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Assistant Director of Operations & Services

The Assistant Director of Operations & Services plays a key leadership role in supporting the daily operations, communications, and guest-facing programs of University of Chicago Dining. This position provides cross-functional oversight of nutrition and wellness programs, marketing coordination, sustainability initiatives, and quality assurance to ensure a consistent, inclusive, and student-centered dining experience across campus. Reporting to the Associate Director of Facilities, Operations & Services, the Assistant Director serves as a primary liaison to campus partners, student groups, and external stakeholders, while working closely with the contracted food service provider to uphold university standards, contract compliance, and service excellence. This position requires strong operational judgment, relationship management skills, and the ability to balance strategic planning with hands-on execution in a complex, fast-paced, hybrid dining environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for campus partners including Housing & Residence Life, Student Wellness, Student Disability Services, Athletics, UChicago Grad, academic groups, and other campus cohorts, to help maintain and build university-wide support for dining on campus.
• Lead marketing coordination and student engagement initiatives in partnerships with campus and vendor marketing teams.
• Oversee the Campus Dining Advisory Board (CDAB) meetings and participate in other student feedback forums to gather insights and drive continuous improvement.
• Assist in providing strategic direction for retail dining on campus, including concept development, menu creation, and sales analysis.
• Work in close partnership with the Campus Dietitian to support dietary accommodations, allergen management, wellness initiatives, and nutrition-related programming.
• Lead the dining team during Orientation Week including planning, logistics, communication and coordinating all major receptions, cultural programming, and high-profile campus events.
• Assist the Associate Director in ensuring that the dining vendor participates in and supports all University diversity, social justice, and sustainability initiatives.
• Support sustainability, food waste diversion, and educational initiatives in collaboration with campus partners and contract vendors.
• Support dietetic internship partnerships with participating universities.
• Keep well-informed and current on new concepts, practices, and trends in food service technology as they relate to institutions of higher education.
• Coordinate with the vendor in maintaining all certification for Kosher, Halal, and Gluten Free options.
• Visit dining locations daily, and perform spot checks on service, contract compliance, food quality, labeling, and practices.
• Uses in-depth knowledge and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries such as communicating with programs sponsors and academic advising for undergraduate students.
• Develops and communicates program priorities and performance standards and assesses operations using these criteria. Plans and conducts quality assurance reviews and recommends changes as appropriate.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree with a focus on Hospitality Management, Food Service Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Communication, Dietetics or a closely related field.

Experience:

• 57 years of progressive experience in hospitality, dining services, or large?scale food service operations, with at least 2 years in a lead/supervisory capacity (e.g., managing programs, people, or cross?functional initiatives).
• Demonstrated experience coordinating multi?site operations.
• Proficiency with Windows based computers, including the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Outlook).
• Exposure to sustainability initiatives (food waste diversion, composting, responsible sourcing) and continuous improvement frameworks.
• Proven ability to lead departmental communications.

Certifications:

• ServSafe certified (current).
• City of Chicago Certified Foodservice Manager.
• Allergen Awareness.
• Valid Driver's License.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Experience managing multi?site operations using checklists, SOPs, and performance metrics across diverse dining venues.
• Comfort with survey tools and feedback systems (e.g., Qualtrics/Google Forms) to synthesize student, parent, and partner input for continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with Kosher/Halal certification processes and gluten?free/special diet best practices; able to coordinate with credentialing partners.
• Proficient with project management and collaboration platforms (e.g., Teams, SharePoint, Asana/Trello) for tracking initiatives, timelines, etc.

Preferred Competencies

• Ability to craft clear, empathetic messages for student?facing updates and executive?level briefs; navigates sensitive issues calmly.
• Prioritize accessibility, inclusivity, and responsiveness in daily operations and program design.
• Use feedback and analytics to iterate programs, enhance service outcomes, and steward contract commitments.
• Ability to handle fast?paced demands, escalations, and operational disruptions with calm, structured solutions.
• Demonstrate knowledge of proficient customer service skills.
• Excellent multi-tasking skills. Ability to work on multiple(non-connected) projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizing skills, detail oriented, focused, and proficient in time management.
• Ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative, yet a team player.

Working Conditions

• Eating at the various dining venues of UChicago Dining is a requirement of this position. The Assistant Director for Dining Operations and Services will be provided with a meal plan that will enable them to be part of the team that ensures that the dining vendor is following contract expectations and is attaining the quality standards expected by the campus.
• Ability to bend, crouch, or sit.
• Ability to stand, sit, or walk for 4 hours or more.
• Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5pm.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• Writing Sample (required)
• List of Three Professional References (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

Yes

Pay Rate Type

Salary

?FLSA Status

Exempt

?Pay Range

$77,000.00 - $85,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process