, employment, engagement, and the overall campus experience.

Strategy, Operations, and Student Success

• Provides strategic direction and executive oversight for a diverse portfolio of dining, retail, catering, production, warehouse, and campus venue hospitality operations.
• Provides strategic direction through the development and execution of short- and long-term plans that advance organizational priorities and support the missions of Aztec Shops and San Diego State University.
• Advances student success through strategic and operational decision-making that supports student well-being, belonging, employment, engagement, and access to high-quality dining and hospitality experiences.
• Provides strategic oversight to ensure consistent operating practices, quality standards, service expectations, and performance measures across the division.
• Evaluates campus needs, customer preferences, operational results, and market trends to identify opportunities for growth, innovation, and improvement.
• Provides leadership and direction for major operational initiatives, business continuity planning, and organizational response to emergencies, high-volume service periods, and other significant operational challenges.
• Champions innovation, collaboration, responsible decision-making, and continuous improvement across the division.

Customer Experience and Hospitality

• Provides leadership and strategic direction for a hospitality-first culture, establishing high standards and accountability for culinary quality, food safety, service excellence, value, and the overall student and guest experience across all dining and hospitality operations.
• Demonstrates visible and approachable leadership through regular engagement across dining and hospitality operations, using firsthand observations and feedback to assess quality, service consistency, and the student and guest experience and implement improvements.
• Provides direction and oversight to the team to ensure customer feedback, sales data, industry trends, and operational insights are effectively used to drive improvements in menus, service models, programs, and facilities.
• Provides direction to the Partners with the Campus Dining dietitian and culinary leadership to provide nutritious and appealing choices, promote wellness, and meet the diverse dietary, cultural, allergen, and accessibility needs of the student community.
• Responsible for the guidance of the evolution of food and beverage programs in response to student preferences, campus feedback, culinary trends, affordability, sustainability goals, and the diverse needs of the SDSU community.

Financial and Business Management

• Oversees budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, capital planning, cost controls, revenue development, and overall financial performance for a $50 million-plus operation.
• Reviews financial statements, labor reports, sales trends, inventory results, product costs, and other key performance indicators.
• Holds operational leaders accountable for achieving financial, operational, service, and quality goals.
• Identifies opportunities to increase revenue, improve margins, optimize labor, reduce waste, and strengthen productivity without compromising quality or service.
• Develops and executes divisional business plans and defines business priorities, goals, and growth objectives. Establishes clear expectations and business requirements for the Marketing Department to develop and execute effective marketing strategies, promotional programs, and initiatives that support divisional goals, drive participation, and achieve desired business results.
• Maintains strong controls related to cash handling, inventory, purchasing, pricing, discounts, product security, and food waste.
• Builds effective partnerships with organizational support departments to advance divisional priorities and achieve shared organizational goals.

Campus and Community Partnerships

• Builds and maintains strategic relationships with university leaders, campus partners, students, business partners, and community stakeholders to advance divisional and organizational priorities.
• Contributes to the overall leadership of Aztec Shops and represents Campus Dining & Hospitality in university committees, planning efforts, campus initiatives, and relevant professional and community organizations.
• Supports SDSU's shared-governance environment through active participation in university committees, strategic planning efforts, campus initiatives, and major university priorities.
• Represents Aztec Shops and Campus Dining through professional associations, industry and community partnerships, and collaborative initiatives that advance student and community engagement, including championing student-focused programs such as Aztecs Rock Hunger.
• Strengthens the strategic partnership with Snapdragon Stadium leadership through collaboration, shared expertise, and resources that advance mutual organizational priorities.

Vendor Partnerships, Contracts, and Technology

• Directs strategic vendor, contractor, licensee, and business-partner relationships, including performance expectations, contract compliance, competitive procurement processes, and resolution of significant business issues.
• Participates in and provides business direction for contract negotiations, applying sound business judgment, fiscal responsibility, and high ethical standards.
• Advances the strategic use of technology and data to strengthen the customer experience, operational effectiveness, financial controls, productivity, and informed decision-making.
• Evaluates emerging technologies, industry practices, consumer trends, and evolving business models to identify opportunities that support the division's long-term success.

Compliance, Safety, and Executive Communication

• Ensures divisional compliance with applicable laws, regulations, licenses, organizational policies, and university requirements governing food service, sanitation, workplace safety, accessibility, employment, alcohol service, and business operations.
• Establishes accountability for food safety, sanitation, employee safety, security, financial controls, and loss prevention across the division and is ultimately accountable for ensuring 100% compliance with Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) requirements and all applicable alcohol service laws, licensing requirements, university policies, and organizational procedures.
• Engages organizational support departments and subject-matter experts to effectively manage compliance, safety, financial, and operational risks across the division.
• Must comply with and ensure continued, consistent compliance with all company policies, and federal, state, and local laws/regulations including but not limited to: employment, safety, and health.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

Minimum Education, Training and Experience Required

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, or a related field, and a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in institutional, higher education, or other large-scale food service operations, including significant leadership and management experience. Master's degree in Business Administration, Hospitality Management, or a related field preferred. An equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience may be considered.

Demonstrated knowledge of large-scale dining and hospitality operations, including culinary and food production, catering, food service facilities and equipment, food quality and safety, nutrition, and evolving consumer and dining trends. Experience leading dining or hospitality operations within a higher education, institutional, or similarly complex multi-unit environment highly desired.

Requires demonstrated success leading complex operations and large, diverse teams, with strong business acumen, communication, organizational, decision-making, and relationship-management skills.

Minimum Qualifications or Standards Required to Perform Essential Job Functions

Language Skills

Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively. Demonstrated ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret complex business information, policies, governmental regulations, industry publications, and other technical materials. Ability to prepare clear, concise, and professional reports, presentations, recommendations, and business communications.

Must communicate effectively and professionally with employees, executive leadership, university officials, students, business and community partners, and other stakeholders, and effectively present information and recommendations to individuals and groups of varying sizes and levels of responsibility.

Mathematical Skills

Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret financial, operational, and statistical data, including budgets, forecasts, financial statements, performance metrics, and business trends. Ability to evaluate quantitative information, interpret spreadsheets and financial reports, assess financial and operational performance, and use data to support strategic planning and informed business decision-making.

Reasoning Ability

Demonstrated ability to analyze complex business and operational challenges, evaluate relevant information and competing priorities, assess risk, and develop effective solutions and strategies. Exercises sound independent judgment and critical thinking in making timely decisions in situations involving ambiguity, changing conditions, and significant organizational impact. Ability to anticipate challenges, evaluate alternatives, and translate analysis into practical and strategic action.

Manual Dexterity

Ability to use a computer and other standard office technology and equipment necessary to perform the essential functions of the position

Physical Communication

Ability to communicate effectively and exchange information with employees, students, customers, university partners, and other stakeholders in individual and group settings, in person and through various communication technologies.

Physical Demands

While performing the essential functions of this position, the employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods and to stand and walk for extended periods while visiting dining facilities, offices, and other campus locations. The position requires the ability to frequently navigate stairs and move throughout a variety of operational indoor and outdoor environments.

The employee must be able to use a computer and other standard office technology and equipment and frequently use hands and arms for typing, handling materials, and performing other routine work activities. The position may occasionally require lifting, carrying, pushing, or moving materials weighing up to 10 pounds and occasionally 25 pounds.

The position also requires sufficient visual ability to read, review, and interpret electronic and printed materials and to effectively observe dining, hospitality, and operational environments.

Working Conditions and Hazards

Work is performed in a variety of office, dining, food production, hospitality, and event environments throughout the university and affiliated operations. The position requires regular movement between offices and operational areas, including commercial kitchens, dining facilities, bakeshops, storage and receiving areas, catered events, arenas and event venues, and other indoor and outdoor locations.

Work environments and conditions may vary significantly and may include exposure to hot and cold temperatures, heat and steam from cooking equipment, refrigerated or freezer areas, wet or slippery surfaces, food production equipment, odors, and other conditions commonly associated with commercial food service operations.

Noise levels vary by location and may range from quiet or moderate office environments to loud kitchens, crowded dining facilities, arenas, and high-volume events. The position may require working in and moving through crowded environments with significant event and customer activity.

Supplemental Information

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act pursuant to California Penal Code Section 11166.5.

Candidates must be available to work a flexible schedule based on operational needs. This may include opening, mid-day, and closing shifts, as well as night shifts, weekends, and holidays throughout the year.

Background Check Information

A background check will be conducted after a conditional offer of employment is extended by the company and accepted by the applicant and must be satisfactorily completed prior to any applicant beginning work in a full-time, part-time non-student, or sensitive student capacity with Aztec Shops Ltd.

Background checks will include, at minimum, verification of education and employment histories, criminal records, national sex offender registry check, and references. Additionally, based on the nature and scope of the position, the background check may also include a credit report, motor vehicle report, and verification of professional licenses.

Failure to answer background check questions honestly, and satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the employment status of applicants or continued employment of current Aztec Shops employees who apply for promotional positions which require a background check.

Aztec Shops Ltd. complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws, including California Fair Chance Act, when conducting background checks.

Aztec Shops will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Aztec Shops is concerned about criminal history that is directly related to the job, you will be given notice and an opportunity to respond and provide additional information such as rehabilitation efforts or mitigating circumstances, or information pertaining to the accuracy of the background report. Aztec Shops will consider all evidence of rehabilitation and mitigating circumstances. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.