Lead Dining Service Associate - Vail Commons

Dining Service Lead

The Dining Service Lead will oversee daily front of the house operations in a specific service area. This is a hands-on working position that monitors our associates to ensure strict adherence to departmental policies, health and safety codes and deliver excellent hospitality to our guests in a fast paced, excellence focused dining location. Surrounded by fresh ingredients and the best equipment, you will be immersed in a world that goes beyond food preparation experimenting with different cuisines, flavors, and cooking styles. This is a 9-month, 40 hours per week position and is required to work evenings and weekends.

The work includes preparing and serving food to order. The associate is also responsible for cleaning equipment, serving, and dining areas, washing, and storing dishes and pans used during meal service. During the academic year, the dining locations operate seven days a week for the students, guests, staff, and faculty.

Qualifications:

• Good guest service skills and excellent communication and people skills.
• The ability to work a flexible schedule. The dining location is scheduled according to the needs of the students and various events. Work schedules are not fixed as they rotate from week to week.
• Food Handler certified or certification required within 30 days of employment.
• Allertrain U certified or Certification required within 30 days of employment.
• Knowledge of safe food handling and standard sanitation practices preferred.
• This role may have physical demands including, but not limited to, lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, carrying and / or extended walking and standing.
• Food service experience preferred, but not required.
• Guest service experience preferred, but not required.
• High school Diploma

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead and supervise team members in an assigned station or designated service area, ensuring operational efficiency, food quality, and excellent guest service.
• Prepares presents and serves food as needed.
• Performs prep work such as washing, peeling, cutting, and seeding fruits and vegetables.
• Weighs and measures designated ingredients.
• Carries pans, kettles, and trays of food to and from workstations, stove, and refrigerator in accordance with safety standards.
• Stores food in designated areas following wrapping, dating, food safety and rotation procedures.
• Cleans work areas, equipment, and utensils.
• Distributes supplies, utensils, and portable equipment.
• Utilizes approved food recipes and production standards to ensure proper quality, serving temperatures and standard portion control.
• Serves guests in a friendly, efficient manner following the outlined steps of service.
• Prepares and serves food according to guest's specifications.
• Rings order accurately by using the point-of-sale system.
• Receives meal plan, cash and credit card payments and issue receipts or change due to guest, responsible for overages and shortages, accuracy, and security.
• Serves food or works dish room during the meal hour.
• Prepares assigned work area for meal service.
• Cleans the dining facility which includes sweeping, mopping, taking trash to dumpster and cleaning restrooms.
• Resolves guest concerns and relays relevant information to supervisor.
• Ensures compliance with Dining service standards and procedures.
• Assures compliance with all sanitation and safety requirements.
• Assist with catered events as scheduled.
• Adhere to the uniform policy.
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor or manager.

Working Conditions:

Physical Demands:

• Balancing
• Carrying
• Pulling / Pushing
• Repetitive Movement
• Standing
• Bending
• Reaching
• Twisting

Environmental Hazards:

• Chemicals
• Confined Spaces
• Dust / Fumes
• Indoor Temperature Extremes
• Noise

Lifting Required: twenty-five pounds.

Seasonal Responsibilities: Lead Dining Services Associates may be assigned to work in a different dining unit and there may be limited work available during school holidays and breaks when classes are not in session. Throughout the academic year there are periods of down time when work is not available. Examples of these include winter break and spring break.

Travel Required: Less than 5 %.

Night and Weekend Work Required : Yes

Information about how to submit an application can be found at employment.davidson.edu.

About Us

Davidson is a highly selective, nationally ranked, residential liberal arts college located in Davidson, North Carolina, near Charlotte. We seek to hire talented faculty and staff who are committed to achieving excellence within an inclusive community where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are valued.

Job Info

• Job Identification 985
• Job Category Dining and Food Prep
• Posting Date 07/17/2026, 01:10 PM
• Degree Level High School Graduate
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 209 Ridge Road, Davidson, NC, 28035, US