Director of Operations - Dining Services
R00035645
Poughkeepsie, NY
Department
Gordon Commons
Job Family
Administrator
Vassar College is deeply committed to providing equal employment
opportunities to all applicants and employees by promoting an
environment of transparency and respect for differences. We welcome
applications from individuals of all backgrounds who meet the
qualifications of a posting. If you need to request an
accommodation to fully participate in the search process, please
contact [contact details available in the full listing].
Job Description
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5pm (37.5 hours per
week)
Position Summary
Reporting to the Head of Dining Services, the Director of
Operations provides day-to-day operational leadership for Vassar
College Dining Services. The Director is responsible for ensuring
that dining facilities and services are appropriately staffed,
effectively managed, and operating safely and efficiently while
delivering a positive experience for students and the campus
community.
The Director provides direct supervision and leadership to the
Dining Staffing Manager, Assistant Director of Dining - Retreat
Operations, and Dining Services Supervisors. The position maintains
a strong and visible presence throughout Dining Services operations
and is responsible for providing direction, coaching,
accountability, and support to the operational management team. The
Director works closely with the Head of Dining, Executive Chef, and
Bon Appétit leadership to coordinate operational priorities,
staffing, service execution, catering, and the student dining
experience.
Responsibilities:
- Provide daily operational leadership and maintain a visible
presence throughout Dining Services facilities to ensure that
service, staffing, food presentation, sanitation, safety, and
customer service meet established expectations.
Supervise and provide direction to the Dining Staffing Manager,
Assistant Director of Dining - Retreat Operations, and Dining
Services Supervisors.
Oversee staffing, scheduling, and daily employee deployments to
ensure appropriate coverage across Dining Services
operations.
Responsible for the recruiting and hiring process for dining
employees including a successful orientation and onboarding
process.
Manages employee relations in partnership with Human Resources
and the union CBA, attend labor relations meetings, and implement
relevant action plans.
Provide clear direction to supervisors and employees, address
operational concerns promptly, and hold employees accountable for
established performance and service expectations.
Coach, mentor, and develop direct reports and Dining
Supervisors.
Oversee the day-to-day operation of Gordon Commons, The
Retreat, The Express, Street Eats, Catering, and other dining
services.
Serve as the primary contact for catering needs and provide
operational leadership for Dining Services catering, including
staffing, scheduling, logistics, and coordination with campus
departments and the culinary team.
Monitor operational practices and identify opportunities to
improve efficiency, staffing, service, and the student dining
experience.
Ensure compliance with applicable health, safety, sanitation,
food allergy, and Dining Services policies and procedures.
Coordinate with Facilities and other campus partners to address
equipment, facility, maintenance, and operational needs affecting
Dining Services.
Collaborate with the Executive Chef to coordinate service
execution, ensuring effective communication between culinary and
front-of-house operations while maintaining clear areas of
responsibility.
Respond to student and customer concerns and work with Dining
Services leadership to address issues and implement
improvements.
Monitor labor utilization and operational expenses and identify
opportunities for efficient use of resources.
Participate in Dining Services planning, leadership meetings,
campus committees, and other meetings as needed.
Support the development and implementation of Dining Services
training, operational procedures, and service standards.
Required knowledge, skills and abilities
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and
work experience.
- Five years of progressively responsible experience in food
service, hospitality, or a high-volume operational
environment.
- Demonstrated supervisory and management experience, including
the ability to coach, mentor, develop, and hold employees
accountable.
- Experience with staffing, scheduling, and operational
deployment.
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and communication
skills.
- Ability to work effectively with employees, students, campus
partners, and external partners.
- Ability to work collaboratively in an environment with Vassar
College and Bon Appétit employees.
- Comfort using technology to support scheduling, operational,
and administrative functions.
- Availability and flexibility to work evening and weekend hours
year-round to support campus dining.
Preferred knowledge, skills and abilities
- A degree in hospitality, restaurant management, business
administration, or culinary arts.
- Experience working in higher education.
- Experience working in a unionized environment.
- Experience managing high-volume dining operations and/or
catering.
- ServSafe Certification.
Compensation
The compensation for this position is $70,300 - $91,500 per
year.
When extending an offer, Vassar College considers factors such as
(but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position,
candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills,
internal peer equity, budget, and other market and organizational
considerations. The starting salary range represents the College's
good faith and reasonable estimate at the time of posting.
To apply, visit https://vassar.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Vassar-External/job/Poughkeepsie-NY/Director-of-Operations---Dining-Services_R00035645?jobFamilyGroup=71e2c39500161003e7c4fa7b8078820e&jobFamilyGroup=71e2c39500161003e7c4fed539988210&jobFamilyGroup=71e2c39500161003e7c506cf57a48214.
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