HERC of the Carolinas

Working/Functional Title

Associate Director of Residential Dining

Position Summary

MSU’s Associate Director of Residential Dining (AD-Res) provides leadership for a diverse team of highly skilled culinarians, hospitality professionals, frontline associates, and student employees across MSU’s campus. Through strategic and innovative planning, thoughtful implementation, and human-focused management, the AD-Res ensures operational excellence in the environments where Spartans eat and connect, and teams grow and thrive. As a member of the Residential and Hospitality Services (RHS) leadership team, the AD-Res contributes to development and implementation of Culinary Services policies and strategic plans.

Culinary Services proudly embodies the Residential and Hospitality Services (RHS) mission and values:

We empower all Spartans to succeed by creating holistic and engaging residential, culinary, recreational, and hospitality experiences that shape life outside the classroom and beyond graduation.

Belonging | We support the well-being of the community, inclusively, with care and respect.  

Partnership | We embrace teamwork and collaboration, supporting each other and the community.

Stewardship | We take pride in doing what is best for current and future Spartans as stewards of the resources entrusted to us.

Learning and Development | We stay curious by exploring opportunities to learn and innovate.

Safety | We prioritize the safety of Spartans, striving to create environments that foster security and trust. 

Culinary Services website: https://eatatstate.msu.edu/

All positions in RHS are designated as critical status. In the event of a university closure, modification, or suspension of operations due to snow or other emergency condition, persons in this position are expected to make all reasonable attempts to report to work as scheduled for the duration of the closure/suspension.

Major Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Planning - 25%

• Manages the daily operations of 7 AYCE Residential Dining Halls and 4 Grab and Go/Grub Hub Mobile Ordering Retail Units across the MSU Campus.  Approximately 42,000 meals are served daily.
• Provides senior leadership in resolving complex problems and enhancing food service performance and guest service satisfaction.
• Assists in leading Culinary Services in strategic planning efforts, including the annual development of goals and objectives which maximize partnerships, resources, and synergistic relationships throughout the department.
• Partners with the Director of Culinary Services to lead a vision for a student/guest/community centered model of quality service for all departments.
• Oversees and/or participates on major projects, assists in long range planning, and provides other administrative support to the division as needed.
• Stays informed on emerging food and beverage trends to develop and implement innovative, relevant, and customer-focused offerings across campus.

Develop Winning Teams - 20%

• Assists in the planning to sustain a positive organizational climate and culture in Culinary Services by creating positive relationships, reviewing climate survey data and trends, and reviewing policies and practices that would inadvertently impact cross-cultural groups.
• Assists in visionary leadership and oversight for community belonging programs and initiatives offered to Culinary Services’ students, staff and guests regarding diversity, inclusion, restorative and social justice matters.
• Foster an environment focused on continuous learning, professional growth, and operational excellence to meet and exceed production and service expectations. Collaborates with team members to develop professional development plans.
• Coordinates and facilitates education, training, and outreach programs within Culinary Services for students and staff to promote interaction among cross-cultural groups and respond appropriately to diverse situations.
• Plans and develops training programs and criteria for Culinary Services food service staff.
• Assesses staffing needs regarding the day-to-day operation of the specific unit of responsibility.

Drive Operational Excellence and Outstanding Experiences - 25%

• Develops, recommends, interprets and implements food service policies, procedures, standards and methods and implements short and long-range unit objectives.
• Oversees the activities of the Culinary operations staff and Culinary Kitchen operations in order to evaluate food products, recipes and food service equipment.
• Manages response to high level student issues and parent interactions.
• Maintains up-to-date procedures and policies through the creation of staff manuals. Ensures staff are trained on up-to date policies and procedures.
• Plans, reviews and approves menus/recipes and coordinates planning of special events and promotions in Residence Hall Food Services and related operations.
• Provides leadership in planning, training and coordinating the use of technology including software, social media, networks, etc. to deliver timely services to resident students, guests, and staff.

Financial & Resource Management - 15%

• Provide financial stewardship for Residential Dining operations through responsible forecasting, management of budgets, labor resources, purchasing practices, inventory controls, and operational processes.
• Ensure financial decisions support organizational goals, operational sustainability, customer service standards, and long-term resource management while maintaining compliance.

Partnership and Collaboration - 15%

• Serves on and chairs various committees, programs and workgroups in RHS and Culinary Services to advance impact, improve offerings, and strengthen team by attracting, promoting, and retaining a diverse workforce.
• Partners with numerous individuals and departments to support campus operations including admission events, tours, sports camps, and conferences during academic year and summer terms.
• Supports Academic and Registered Student Organization (RSOs) Programming by providing diverse dining and service options as needed.

• Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management.
• Five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in complex, multi-unit food service management, including successful financial control, production, handling, storage, and merchandising food service standards.
• Demonstrated expertise of State and Federal food and health regulations; food service information systems; menu and recipe development and food service training
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.

Additional Qualifications

• Will require a valid vehicle operator’s license depending on operational needs.
• This position requires, or will require prior to the completion of the probationary period, the ability to use basic personal computer applications, including email and internet-based systems.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in higher education food service, specifically high-volume All You Care to Eat (AYCE) locations.
• Membership or participation in professional organizations such as NACUFS, ACF, MHODSA.
• Demonstrated skills and professional development from the last five years related to cultural competency and inclusive excellence.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Resume

Cover Letter

3 Professional References, to include at least one current or previous supervisor

Work Hours

Primarily Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm with variable needs for evenings and weekends, or as business needs dictate.

Website

https://careers.msu.edu/

Bidding eligibility ends June 16, 2026 at 11:55 P.M.

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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