Director of Dining Services - Strategic Initiatives, Dining

The department of Strategic Initiatives at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Director of Dining Services for WVU Dining.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, the Director of Dining Services provides innovative, strategic, and comprehensive leadership for an extensive dining program that is expected deliver a consistent high-quality dining experience for the campus community.

This position administers a dining program comprised of resident dining, retail, catering, the Director establishes and maintains high standards of quality through well-developed relationships with the food service partner; along with Procurement and payment services, analyzes and interprets financial data, to include forecasting, benchmarking; emphasizes healthy dining options and accommodating students with food sensitivities, insecurities, and allergies; and maintains a strong focus on sustainability, and local food procurement. The Director maintains exceptional customer service standards, with an emphasis on quality, presentation, and innovation, and develops and fosters robust, collaborative relationships with campus partners. The Director helps coordinate dining facility remodeling and renovation; evaluates and authorizes new equipment purchases; diligently maintains compliance with safety and sanitation regulations; and consistently demonstrates an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially in working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 13 paid holidays ( staff holiday calendar )
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year, and the flexibility to use that time to care for immediate family members
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information ? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

Direct Supervision:

• Assistant Director of Dining Services, regarding contracted funds planning, reconciling and processing; meal plan administration, sales, changes, refunds and additions for students, faculty and staff
• Registered Dietician of Dining Services, regarding Medical Nutrition Therapy, Eating Disorder/Disordered Eating Counseling, Allergy/Intolerance Counseling, Activity and Sport Related Counseling, Intuitive Eating Counseling, Body Image Counseling, Diabetes Counseling, Gut Health Related Counseling.

Liaison Interactions between Campus Partners and Food Service Partner:

• In coordination with the food service partner, provide strategic planning, development of goals for dining services.
• Work with the Associate Vice President and Dean of Students to ensure appropriate allocation of student life funds for the academic year; execution of major student life events with catering, such as welcome week, finals week and other types of events; promote efficiency and effectiveness in institutional practices and harmonize practices between the food service partner and student life.
• Daily or Weekly interaction with Procurement and Payment Services relating to governance of the contract; this may include managing processes, tracking, auditing, controlling, reporting and reviewing.
• Participate and document all meetings outlined in the governance structure. This could include but not be limited to: weekly general manager meeting, bi weekly business meetings with the assistant director and other general managers, monthly marketing review, quarterly partnership review, annual expectations meeting, summer planning meetings for the fall and spring semester, monthly meeting with the registered dietician and food service partner to discuss dietician/student meetings.
• Maintain internal university policies and rules that balance best business practices, compliance and customer needs.
• Maintain strong, positive relationships with WVU leadership, key internal and external stakeholders. This could include, but not be limited to: The Presidents Office and Home, Student Life, Enrollment Management, University Relations, Mountainlair Administration & Erickson Alumni Center Administration.
• Coordinate and schedule all fire suppression, hood cleaning, grease trap maintenance for all dining locations. Responsible for all facility maintenance not maintained by the food service partner.
• Maintain strong, positive relationships with WVU regional campuses to assess quality of services offered.
• Maintain and expand, where feasible, the balance between sustainable, healthy, and value based campus dining.
• Culture and implement innovative dining offerings/solutions that keep us at the forefront of higher education dining innovation.
• In coordination with food service partner, participate in the menu planning process.
• Ensure the Student Government Association and other student leaders are involved and provide feedback in various aspects of the dining program.

Qualifications :

• Minimum Education - bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• A minimum of six (6) years of experience involving leadership and management in food services, management of budgets, customer services, procurement and contractual obligations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of food service operations and management.
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial and procurement management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve success results and driving change through effective stakeholder engagement and ability to serve as a change agent.

• Valid driver's license.

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests.

From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley — the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position.

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.

To learn more about West Virginia University, visit go.wvu.edu . View current career opportunities at careers.wvu.edu .

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.