Culinary and Operations Manager - Tiger Cooler

Job no: 495037 Work type: Regular Location: Los Angeles Categories: Salaried Title: Culinary and Operations Manager Department: Tiger Cooler Duration: Indefinite Employment Status: Exempt, Full Time Job Summary Reporting to the Associate Director, Campus Dining, the Culinary and Operations Manager is responsible for the overall culinary leadership, daily management, and operational performance of Tiger Cooler, one of the College’s most visible dining venues. The Manager directs back‑of‑house operations and provides venue leadership to support service standards, staff accountability, food quality, labor management, and operational continuity. He or she is responsible for menu execution and development, staffing oversight, scheduling, ordering, inventory, food cost control, training, and compliance with food safety and sanitation standards. The Manager leads through active floor presence, coaching, and oversight of operations, ensuring work is effectively carried out by staff and supervisors. This position is intended for a strong culinary manager who can lead a high‑volume retail dining operation, develop staff, and drive consistent performance. Job Duties 30% – Direct overall culinary and operational performance of Tiger Cooler; establish, implement, and monitor standards for food quality, menu execution and presentation, production flow, sanitation, and service readiness; oversee menu execution and refinement, product consistency. 25% – Directly supervise back‑of‑house staff and supervisory personnel (minimum 2+ employees); assign work, ensure accountability, and lead performance management including hiring, onboarding, training, evaluation, discipline, and termination decisions; provide ongoing coaching and development. 15% – Develop staffing plans and manage back‑of‑house schedules based on business levels, service needs, labor targets, and operational priorities; direct deployment of labor and adjust staffing to ensure operational efficiency. 15% – Oversee food ordering, inventory practices, product utilization and related cost‑control systems; monitor food and labor performance metrics and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce waste; support budget accountability. 10% – Establish and reinforce standards for food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, organization, and regulatory compliance; ensure staff training, monitoring, and accountability. 5% – Maintain an active leadership presence to oversee operations, guide staff, and ensure service continuity; provide operational decision‑making during high‑volume or staffing challenges. Minimum Qualifications High school diploma or equivalent. ServSafe Manager certification. Three years of experience in food service, culinary operations, or retail dining operations, including supervising staff. Experience with food preparation, production oversight, staff training, scheduling, and maintaining food safety and sanitation standards. Knowledge of culinary and food service operations in a fast‑paced environment. Ability to supervise, train, and support staff while maintaining accountability. Ability to direct day‑to‑day operations, including food production, scheduling, ordering, inventory, and cost control. Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and safe work practices; ability to manage multiple priorities and respond to needs. Strong communication, organization, and customer service skills; ability to lead through active oversight and staff development. Knowledge of contemporary leadership and management methods. Ability to design and document job functions, responsibilities, tasks and qualifications for supervised positions. Ability to provide employee development and training opportunities for direct reports. Skilled at communicating feedback verbally, in writing and electronically; skill in documenting performance via appraisals. Skilled in developing corrective employment/performance strategies. Ability to design and execute performance improvement plans, conduct disciplinary action, or determine employment continuation. Preferred Qualifications Degree in culinary arts or a related field. Experience leading back‑of‑house operations, including menu execution, ordering, inventory, food cost control, and labor management. Experience in college or university dining, contract food service, or other large‑scale retail dining environments. Bilingual English / Spanish preferred. Compensation EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $70,304 – $78,000 per year Additional Information At Occidental College, the final base salary will be determined based on skills, education, experience, and geographic location. The college complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the offer. The base salary range is intended for typical base pay; future salary growth is expected. A generous compensation and benefits package is offered. Posting Details Advertised: 14 May 2026 Pacific Daylight Time Applications close: [date not provided] #J-18808-Ljbffr Occidental College