"Dining Manager - Rice Hospitality"

Position Summary:

The Dining Manager for Rice Hospitality provides front-of-house leadership and operational oversight across multiple retail and hospitality outlets, including coffee shops and campus dining concepts. This role is responsible for ensuring consistent service standards, operational efficiency, and exceptional guest experiences across all assigned locations.

Working collaboratively with culinary leadership and hospitality management, the Dining Manager plans, organizes, and supervises front-of-house teams while supporting financial objectives, staff development, and service excellence. This position serves as a key liaison between Rice Hospitality, campus partners, vendors, and guests, ensuring seamless day-to-day operations across diverse service models.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate is a hospitality-driven leader with demonstrated experience managing multiple food and beverage outlets, preferably within cafe, coffee shop, or fast-casual environments. They are organized, proactive, and calm under pressure, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic, guest-facing setting. A strong service mindset, operational discipline, and passion for hospitality are essential, along with the ability to lead teams through consistency, communication, and accountability.

Workplace Requirements

On-campus position: This position is exclusively on-site, requiring all duties to be performed in person at either of the residential college serveries. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Primarily an indoor work environment in a variety of university settings, which may include offices, food serveries, and residential facilities. May be exposed to temperature extremes in facilities that are not climate-controlled.

• Requires working at a computer for extended periods (up to eight hours per day).

Physical Demands

• Moderate to heavy physical activity, which includes the ability to lift and carry objects up to 50 lbs. occasionally, up to 20 lbs. frequently, and up to 10 lbs. constantly to move objects.
• Regular activities include standing, walking, bending, and lifting for up to eight hours per day.
• Other physical requirements of the job include manual dexterity and the ability to see, hear, reach, climb, and balance.

Essential Personnel:

This position is considered essential during a campus emergency. The incumbent in this position is expected to report to campus, provide the essential services designated, and work under the overall direction of the Crisis Management Team for the duration of a campus emergency.
This role is classified as an essential position, requiring on-site presence to effectively carry out its vital functions.

Proposed Hiring Range:

$52,900 minimum, with hiring salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.
*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.*

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted
• Minimum of 2+ years of administrative or hospitality management experience
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted

Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Service-oriented leadership style
• Ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism and positivity
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel

Preferences:

• Experience managing multiple food and beverage outlets
• Coffee shop, cafe, or fast-casual dining experience strongly preferred
• Background in hospitality, hotels, restaurants, or campus dining
• Proven ability to lead front-of-house teams and deliver consistent service standards
• Experience with POS systems, scheduling software, and basic financial reporting

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly supervises front-of-house staff, including supervisors, cashiers, baristas, and temporary employees
• Provides coaching, training, and performance feedback
• Conducts performance evaluations and supports staff development
• Enforces safety, sanitation, and service standards
• Investigates incidents and completes required reports
• Coordinates staffing and coverage across multiple outlets

Essential Functions:

• Provide daily front-of-house operational leadership across multiple retail and cafe locations
• Establish service standards and ensure consistent guest experience across all outlets
• Collaborate with culinary leadership on menu execution and service flow
• Oversee scheduling, labor deployment, and staffing optimization
• Monitor operational performance and address service or staffing gaps
• Serve as liaison with campus partners, vendors, and internal departments
• Support financial oversight, including basic budgeting, labor tracking, and reconciliation
• Assist with equipment needs, vendor coordination, and operational improvements
• Train, guide, and supervise student and hourly staff
• Prepare reports, communications, and operational documentation
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of Rice Hospitality objectives

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.