Director of University Dining Services

Director Of Comprehensive Dining Program

The Director provides leadership across all aspects of the operation, including financial management, budget development, personnel administration, vendor and contract management, operational planning, food safety, regulatory compliance, and customer experience. This position will champion innovation, develop revenue-generating initiatives, strengthen campus partnerships, and cultivate a culture of hospitality, operational excellence, and continuous improvement while leading a high-performing team.

Examples Of Duties

• Provide overall vision, leadership, and strategic direction for the University's comprehensive dining program, ensuring alignment with institutional goals, student success initiatives, and auxiliary services objectives.
• Lead and oversee all residential, retail, catering, and auxiliary dining operations, including two residential dining centers, Starbucks, Student Center dining operations, Delyte's Coffee Shop, Child Care dining services, Touch of Nature dining operations, and other food service venues.
• Lead the integration and coordination of residential dining, retail dining, meal plan administration, catering, and auxiliary food service operations to provide a seamless and consistent campus dining experience.
• Develop, administer, and monitor departmental budgets, financial plans, and performance metrics, ensuring fiscal responsibility and achievement of revenue and expense goals.
• Develop and implement strategies to increase revenue, expand services, and identify new business opportunities that enhance the financial sustainability of dining operations.
• Establish and grow a comprehensive campus catering program that supports University events, conferences, athletics, student organizations, and external customers while generating additional revenue and enhancing campus engagement.
• Evaluate dining trends, customer demand, and market conditions to guide pricing strategies, service enhancements, facility investments, and long-term planning.
• Ensure compliance with food safety regulations, quality standards, risk management practices, and established operating procedures.
• Develop and implement emergency response, business continuity, and risk management plans for all dining and food service operations.
• Collaborate with food service staff and centralized support units, including purchasing, nutrition, marketing, finance, and information technology, to develop menus, direct food purchases, manage inventory, forecast demand, and implement strategies that maintain and grow revenue.
• Partner with the ID Card Office to ensure the effective administration and compliance of meal plans, dining dollars, and flex dollar programs through Atrium and related systems.
• Utilize CBORD Food Service Suite and other reporting tools to monitor operational performance, purchasing, inventory, menu mix, labor utilization, food costs, waste reduction, and key performance indicators.
• Negotiate, administer, and evaluate contracts with vendors, suppliers, franchise partners, sponsorship partners, and service providers to ensure quality, value, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
• Ensure compliance with franchise agreements, sponsorship contracts, and University policies while maintaining strong relationships with external partners.
• Lead long-range facility planning, renovation projects, equipment replacement initiatives, and capital improvement efforts to maintain modern, safe, and efficient dining facilities.
• Maintain appropriate staffing levels and organizational structures by implementing effective recruitment, retention, onboarding, and succession planning strategies.
• Provide leadership development, coaching, mentorship, and professional growth opportunities for management and supervisory staff to ensure organizational effectiveness and continuity.
• Manage labor budgets, staffing models, scheduling practices, personnel records, and payroll approval processes.
• Develop and implement innovative dining concepts, promotions, themed events, and customer engagement initiatives that enhance the campus dining experience.
• Establish operational goals and expectations through regular meetings with management staff and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure comprehensive training programs are provided in customer service, hospitality, food safety, allergen awareness, food preparation, leadership development, and operational excellence.
• Advance sustainability initiatives related to food sourcing, waste reduction, recycling, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship.
• Collaborate with campus stakeholders to promote nutrition education, wellness initiatives, and accommodations for individuals with dietary restrictions and food allergies.
• Identify opportunities for operational enhancements and provide proactive recommendations to improve programs, services, efficiencies, and customer satisfaction.
• Promote effective use of business systems, technology solutions, and data analytics to improve operational performance and decision-making.
• Develop long-range strategic plans and recommendations that support the growth, sustainability, and continuous improvement of campus dining services.
• Collect and analyze customer feedback, assessment data, industry benchmarks, and operational metrics to guide decision-making and evaluate program effectiveness.
• Foster a customer-centered culture by actively engaging with students, faculty, staff, alumni, visitors, and guests while ensuring employees provide exceptional service.
• Develop dining programs and services that contribute to student recruitment, retention, engagement, campus life, and overall student satisfaction.
• Build strategic partnerships with academic departments to develop curriculum, internships, applied learning opportunities, and other high-impact educational experiences that support workforce development and student success.
• Cultivate partnerships with local businesses, producers, community organizations, and industry partners to enhance dining programs, experiential learning opportunities, and community engagement.
• Collaborate with University leadership, student affairs, enrollment management, and student support offices to enhance student participation, engagement, and overall campus satisfaction.
• Partner with Athletics staff to support the nutritional, operational, and programmatic needs of student-athletes.
• Serve as the primary dining services representative on University committees, task forces, and strategic initiatives related to student experience, wellness, sustainability, auxiliary services, and campus life.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management or related field with 7+ years of related experience.
• Experience in a high-volume multi-unit operation.
• Strong knowledge of food and catering trends with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, food cost controls, and presentation
• Must be able to teach and motivate supervisory staff, bargaining unit employees, student management, student employees, and temporary staff, to provide safe, nutritious meals for student customers, all while keeping industry, state and local health/sanitation standards.
• Experience with budget management and financial planning.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree

Required Documents: Please submit a letter of application explaining how education and experience meet the qualifications, resume/CV, and three references. Contact: Shari Garnett, View email address on click.appcast.io

Benefits

University employees may be eligible for a variety of State of Illinois benefits. These benefits are administered through the Illinois Department of Central Management Service (CMS). These benefits include: Health Insurance plans (HMOs, OAPs, QCHP and CDHP), Dental Insurance, Vision Plan, Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), Supplemental Long Term Disability (LTD), Flex Spending Accounts, MCAP and DCAP, and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan.

Eligible employees are required to participate in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). SURS is the retirement administrator for employees in public higher education in the State of Illinois.

Other benefits available to eligible employees include: Generous paid time-off, 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plans, and Employee Assistance Program. SIUC also provides extensive tuition benefits for its employees and their families such as: tuition waiver/application fee waiver for the employee and their dependents, a Legacy tuition rate for children of SIU Alumni, and Civil Service Employee Counsel (CSEC) Education Assistance Program (EAP). For more information please visit:

Southern Illinois University Carbondale