Executive Director of Dining and Hospitality Services- Strategic Initiatives
West Virginia University

Morgantown, West Virginia

Posted in Education and Training


This job has expired.

Job Info


Description

West Viriginia University Strategic Initiatives is currently accepting applications for an Executive Director of Dining and Hospitality Services. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, the Executive Director of Dining and Hospitality Services provides innovative, strategic, and comprehensive leadership for extensive dining and hospitality programs that are expected to deliver a consistent high-quality experience.

Dining and Hospitality Services include a dining program comprised of resident dining, retail, catering on the Morgantown, Beckley and Keyser campuses, and the Erickson Alumni Center, a 48,000 square foot multi-purpose events facility.

The Executive Director is responsible for leading the development, implementation, and management of the University and Alumni Association’s dining and hospitality goals.  The Executive Director is responsible for administration, operational, and direct management of both the dining program and Erickson Alumni Center.  Key responsibilities including strategic planning, quality assurance, resource management, customer service, staff oversight, and financial budget development and oversight.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

  • 37.5-hour work week 
  • 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
  • 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
  • 18 sick days per year
    (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
  • WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits (this position is a benefits-eligible non-classified staff position)
  • 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
  • Wellness programs
What you'll do:

Dining Duties & Responsibilities:
  • Establish and maintain high standards of quality through well-developed relationships with the University’s food service partner, Sodexo.
  • Maintain open communication with students, faculty, and staff to ensure customer satisfaction.
  • Develop and foster robust, collaborative relationships with campus and community partners. This could include, but not be limited to: The President’s Office and Home, Student Life, Enrollment Management, University Relations, Mountainlair Administration. Alumni Association, and other WVU Leadership. 
  • In collaboration with procurement and payment services, assure dining contract governance, analyze and interpret financial data, to include forecasting, and benchmarking.
  • Lead efforts to assure healthy dining options and accommodate students and guests with food sensitivities, insecurities, and allergies; and maintain a strong focus on sustainability and local food procurement.
  • Assure appropriate planning and execution of major student life events with catering, such as welcome week, finals week and other types of events; promote efficiency and effectiveness in institutional practices and harmonize practices between the food service partner and student life.
  • Collaborate with the Student Government Association and other student leaders to obtain feedback in various aspects of the dining program.
  • Evaluate and authorize new equipment purchases.
  • Direct supervision of Assistant Directors and Registered Dietician of Dining Services.
  • Oversight and coordination of dining facility remodeling and renovation.
  • Maintain strong, positive relationships with WVU regional campuses to assess quality of services offered.
  • Monitor trends and changes in the campus dining industry to oversee the development of innovative programs that ensure growth and progress in these areas.
Hospitality at the Erickson Alumni Center Duties & Responsibilities:
  • Provide strategic vision, definition, direction, oversight and management to the operation of the Erikson Alumni Center.
  • Haav complete profit and loss responsibility for the facility including regular analysis of performance, keeping a pulse on revenues and expenses to minimize loss potential and maximize operating capital.
  • In consultation with the AVP for Strategic Initiatives, develop short and long term performance objectives, goals and associated metrics for all Alumni Center employees.
  • Assure achievement of performance objectives and goals.
  • Serve as a staff liaison to the WVUAA BOD and participates in quarterly BOD meetings in conjunction with the AVP of SI.
  • Lead hires, train, develop, appraise, schedule and supervise the work of the facility, sales, A/V and other staff.
  • Implement a team oriented working environment where motivated individuals desire to join, learn, do their best and advance.
  • Interface daily with all types of Erickson Alumni Center clientele, which will include the WVU President, Board of Governors, Alumni Board of Directors, WVU senior administrators, elected officials, donors, alumni, students, senior leaders of large corporations and the general public.
  • Oversee an exceptional customer experience throughout the client lifecycle from acquisition, through event execution, to billing and evaluation.
  • Serve as the standard bearer ensuring that efficient customer service and event planning processes and procedures are in place.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate a continual training program for operations which includes customer service, professionalism and clarification of job responsibilities and expectations.
  • Anticipate and react to problems, providing solutions for existing and potential clients.
  • Continually evaluate current business practices implementing improvements as needed to enhance operational efficiency and the customer experience.
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive facility business plan.
  • Analyze rates, market tends, usage and sets pricing strategies to maximize sales and utilization.
  • Oversee the permanent and temporary procurement of goods and services needed to efficiently operate the facility.
  • Develop and implement space management policies and event planning systems ensuring the efficient and effective scheduling of meeting and event rooms and spaces located on facility grounds with the goal of delivering exceptional service while maximizing facility utilization.
  • Oversee development of marketing and communications campaigns designed to increase facility utilization and achieve budgeted revenue goals.
  • Be responsible for ensuring that all facility licensure, permitting, insurance and tax obligations are met.
  • Delegate to appropriate staff, responsibility to ensure that facility exceeds all local state and federal policy and inspection requirements.
  • Ensure appropriate safety, security and risk management practices for facility employees and guests including the development and maintenance of proper emergency procedures.
  • Provide oversight for all routine and non-routine building maintenance, construction and renovations, including the development of a capital budget.
  • Work a flexible schedule assuring that customer needs and daily task are met in a timely manner.
General Duties & Responsibilities:
  • Maintain exceptional customer service standards, with an emphasis on quality, presentation, and innovation.
  • Maintain compliance with safety and sanitation regulations and facilities maintenance. 
  • Consistently demonstrate an understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially in working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members. 
  • Maintain internal university policies and rules that balance best business practices, compliance, and customer needs.


Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree is required.
  • Ten (10) years of management in hospitality, event management or food and beverage services.
    • Management experience in a higher education setting and/or experience managing a conference center or hotel property.
    • Experience should include: management of budgets, customer services, procurement/contractual oversight, facility management, facility sales, food and beverage service and/or event planning.
    • Ability to encourage and implement innovative change.
  • Demonstrated customer service orientation and knowledge of hospitality industry standards and best practices.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of event center/facility operations and management
  • Demonstrated knowledge of food service operations and management
  • Demonstrated knowledge of financial and procurement management skills
  • Demonstrated ability to achieve results and drive change through effective stakeholder engagement as well as ability to serve as a change agent
  • 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.


This job has expired.

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