Residential Dining Manager

Rice University is a top-20 national university with a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas. Rice’s 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and residential college system foster close-knit, diverse communities, contributing to its high rankings for quality of life and value among private universities.

About the role

The Residential Dining Manager provides management oversight of a residential dining operation to ensure high-quality performance across all activities. This position manages, directs, plans, organizes, and supervises dining staff in collaboration with the assigned servery’s executive chef while meeting financial objectives. The manager serves as a liaison between the department and students, faculty, and staff, delivering high-quality tenant and guest services through excellent communication, planning, and oversight.

The ideal candidate is an organized, proactive problem-solver who can manage multiple tasks and priorities with frequent interruptions. A strong customer service background and the ability to work well under pressure in a dynamic, fast-paced environment are preferred. Knowledge of the residential college system is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Establish priorities and identify and resolve administrative problems under the general direction of the Hospitality Manager.
• Research and write background information for meetings; compose documents for presentations, communications, and reports.
• Oversee coordination of complex events and programs; perform substantial research, editing, and fact-checking.
• Create complex reports and spreadsheets; oversee and process a variety of financial transactions, including budget reconciliation and vendor selection.
• Coordinate office moves, routine remodeling, and renovations.
• Analyze and review materials to extract pertinent information for briefing purposes.
• Perform human resources transactional support, including coordinating or managing the visa process.
• Guide and train student workers, including scheduling, assigning workloads, setting deadlines, and reviewing work for quality and timeliness.
• Supervise dining staff (cooks, dishwashers, cashiers, temporary employees) and monitor work, behavior, and direction of custodial, maintenance, and food service staff.
• Enforce safety rules and regulations; investigate accidents and incidents, and complete accident/incident reports.
• Prepare yearly staff performance appraisals; contribute to strategic planning and provide direction toward department and university goals.
• Track vendor/service partner performance; support financial operations, including cost tracking and invoice reconciliation.
• Coordinate sustainability efforts, including waste tracking, composting, and local sourcing.
• Conduct recurring front-of-house quality-assurance reviews and periodic allergen/dietary labeling audits.
• Provide regular operational change summaries to college leadership.
• Assess and replenish front-of-house smallware and disposables inventory.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree. In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.
• Three or more years of dining administrative experience. In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to deal effectively with multiple priorities on a timely basis.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills; ability to handle multiple projects and stressful situations positively.
• Proven organizational and problem-solving skills, including sound decision-making and meeting deadlines.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with a commitment to building and maintaining a customer service-oriented team.
• Ability to conduct/lead meetings and train personnel.

Workplace Requirements

• Exclusively on-site position; all duties must be performed in-person at the assigned location.
• Primarily indoor work environment in university settings, including offices, food serveries, and residential facilities. May be exposed to temperature extremes in non-climate-controlled areas.
• Requires working at a computer for extended periods (up to eight hours per day).
• Moderate to heavy physical activity, including lifting and carrying objects up to 50 lbs occasionally, 20 lbs frequently, and 10 lbs constantly. Regular activities include standing, walking, bending, and lifting for up to eight hours per day.
• Essential on-campus position requiring on-site presence to fulfill vital functions, including reporting to campus during emergencies or crises.

Pay

$49,187 minimum, with hiring salary commensurate with experience and qualifications. Exempt (salaried) position under FLSA; not eligible for overtime.

Benefits

For details on Rice University’s benefits, visit Rice University HR | Benefits.