Position Summary

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Columbia Dining, the Senior Director Operations provides operational and organizational leadership for all elements of the Dining and Culinary department across both the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses including sales, human resources, project management, and finance. The Senior Director is responsible for identifying, creating and implementing solutions to improve interdepartmental communications, customer service delivery, information processing and analysis.  The Senior Director of Operations will be responsible for leading the development, implementation, and management of the department???s key goals including leading teams of senior staff who have been charged with developing the long and/or short-range strategic plan to obtain departmental key goals.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Operational Management 

• In collaboration with the Assistant Vice President and Senior Staff, the Senior Director oversees the development of strategic plans for all services offered in Dining and Culinary Center on both the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses and Baker Field to increase sales and customer satisfaction; ensures successful execution of such plans. 
• Creates and implements service policies, programs and systems to support the strategic direction and financial goals of the department of Dining and Culinary Center
• Independently, creates, oversees and implements the long- and short-range planning for all services in Dining and Culinary Center, including capital projects, performance management and business strategy. 
• Collects and analyzes key result areas such as sales data, customer demographics, historical trends, promotion effectiveness.  Oversees and provides direction for the collection of competitive product and pricing information.  Recommends sales and pricing strategies based on the competitor???s analysis. Researches industry benchmarks and best practices for comparative analysis against Dining results.
• The Senior Director creates the strategy for Marketing and Communications for the academic year, including developing the strategy for small and large events for based on food trends, showcasing staff, and analyzing annual events year over year for continuous improvement
• Work with Marketing to assess effectiveness of social media and marketing programs.
• Responsible for providing leadership in the management and development of a self-supporting campus food service operation on both the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses.
• Supervise and support the AVP???s plan to attain the department???s operational goals while also reinforcing Columbia University???s Campus Services??? Vision and Values.
• Oversee all aspects for new unit openings including developing the strategic plan and timeline for a successful opening.  The plan must include scheduling, merchandising & station layouts for both aesthetic and sales purposes, staff training amongst other key items
• Develop, implement and ensure adherence to Dining Services??? policies and procedures.
• Lead and enforce the Unit Managers plan to attain their unit???s operational goals.  Provide direction and support in regard to product merchandising to improve presentation and increase sales. 
• Provide high-level analytic oversight for Dining???s ongoing projects and deliverables.  Ensures a departmental calendar of projects and deliverables is maintained.  The Senior Director will track progress, report on such progress to ensure implementation of the project on time and within budget.
• Strategically create execution plans for all unit marketing and special events with input from trending information, Customer, and Manager feedback.  In addition, reports and presents all analytic information for all events
• Ensure adherence to Federal, State, Local, and Columbia University sanitation and OSHA rules, regulations, standards and codes.  Monitor and hold all units accountable for monthly sanitation audit and NYC DOH inspections
• Provide direction and leadership for all operational aspects of the department including the continuous improvement of food quality, sanitation and customer service.
• Utilize a variety of tools to assess customer???s opinions.  Continually improve products and services of assigned units to meet the needs of the campus community.
• Oversee all food, supplies, and equipment purchases in collaboration with the Executive Chef.  Monitor food production systems, service, and sanitation to ensure outstanding daily food quality.  On a high-level oversee and ensures acceptable inventory levels.
• Supervise all staff to ensure customer and associate satisfaction in a healthy and safe work environment.
• Lead the team providing guidance and support to ensure all weekly deliverables are completed accurately and on time.
• Analyzes business processes for deliverables and identifies areas for improvements

Financial Management 

• Collaborate with CUFO Finance to facilitate the alignment of financial budgeting and execution to ensure achievement of budget targets and efficient management of resources.

• Direct budget planning and financial management, including annual sales and revenue targets for all Dining Services businesses.  Assumes responsibility for financial results.
• Implement the Assistant Vice President???s plans to attain the financial and operational goals while also reinforcing Columbia University???s Campus Services??? Vision and Values. 
• Review financial results with Senior team and unit staff to ensure understanding financial profits/losses.
• Work with the Senior Operational Team to identify programmatic opportunities to improve financial results while maintaining the highest quality products and services.

Human Resources Management & Leadership Development 

• The Senior Director will partner with CUFO Human Resources to develop an annual schedule for all employee training.   In collaboration with the Executive Chef, ensure the annual plan including Culinary Training that meets the ever-changing food trends and students needs and requests.
• Lead the Senior Management team with performance management in conjunction with CUFO Human Resources.   
• Assess and develop the annual training program for Managers.

• Plan and monitor the staffing need in each assigned unit. 
• Provide guidance to Unit Managers in resolving all employee related issues and grievances. 
• Act as a liaison in partnership with CUFO Human Resources staff to the bargaining unit leadership.
• Proactively identifies opportunities to foster and promote positive employee relations, which contribute to the division???s strategic goals and direction.
• Liaison with CUFO-HR and University HR for all Labor Management activity, including training and development of all Union labor, and acting as the departmental representative at grievances, and Contract negotiations. 

• Oversee the performance management process, including annual appraisals, creating professional career development opportunities, results/behaviors grids, and identifies high potential staff for succession planning for all key roles.

IT Management 

• In collaboration with CUFO IT, identifies opportunities for system upgrades or changes. Provide department-wide direction for improvement in all areas where technology can improve team efficiency.  Identify opportunities to upgrade systems and innovate for customer satisfaction  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor???s Degree is required. 

• Minimum 8 years of related work experience is required. 

• Demonstrated skills in problem assessment and resolution as well as collaborative problem solving in a complex, interdisciplinary setting required. 

• Must possess excellent communication skills with evidence of successful leadership skills and administrative/supervisory experience.

   

Preferred Qualifications

• Operations experience in a university or not-for-profit setting a plus.  
• Management experience in a higher education setting along with the ability to encourage innovative change highly desired.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.