Food Service Manager

About the Role

Under the general direction of the Associate Director of Residential Dining Services, UW-Milwaukee's Dining and Retail Services Department is hiring a dynamic and team-focused Food Service Manager. This position oversees food service operations for the dining facilities in Cambridge Commons, supervises full time, part time, and student staff, and facilitates adherence to Dining food quality, handling, and sanitation procedures. The Food Service Manager in Cambridge Commons is responsible for the planning, coordinating, service, and delivery of all food and all related activities for these operations and special events. This position has overall responsibility for front-of-the-house final food preparation, food distribution, operation systems and registers, and monitoring unit inventory and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Operations Management (40%): Establish operating and staff schedules for all units. Effectively oversee daily floor operations to meet the ever-changing demands and needs of the unit. Plans and directs staff implementation of operating policies and procedures to ensure adherence to safe food quality, handling, and sanitation processes and procedures. Performs duties, including payroll, budgeting, billing, and sales, register, product movement, attendance, and equipment maintenance reports.
• Staff Onboarding, Training, and Development (25%): Coach, lead and mentor staff to help them maximize their potential by creating an environment that provides motivation, participation, and opportunities for employee engagement. Provides leadership to employees, sets performance expectations, communicates specific instructions, and teaches procedures, with appropriate follow-through. Assists with oversight of kitchen cleaner staff, including scheduling and assigning tasks. Recruit, hire, develop, and discipline as needed.
• Consistent and Outstanding Customer Service (20%): Solicits and responds to information from customers; responds to online and other surveys. Informs leadership about customer service issues and follow-up actions. Ensures consistency and quality; oversees adherence to standards, policies, and procedures. Assists in the planning and implementation of marketing, advertising, and special functions.
• Administrative Duties (15%): Creates required financial and related reports. Monitors food and labor records and review financial transactions to ensure accuracy. Leads departmental walkthroughs with vendors, health departments, facilities, and other supportive reviews of programs and services.

Department Overview

Dining and Retail Services is a self-operated dining venture on campus with a $18 million operating budget. The department has three facilities that provide food services across campus, retail offerings in the Student Union including catering unit, Grind coffee locations, convenience stores, and concessions operations. The department includes a dynamic management team and about fifty resolute permanent staff. Our department includes over three hundred student employees in all areas of our operations.

Pay

$65,000 - $70,000 Annually

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent education and/or work experience
• Three (3) years' experience in a variety of foodservice operations (examples: cafeterias, catering, fast food, convenience services, food courts, concessions)
• Valid Driver's License and ability to qualify to drive state vehicles

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) years' full time management experience in foodservice operations
• Experience with institutional food sourcing, inventory control and purchasing
• Experience with menu management and Point of Sale software systems
• Experience managing food, labor, and supply budgets
• Experience with standardized recipe and menu development
• ServSafe certification or equivalent state certification
• Two (2) years of full-time food service management experience in a University/College or similar setting
• Successful completion of State of Wisconsin Restaurant Manager Certification
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a culinary related field

How to Apply

Interested applicants are required to apply online and provide BOTH cover letter and resume addressing your professional level work experience as it relates to all required and preferred qualifications. Applicants must complete all required fields and attach all required documents prior to submitting the online application. In instances where the Search and Screen Committee is unable to ascertain from the candidates' application materials whether they meet any of the qualifications, they may be evaluated as not meeting such qualifications. Finalist candidates(s) will be asked to provide three professional/supervisor references through an external reference checking tool. References will not be contacted prior to candidates being notified.

This is a continuous recruitment with an initial review date of 08/07/2026. To ensure consideration, applications must be submitted by 08/06/2026. Applications submitted after 08/06/2026 may not be reviewed.

Questions can be directed to Amy Rehfeldt (rehfelda@uwm.edu)