Food Service Operations Manager (Hopkins Dining)

Baltimore, MD, USA|Onsite

Job Overview

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

Salary

Range $48,000.00 - $84,100.00

Work Schedule

Flexible

On-call

Weekend Shifts

Night Shifts

Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Disability insurance

Employee assistance program

Tuition Assistance

Job Description

Hopkins Dining, situated on the Homewood Campus, is a vital part of the university's commitment to providing exceptional dining experiences to students and campus community members. As a dedicated food service employer, Hopkins Dining manages a variety of dining venues aimed at delivering quality meals, fostering student satisfaction, and supporting campus life. The organization is known for its innovative culinary programs and commitment to supporting students' nutritional needs in a welcoming environment. It promotes collaboration among its staff and meaningful engagement with university initiatives, ensuring its operations are closely aligned with the university's mission and values.

The Food Service Operations Manager role at Hopkins Dining is a dynamic and pivotal position responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of food service locations on the Homewood Campus. Reporting directly to location managers, this role plays a crucial leadership part in ensuring seamless operations, quality execution, and outstanding service that enhance the overall student experience. The manager will work collaboratively with the Director of Residential Dining Operations and Assistant Director of Retail Operations to ensure consistency across venues and maintain a unified standard throughout the dining services.

Focused on student satisfaction and engagement, this leadership position requires keen operational oversight of up to 80 team members, including team leaders and bargaining unit employees. The Food Service Operations Manager will guide team development, promote effective scheduling practices, and support workflow management while fostering positive relationships among students, staff, and campus constituencies. This role is essential in managing service issues proactively, maintaining quality standards, and ensuring that all dining venues exemplify the university’s dedication to excellence in food service.

Additionally, the manager collaborates closely with culinary teams and marketing departments to innovate menu offerings and execute promotional initiatives that resonate with campus demographics. Managing physical plant maintenance and liaising with facility departments are also key responsibilities, ensuring that dining locations are safe, functional, and welcoming. Compliance with safety, sanitation, and security protocols is mandatory, with the manager overseeing inventory control and adherence to cost controls to support operational efficiency.

Beyond daily management tasks, the Food Service Operations Manager also acts as a motivational leader, using engagement strategies to recognize and foster outstanding performance within their teams. The role includes interviewing, hiring, training, and mentoring staff to develop skills and leadership qualities aligned with the highest dining standards. Flexibility, initiative, and adaptability are vital traits, as the position requires occasional on-call availability and flexible working hours, including nights and weekends, to support ongoing operations and special events.

This position is classified as full-time, exempt, and offers a competitive salary range of $48,000 to $84,100 annually, commensurate with experience. It provides an excellent opportunity for an experienced food service professional with a passion for leadership, student engagement, and operational excellence to contribute meaningfully to one of the nation's leading university dining programs. With a focus on quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement, this role is integral to maintaining the reputation of Hopkins Dining as a premier food service provider on the Homewood Campus.

Job Requirements

associate's degree or culinary degree equivalent
minimum 3 years of food service management experience with at least 1 year in a supervisory role
SERV Safe and Allertrain certification is required and must be obtained within three months of employment if not currently held
additional education may substitute for required experience
additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula

Job Qualifications

Associate's degree or culinary degree equivalent
minimum 3 years of food service management experience with at least 1 year in a supervisory role
SERV Safe and Allertrain certification required and must be obtained within three months of employment if not currently held
ability to taste and evaluate food and beverage products
proven ability to lead and develop a diverse team
ability to maintain organization in a changing environment
exhibits initiative, responsibility, flexibility, and leadership
able to communicate effectively with management team, students, and team members
additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent
bachelor's degree preferred

Job Duties

Leads all daily operations at the location and provides direction for all team leaders at the location
collaborates with the culinary team on culinary execution at the location
assists in management of team of 80 employees including team leaders and bargaining unit members
supports scheduling and direction of employee workflow including team leaders and bargaining unit members
builds and maintains strong relationships with students, campus constituents, and dining team members
responds and assists in any service issues
ensures team members have the tools necessary to complete their jobs
ensures quality standards are maintained at all times
supports and communicates university initiatives
works with the marketing team to create and execute marketing initiatives
assists employee labor relations with managing bargaining unit hourly staff aligned with the collective bargaining agreement
ensures the location physical plant and equipment is maintained and in good working condition
works closely with the department of facilities and real estate to ensure timely response to facility related work orders
ensures authenticity in menus including the digital signage
sets high expectations for customer service, product knowledge, and education among all staff
works with Hopkins dining support team to ensure all areas are represented and there is intentional collaboration between support team, location management, and bargaining unit team members
ensures cost controls are in place and adhered to
oversees completion of required location reports
ensures that all security, safety, and sanitation standards are achieved
employs good safety and sanitation practices
oversees control of food, equipment, and smallwares inventories
uses engagement strategies to recognize, motivate, and celebrate individuals and teams delivering outstanding performance
promotes a cooperative work climate maximizing productivity and morale
interviews, hires, trains, and develops team members according to dining standards
displays a positive attitude towards team members
mentors department management to develop their skills and leadership abilities