Job Description

Food Service Director

Creative Dining Services is seeking an experienced, people-centered Food Service Director to lead our dining program at Truett McConnell University, a growing Christian liberal arts university located in the foothills of the North Georgia mountains. This role offers the opportunity to lead a high-impact dining operation in a close-knit campus community known for hospitality, partnership, and a strong sense of mission. Cleveland, Georgia, home of Truett McConnell University, is a scenic, family-friendly community near Helen and the Chattahoochee National Forest offering mountain views, outdoor recreation, and a welcoming small-town environment just 90 minutes from Atlanta.

If you are a collaborative leader who thrives in relationship-driven environments and enjoys building strong teams, this is an exceptional opportunity.

Position Summary

The Food Service Director oversees all aspects of unit operations, ensuring exceptional service, strong client relationships, and operational excellence. This leader is responsible for financial performance, team development, safety and compliance, and the successful execution of all dining programs. The Director partners closely with the onsite management team, university stakeholders, and Creative Dining leadership to deliver a high-quality, innovative dining experience aligned with CDS standards and values.

Core Responsibilities:

Financial

• Collaborate with the Operations Director to prepare a period and yearly budget.
• Achieve maximum sales and profits, consistent with acceptable operating standards.
• Demonstrates thorough understanding of all Company established purchasing and financial policies & procedures.
• Ensure other onsite management and support staff understanding and consistent adherence to all Company purchasing and financial policies & procedures.

Management and Development

• Collaborate with Operations Director to determine staffing needs.
• Responsible for hiring, training, coaching, supervising, evaluating and managing performance of direct reports.
• Develop unit managers utilizing the gap analysis tool provided by Human Resources to determine individual needs, creating development plans where needed.
• Demonstrate thorough understanding of State and Federal employment rules and regulations.
• Ensure onsite management and staff understanding and consistent adherence to all State and Federal rules and regulations.

Operating Control

• Evaluate total operational performance and ensure client satisfaction.
• Develop a complete operational business review on a quarterly basis, review this with the Operations Director, and present to the client.
• Planning and analysis of all merchandising and marketing programs.

Communication

• Hold direct report and team meetings on a regular basis.
• Be knowledgeable and ensure utilization and thorough understanding of all corporate communications, i.e. the Weekly Digest.
• Written communication of all management and administrative staff is compliant with the corporate Electronic Communication policy and all litigation holds on correspondence are closely adhered to.
• Ensure positive public relations are attained; account retention is assured.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:

• A Bachelor's degree in Business or Hospitality Management preferred. An advanced degree in Management, Hospitality, or related field is highly desirable.
• In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, a minimum of 10 years successful managerial experience. An equivalent of education, training and experience may be considered.
• Strong customer-service orientation and excellent communication skills
• Proven ability to lead teams, coach managers, and build a strong workplace culture
• Experience managing budgets and financial performance
• Proficiency with MS Office and comfortable with multiple electronic platforms.
• ServSafe Certification required.
• Allergen Certification required.
• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and sound professional judgment.

We Offer:

• Competitive pay
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Bonus opportunity
• 401(k) with a company match
• Paid time off
• 20% discounted tuition at Davenport University
• And much, much more!

About Creative Dining Services

Creative Dining Services partners with colleges, universities, Fortune 100 companies, senior living communities, conference centers, and K-12 schools to deliver a hospitality experience that is fresh, sustainable, innovative, and community-focused. We believe dining should be fun, engaging, and built on open, trusting relationships because that's how it should be.

Creative Dining Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Veteran-Friendly.

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