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Dining Services Director Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Dining Services Director, Rockville, MD Salary: $85,000.00 - $90,000.00 Other Forms of Compensation: Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence! An industry leading hospitality food service group, Unidine is ...

New

DIR, DINING SERVICES I

Rockville, MD · On-site

$85K - $90K/yr

Dining Services Director, Rockville, MD Salary: $85,000.00 - $90,000.00 Other Forms of Compensation: Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence! An industry leading hospitality food service group, Unidine is ...

New

Director of Dining Services, Washington DC Salary: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 Other Forms of Compensation: Bonus up to 15% Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence! An industry leading hospitality food service ...

Director of Dining Services, Washington DC Salary: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 Other Forms of Compensation: Bonus up to 15% Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence! An industry leading hospitality food service ...

Director of Dining Services, Washington DC Salary: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 Other Forms of Compensation: Bonus up to 15% Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence! An industry leading hospitality food service ...

Director of Dining Services, Washington DC Salary: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 Other Forms of Compensation: Bonus up to 15% Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence! An industry leading hospitality food service ...

Cook | Full Time

Lorton, VA · On-site

$22 - $23.18/hr

In the absence of the Dining Services Director the cook supervises dietary staff to ensure efficient operation of the kitchen at all times. * Prepare and present menu items according to standard ...

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Dining Services Director information

See Reston, VA salary details

$33.8K

$76.7K

$122.8K

How much do dining services director jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for dining services director in Reston, VA is $76,687.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $56,700.00 and $93,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Dining Services Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Dining Services Director, you need expertise in food service management, budgeting, menu planning, and often a degree in hospitality or culinary arts. Familiarity with food safety regulations, inventory management systems, and staff scheduling software is typically required. Leadership, customer service orientation, and strong organizational skills set outstanding candidates apart in this role. These skills ensure efficient operations, high-quality dining experiences, and compliance with health standards in a fast-paced environment.

What Does a Director of Dining Services Do?

A director of dining services oversees the daily and long-term operations of a dining or food service facility. This job is common in large-scale food operations, such as hospital, residential, or school cafeterias, large catering services, and community outreach programs such as soup kitchens or meals on wheels for seniors. As a director of dining services, your responsibilities include administrative and managerial tasks. You hire and train new kitchen staff and other employees, schedule delivery services to residents or institutional customers, oversee purchasing orders, and direct other workers as needed.

What are some common challenges faced by a Dining Services Director and how can they be effectively managed?

Dining Services Directors often encounter challenges such as maintaining consistent food quality, managing diverse teams, and balancing budget constraints while meeting the needs of residents or customers. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, proactive communication with both staff and clients, and the ability to adapt menus or operations based on feedback and regulatory requirements. Building a collaborative team environment and investing in staff training can help address these challenges and ensure smooth daily operations.

What is the difference between Dining Services Director vs Food Service Manager?

AspectDining Services DirectorFood Service Manager
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in hospitality, food service, or related field; certifications like ServSafe are commonOften requires a high school diploma or associate degree; certifications like ServSafe are also common
Work EnvironmentOversees multiple dining facilities, often in large institutions like hospitals, universities, or corporate campusesManages daily operations of a specific food service location, such as a restaurant or cafeteria
Employer & IndustryEmployers include healthcare, education, and corporate sectors; industry focus on large-scale food service management

The Dining Services Director and Food Service Manager roles both involve overseeing food operations, but the director typically manages multiple locations or departments, requiring broader strategic planning, while the manager focuses on daily operations at a single site. The director position often demands higher credentials and experience, reflecting its leadership scope.

What does a Dining Services Director do?

A Dining Services Director oversees the operations of food service facilities, such as those in schools, hospitals, senior living communities, or large organizations. Their responsibilities include managing staff, planning menus, ensuring food safety and quality, budgeting, and maintaining compliance with health regulations. They also work to enhance customer satisfaction and may be involved in hiring, training, and supervising kitchen and dining room employees. Effective communication and organizational skills are essential for success in this role.
What job categories do people searching Dining Services Director jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Dining Services Director jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Dining Services Director jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Dining Services Director job openings:
Infographic showing various Dining Services Director job openings in Reston, VA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 78% Full Time, and 22% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $76,687 per year, or $36.9 per hour.

$85K - $90K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 2 days ago

New


Compass Group rating

6.4

Company rating: 6.4 out of 10

Based on 1,083 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

337th of 481 rated business services


Job description

 Position Title: Dining Services Director, Rockville, MD 

Salary: $85,000.00 - $90,000.00

Other Forms of Compensation:  

Think Fresh! Lead with Excellence!

 An industry leading hospitality food service group, Unidine is driven by its exceptional people sharing their passion, creativity and talent to craft memorable guest experiences. Unidine's commitment to scratch cooking, innovative programs, venue concepts and services continues to push boundaries and modernize dining programs for hundreds of clients around the nation. Our restaurants, bars, cafeterias and bistros offer a place for guests to enjoy something extraordinary. That is why we believe that using the freshest ingredients makes for the best dishes, staying ahead of industry trends pushes us to be innovative, and giving team members the right tools and resources helps them to perform their best. Come and join our award-winning team!

Job Summary:

The Director of Dining Services is the strategic business leader of the community's food and beverage/culinary operation ensuring resident and client satisfaction by providing a consistently high-quality product and best-in-class hospitality, while also meeting financial goals and driving a positive work environment. You will oversee the development and implementation of departmental strategies and ensures implementation of the Compass Community Living's service strategy as well as be the face of the company.

Leading Food & Beverage Operation:

Develop and implement overall operating strategy that is aligned with the Compass Community Living and client business strategy, disseminates the vision within the community so all team members understand expectations.

Must have an entrepreneurial approach and take full ownership of driving desired outcomes as if the business owner and hold the on-site leadership team accountable for demonstrating desired service behaviors.

Ability to quickly evaluate personnel, operations, and culinary situations and make appropriate recommendations to person(s) involved.

Maintain a professional and positive demeanor with a high level of resilience during stressful periods, have an ability to adapt and problem solve when required.

Perform daily walk-through to ensure full compliance with Department of Health regulations and Compass Group standards.

Directs and conducts safety, sanitation, and maintenance programs.

Ensures that regular, ongoing communication occurs in all areas of food and beverage by leading pre-meal briefings and staff meetings.

Advise and update the executives, supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates on relevant information in a timely manner by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Business and Financial Competence:

Understanding market dynamics, enterprise level objectives and important aspects of Compass Community Living's business to accurately diagnose strengths and weaknesses, anticipate opportunities and risks, identify issues, and develop strategies and plans. Aligning individual and team actions to drive business results.

Capability to recognize and understand P&L drivers for the purpose of analyzing and evaluating results, identifying opportunities, and put plans into action to deliver expected results.

Develops overall budget and operates the account in accordance with the approved budget, while providing the client with the maximum value for the dollars spent.

Coaches and supports team to optimally manage wages, food & beverage cost, and controllable expenses (e.g., restaurant supplies, uniforms, etc.)

Reviews financial reports and statements to determine how the account is performing against budget.

Works with team to resolve areas of concern and develops strategies to improve the department's financial performance.

Ensuring Exceptional Customer Service:

Understand the client's business model to prioritize what is most important to their residents.

Be visible within the community to build and maintain excellent relationships with residents, staff, and other departments within the community to be seen as a member of the client's management team.

Review resident satisfaction results and other data to identify areas of improvement, share feedback with all team members to ensure resident and client expectations are met, and take appropriate corrective when needed to deliver desired outcomes.

Improves service by communicating and assisting individuals to understand resident needs, providing mentorship, feedback, and individual coaching when needed.

Stays aware of market trends and introduces new food and beverage products to meet or exceed resident expectations, generate increased revenue, and ensure client satisfaction.

Empowers employees to provide excellent service that exceed resident and client satisfaction.

Team Building & Management:

Regularly lead team member meetings.

Create a positive work environment by serving as a role model to demonstrate appropriate behaviors, make each person feel important and motivated to deliver a best-in-class hospitality experience for our residents.

Establishes goals including performance goals, budget goals, team goals, etc.

Solicits employee feedback, applies an "open door" policy and reviews employee satisfaction results to identify and address employee problems or concerns.

Identifies the developmental needs of others, coach, and mentor team members by providing feedback and training to achieve performance objectives and reach their fullest potential.

Ability to cross-train abilities for all skills, promotes the professional growth and development of the entire team.

Ability to find, train, and retain talent starting with behavioral based interviewing.

Hires food & beverage leadership team members who demonstrate strong functional expertise, creativity, and entrepreneurial leadership to meet the business needs of the operation.

Ensures employees are treated fairly and equitably.

Empathetic leader while still being able to hold self and team members accountable.

Preferred Qualifications:

B.S. Degree in Food Services Technology/Management or related field; or A.A. Degree plus four years of directly related experience preferred.

Five to seven years of direct foodservice operational management experience with inventory and purchasing knowledge and control.

Strong knowledge of food and catering trends with a focus on quality, production, sanitation, food cost controls, and presentation

Previous P&L accountability or contract-managed service experience is desirable.

Strong supervisory, leadership, management, and coaching skills

Strong communication skills, both written and verbal

Ability to communicate on various levels to include management, client, customer, and associate levels.

Excellent financial, budgetary, accounting, and computational skills

Proficient computer skills to include various computer programs, Microsoft Office programs, e-mail, and the Internet.

ServSafe Certified

Job Summary

Job Summary:

Working as a Director of Dining Services, you are responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations for a dining account.  You will manage and lead a team of associates.  You will be responsible for managing client relations, along with ensuring that the food offered to the customers is of superior quality.  Additionally, you will be responsible for the following:

Key Responsibilities:  

  • Maintain excellent relationships with customers, guests and client as well as other departments
  • Work with the Chef and management team in creating menus and providing top quality food
  • Oversee all P&L and budgeting as it pertains to the account
  • Roll out new culinary programs 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • BS, Hospitality or Culinary degree preferred
  • Three to five years of foodservice operation experience
  • High volume production and catering experience is essential
  • Previous experience managing a budget
  • Desire to learn and grow with a top notch foodservice company

Apply to Unidine today!

Unidine is a member of Compass Group USA 

Click here to Learn More about the Compass Story 

Associates at Unidine are offered many fantastic benefits.

  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Life Insurance/ AD
  • Disability Insurance
  • Retirement Plan
  • Flexible Time Off
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)
  • Personal Leave
  • Associate Shopping Program
  • Health and Wellness Programs
  • Discount Marketplace
  • Identity Theft Protection
  • Pet Insurance
  • Commuter Benefits
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

Associates may also be eligible for paid and/or unpaid time off benefits in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For positions in Washington State, Maryland, or to be performed Remotely, click here or copy/paste the link below for paid time off benefits information.

https://www.compass-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023_WageTransparency_Unidine.pdf

Compass Group is an equal opportunity employer. At Compass, we are committed to treating all Applicants and Associates fairly based on their abilities, achievements, and experience without regard to race, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other classification protected by law.

Qualified candidates must be able to perform the essential functions of this position satisfactorily with or without a reasonable accommodation. Disclaimer: this job post is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all essential responsibilities, skills, tasks, or requirements associated with this position. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the position posted, the Company reserves the right to modify or change the essential functions of the job based on business necessity. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with a criminal history (including relevant driving history), in a manner consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York Fair Chance Act. We encourage applicants with a criminal history (and driving history) to apply.

Certain positions may require Florida Level 2 background screening. Details: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Unidine maintains a drug-free workplace.

Req ID:  1557156

Unidine 

LYN PELLEGRINI 

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