Director of Dining Services

Job Description

Job Description

Meriwether Godsey is seeking a Director of Dining Services to lead all aspects of the dining program at a prestigious boarding school in Massachusetts. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing a high-performing, diverse team, executing restaurant-quality menus, driving culinary innovation, and consistently exceeding the expectations of students, faculty, and staff. Qualified candidates must possess five key competencies required for this role:

• Leadership & People Development
• Client Partnership
• Financial Acumen & Accountability
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement
• Operational Excellence & Food Safety

 

What the Director of Dining Services will do:

• Lead by example: Build a strong team culture, recruit and retain talent, coach and develop managers, set clear expectations, hold people accountable, and develop future leaders.
• Build trusted client relationships: Understand the client's goals and community, communicate proactively, respond to concerns, deliver on commitments, and create a high-touch hospitality experience and "WOW" moments.
• Support personnel-related functions, including recruitment, interviewing, hiring, growth and development of team members, and performance monitoring.
• Execute dining operations with excellence in food quality and service. Prepare meals while embracing fresh, local, and scratch-made food; support and/or manage menu development, purchasing, and production, incorporating the latest trends and practices.
• Operate a disciplined, organized operation: Maintain food quality and presentation; ensure food safety, sanitation, allergen, and compliance standards; follow SOPs; manage service execution; and identify and resolve operational gaps.
• Deliver high-end catering, including booking, planning, execution, and communication.
• Understand the P&L and budget: Manage labor and food costs, control expenses, understand purchasing and inventory, use financial information to make decisions, identify margin opportunities, and take ownership of account performance.
• Take ownership and follow through: Solve problems at the root, prioritize effectively, embrace change, and look for ways to improve the operation, menu, service, catering, and customer experience to turn ideas into measurable results.
• Put the guest first.
• Foster an inclusive environment for all staff and guests.
• Maintain effective, client- and customer-centric relationships.
• Maintain HACCP standards and a healthy environment for clients, customers, and employees.
• Uphold MG core values and brand standards.
  
  
  

What the Director of Dining Services will need:

• Bachelor’s degree or ten years of related experience.
• Five years of experience in contract food service operations.
• High-end and volume catering management experience required.
• Participative management style and excellent leadership skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Account and project management skills.
• Knowledge of food safety (HACCP), sanitation, and overall workplace safety standards.
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment while fostering strong client and customer relationships.
• ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification preferred.
• Application and promotion of current food trends.