Director of Residential Dining Operations
On-siteCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Job Summary
Lead the operational management of 13 residential dining units and a kosher dining hall, overseeing the preparation and delivery of approximately 18,000 meals daily while ensuring full compliance with food safety and occupational regulations. Develop strategic programming and services in collaboration with Harvard College and HUDS leadership, utilizing student feedback to drive continuous improvement and manage a $40 million annual budget. Recruit, mentor, and evaluate a diverse team of over 300 unionized staff and approximately 40 managers, fostering a collaborative environment that supports community building and inclusivity. Maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, oversee facility maintenance and sustainability initiatives, and act as a senior escalation point for key issues. This role serves as a strategic leader within the Harvard University Dining Services Senior Leadership Team, directly shaping the hospitality experience for 7,000 undergraduate students and faculty.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
- Minimum of 10 years' relevant work experience
- Supervisory experience
- Ability to work evenings, weekends and holidays as needed
- Subject to wet floors, temperature extremes, and excessive noise
- Standing and walking for significant amounts of time
- Light to medium work. Exerting up to 25 pounds of lifting force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force constantly
- Must be able to bend, stoop and perform regular walking and standing
- Ability to work nights, weekends and holidays as needed
Desired Qualifications
- Degree in Hospitality Management, Culinary Arts or related field
- Minimum of 10 years' senior leadership experience in a major collegiate food service or corporate environment including responsibility for residential dining programs
- Strong record of exceptional business acumen including, but not limited to strategic planning, financial and human resource management, budget development and management
- Outstanding communication skills including interpersonal communication, writing, public speaking and presenting, teaching and instruction
- Exceptional customer service skills
- Highly skilled at addressing complex situations and negotiating successful outcomes with a diverse group of stakeholders
- Experience managing in a unionized environment and general knowledge of labor relations practices
- Extensive knowledge of current food trends
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
- Operational experience with a variety of food service applications and computerized menu management systems
- Ability to learn and adapt to new systems and applications as needed
- Ability to become ServSafe Certified within six months of employment
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