Food Service General Manager – Campus Dining Operations

Overview

We are hiring an experienced General Manager – Food Service Operations to lead a high-volume, multi-outlet campus dining program at the University of Tennessee at Martin. This senior leadership role has full operational and financial accountability for residential dining, retail food operations, and catering services.

The General Manager serves as the senior on-site leader and primary client partner, responsible for driving service excellence, financial performance, compliance, and team development within a contract-managed environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all campus food service operations, including residential dining, retail, and catering
• Serve as primary client liaison and senior-most on-site leader for the account
• Own full P&L responsibility, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
• Manage labor planning, payroll, and cash control systems
• Lead and develop a team of managers and frontline staff across multiple outlets
• Ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, and workplace safety standards
• Drive customer satisfaction, service quality, and client relationship success
• Identify and implement operational improvements to increase efficiency and profitability
• Use financial and operational data to support strategic decisions and growth

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of food service management experience in high-volume environments
• Prior experience as a General Manager or Operations Manager with full contract/account accountability
• Experience managing multi-outlet operations (residential dining, retail, catering)
• Proven P&L ownership for accounts $3M+ annual revenue
• 5+ years of leadership experience with direct supervision of managers
• Strong knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance
• Experience in campus/university dining preferred

Preferred Experience

• Campus or higher-education dining operations experience strongly preferred
• Background in large-scale institutional food service (healthcare, military, corrections, corporate dining, or multi-unit hospitality operations)
• Experience managing complex client relationships in a contract food service environment
• Demonstrated success in improving financial performance and operational efficiency

Core Skills & Expertise

• Food Service General Management
• Campus Dining Operations
• Multi-Outlet Operations (Residential Dining, Retail, Catering)
• P&L Management ($3M+ Accounts)
• Contract Food Service Leadership
• Budgeting, Forecasting & Cost Control
• Team Leadership & Staff Development
• Food Safety & Compliance

Location Insight

Candidates within commuting distance of Martin, TN (including Union City, South Fulton, Fulton KY, Paris, Dyersburg, and Jackson, TN) are strongly encouraged. Relocation may be considered for highly qualified candidates with relevant large-scale experience.