Job Overview
Employment Type
Full-time
Compensation
Salary
Range $70,304.00 - $78,000.00
Work Schedule
Standard Hours
Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Paid Time Off
Retirement Plan
Employee Discounts
Professional development opportunities
Life insurance
Job Description
Occidental College, located in Los Angeles, California, is a highly respected liberal arts college known for its commitment to academic excellence, diversity, and community engagement. The college prides itself on creating an inclusive and supportive environment for both students and staff, offering a variety of campus dining options designed to meet diverse tastes and dietary needs. Among these, Tiger Cooler stands out as a vibrant dining venue that combines quality culinary offerings with outstanding service, making it one of the most visible and frequented locations on campus. As part of the campus dining services, Tiger Cooler delivers a memorable dining experience through carefully crafted menus, attentive service, and a commitment to sustainability and food safety.
The Culinary and Operations Manager position at Tiger Cooler is a full-time, exempt role reporting to the Associate Director of Campus Dining. This role is critical to the success of the dining venue, as it involves comprehensive responsibility for culinary leadership, daily management, and overall operational performance. The Manager will direct back-of-house operations with a focus on maintaining high standards for food quality, presentation, and sanitation, ensuring that the venue consistently meets and exceeds customer expectations. Additionally, the position requires hands-on leadership to uphold operational continuity and service standards, making it essential for the Manager to be present on the floor regularly to coach staff, enforce policies, and oversee daily activities.
This role also emphasizes staff development and accountability, with the Manager responsible for hiring, onboarding, training, evaluating performance, and managing discipline and termination processes. The ability to cultivate a motivated, skilled, and professional team is essential. Furthermore, the Manager is charged with managing labor and food costs through effective scheduling, inventory control, and cost monitoring, supporting the college’s financial goals while maintaining quality and efficiency.
Food safety and regulatory compliance are paramount, and the Manager must ensure all team members adhere strictly to established safety practices and sanitation standards. This fosters a safe working environment and protects the health of the campus community. Strong communication, organizational skills, and the ability to handle multiple priorities are necessary to succeed in this fast-paced environment. The expected salary range for this position is between $70,304 and $78,000 annually, reflective of skills, experience, and internal equity policies. Occidental College also offers a generous benefits package, further supporting employee well-being and professional growth. This career opportunity is ideal for a culinary professional seeking to lead a high-volume retail dining operation within a respected academic setting, contributing to the campus community through exceptional food service and operational excellence.
The Culinary and Operations Manager position at Tiger Cooler is a full-time, exempt role reporting to the Associate Director of Campus Dining. This role is critical to the success of the dining venue, as it involves comprehensive responsibility for culinary leadership, daily management, and overall operational performance. The Manager will direct back-of-house operations with a focus on maintaining high standards for food quality, presentation, and sanitation, ensuring that the venue consistently meets and exceeds customer expectations. Additionally, the position requires hands-on leadership to uphold operational continuity and service standards, making it essential for the Manager to be present on the floor regularly to coach staff, enforce policies, and oversee daily activities.
This role also emphasizes staff development and accountability, with the Manager responsible for hiring, onboarding, training, evaluating performance, and managing discipline and termination processes. The ability to cultivate a motivated, skilled, and professional team is essential. Furthermore, the Manager is charged with managing labor and food costs through effective scheduling, inventory control, and cost monitoring, supporting the college’s financial goals while maintaining quality and efficiency.
Food safety and regulatory compliance are paramount, and the Manager must ensure all team members adhere strictly to established safety practices and sanitation standards. This fosters a safe working environment and protects the health of the campus community. Strong communication, organizational skills, and the ability to handle multiple priorities are necessary to succeed in this fast-paced environment. The expected salary range for this position is between $70,304 and $78,000 annually, reflective of skills, experience, and internal equity policies. Occidental College also offers a generous benefits package, further supporting employee well-being and professional growth. This career opportunity is ideal for a culinary professional seeking to lead a high-volume retail dining operation within a respected academic setting, contributing to the campus community through exceptional food service and operational excellence.
Job Requirements
- Degree in culinary arts or a related field preferred
- Experience leading back-of-house operations, including menu execution, ordering, inventory, food cost control, and labor management preferred
- Experience in college or university dining, contract food service, or other large-scale retail dining environments
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred
Job Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent
- ServSafe Manager certification
- Three years of experience in food service, culinary operations, or retail dining operations, including supervising staff and supporting day-to-day operations
- Demonstrated experience with food preparation, production oversight, staff training, scheduling, and maintaining food safety and sanitation standards
- Knowledge of culinary and food service operations in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to supervise, train, and support staff while maintaining accountability and consistent performance
- Ability to direct day-to-day operations, including food production, scheduling, ordering, inventory, and cost control
- Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and safe work practices
- Strong communication, organization, and customer service skills
- Ability to lead through active oversight, staff development, and operational accountability
- Knowledge of contemporary leadership and management methods to ensure employee success and achievement
- Ability to effectively design, define, describe and document job functions, responsibilities, tasks, and required qualifications associated with supervised positions
- Skilled at communicating feedback verbally, in writing and electronically
- Skilled in developing and determining corrective employment, performance, and behavioral strategies
- Demonstrated ability to design and execute performance improvement plans, conduct disciplinary action and/or determine the appropriateness of employment continuation
Job Duties
- Directs the overall culinary and operational performance of Tiger Cooler
- Establishes, implements and monitors standards for food quality, menu execution, presentation, production flow, sanitation, and service readiness
- Oversees menu execution and refinement, product consistency to ensure alignment with operational and departmental expectations
- Directly supervises back-of-house staff and supervisory personnel
- Provides clear direction, assigns and prioritizes work and ensures accountability for performance and operational outcomes
- Leads performance management, including hiring, onboarding, training, performance evaluation, discipline, and termination decisions
- Develops staffing plans and manages back-of-house schedules based on business levels, service needs, labor targets, and operational priorities
- Directs deployment of labor and adjust staffing assignments to ensure operational efficiency and service continuity
- Monitors workflow and operational execution throughout the day to ensure effective performance across shifts and meal periods
- Oversees food ordering, inventory practices, product utilization, and related cost-control systems for Tiger Cooler
- Monitors food and labor performance metrics and identifies opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce waste
- Ensures purchasing and inventory practices align with menu needs, budget expectations and operational goals
- Establishes and reinforces standards for food safety, sanitation, workplace safety, organization, and regulatory compliance
- Ensures staff are trained, monitored, and held accountable for compliance with established procedures and operational expectations
- Maintains an active leadership presence in the venue to oversee operations, guide staff, and ensure service continuity
- Provides operational decision-making during periods of high volume, staffing challenges, or other day-to-day needs
- Uses floor presence to assess execution, reinforce standards, and ensure the operation is functioning effectively
Job Criteria
Experience
Mid Level (3-7 years)
Job Location
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