Director Dining Finance and Procurement

Tufts Dining is a self-operated, mission-driven organization serving the Medford/Somerville and SMFA/Fenway campuses. We provide high-quality, contemporary, and inclusive dining and hospitality services to a diverse community of more than 10,000 students, faculty, staff, and guests. Our program includes two residential dining centers, seven retail venues, a central production kitchen, and a robust catering program. Tufts Dining is committed to culinary excellence, cultural diversity, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility. Our menus reflect the lived experiences and dietary needs of our community, and our operations are grounded in innovation, collaboration, and service excellence.

About the Role

The Director of Dining Finance and Procurement provides strategic, financial, technological, and supply-chain leadership for a comprehensive, self-operated collegiate dining program. This role oversees location budgeting, forecasting, accounting, procurement, inventory systems, meal plan and debit plan administration, and dining technology platforms across residential, retail, catering, and central kitchen operations. The director ensures fiscal responsibility, operational accuracy, sustainable purchasing, and compliance with university policies while aligning Dining's operational realities with the institution's financial frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Serve as senior financial and procurement leader for Dining Services, providing operationally grounded financial strategy for a complex, multi-unit food service enterprise.
  • Partner with the University Budget Center to align Dining’s financial plans with institutional frameworks while ensuring budgets reflect the unique cost structures, production cycles, and revenue dynamics of self-operated dining.
  • Lead cross-functional collaboration with operations, culinary, sustainability, campus IT, and other stakeholders to integrate financial, procurement, and technology strategies.
  • Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management for Accounting Coordinator, Business Dining Administrator, and other finance, procurement, and administrative staff, ensuring strong internal controls, data integrity, and effective workflow management.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement across all reporting units.
• Financial Planning, Budgeting & Analysis
  • Direct the development of Dining’s operational budgets using foodservice-specific data, including recipe costing, production volumes, inventory cycles, labor models, and revenue forecasts.
  • Integrate Dining’s budgets and forecasts into the university’s central budgeting process, ensuring alignment on assumptions, methodologies, and reporting timelines.
  • Conduct forecasting, variance analysis, menu-driven cost modeling, and long-term financial planning.
  • Provide contextualized financial insights to central finance partners, explaining variances driven by menu mix, commodity markets, student demand patterns, and operational realities.
• Accounting, Reporting, Meal Plan & Cash Systems Oversight
  • Oversee accounting operations, including revenue tracking, expense management, month-end close, and reconciliation processes.
  • Manage financial operations for meal plans and debit plans, including revenue recognition, plan utilization, and reconciliation with campus card systems.
  • Ensure accuracy and compliance in cash handling, POS reporting, and financial integrations with university systems.
  • Maintain strong internal controls for cash, inventory, and financial transactions in accordance with university accounting standards and audit requirements.
• Procurement Strategy & Supply-Chain Management
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive procurement strategy supporting quality, cost control, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
  • Lead sourcing, competitive bidding, RFPs, contract negotiations, and vendor relationship management for food, supplies, equipment, and services.
  • Oversee production management systems, par levels, and ordering processes to reduce waste and prevent stockouts.
  • Ensure procurement data accuracy, invoice reconciliation, and integration with financial systems.
  • Manage commodity risk, product quality, and technology tools that support procurement and inventory workflows.
• Sustainability, Compliance, & Food Safety
  • Ensure compliance with university policies, local ordinances, and federal regulations.
  • Lead sustainability initiatives, including local sourcing, environmentally preferred purchasing, and waste-reduction strategies.
  • Maintain documentation for food safety, allergen management, and traceability requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, supply chain management, hospitality, or related field.
• 7-10 years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, procurement, supply chain, or foodservice operations.
• Leadership experience supervising professional staff.
• Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling for multi-unit operations.
• Strong procurement and contract negotiation skills.
• Experience with foodservice inventory and procurement systems (e.g., FoodPro or CBORD).
• Proficiency with enterprise financial systems, POS integrations, and advanced Excel.
• Knowledge of internal controls, audit requirements, and university financial policies.
• Understanding of food safety, traceability, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to communicate financial insights clearly to non-financial stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, finance, supply chain, or related field.
• Professional certifications such as CPA, CMA, CSCP, SPSM, or CPPB.
• Experience in higher education or large self-operated dining programs.
• Familiarity with menu engineering and recipe costing.
• Experience integrating POS, inventory, and financial systems.
• Experience with RFP development, sustainability-focused procurement, and long-range financial planning.
• Knowledge of commodity markets and supply-chain risk management.
• Strong project management and experience with change management in complex or unionized environments.

Pay

Minimum $118,800.00, Midpoint $148,500.00, Maximum $178,200.00. Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.