Assistant Manager- Catering

Princeton University invites applications for the position of Assistant Manager, Catering Department of Campus Dining. Chartered in 1746, Princeton currently has enrolled approximately 7,900 students and employs approximately 6,100 benefits eligible employees. As a research university, Princeton seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding. At the same time, Princeton is distinctive among research universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching. Interdisciplinary work is vital to Princeton and is reflected in a full spectrum of academic programs.

Campus Dining is a dynamic and progressive culinary organization responsible for the food program management in residential dining halls, retail venues, and catering across campus. The residential dining program consists of six colleges, the graduate school, and a kosher facility. Catering offers the campus community a broad range of services including high profile receptions, full-service dinners, catering delivery service, and a newly developed Food Truck, which currently offers two separate menus. The retail dining program consists of seven cafes, a food gallery located in the Frist Campus Center, a convenience store, Prospect House—the University’s faculty and staff club, Palmer House—a nine-bedroom guest house and athletic concessions.

Nutrition and sustainability are important initiatives of Campus Dining. Menus provide options for a healthy diet and promote well-balanced meals. Campus Dining also operates an Allergy Awareness Program to assist guests with special dietary needs. In addition, through Campus Dining’s Sustainability Initiative, thoughtful consideration is given to the broader context of social and environmental issues surrounding food production, distribution, and preparation.

The Campus Dining food program is culinary driven based on culinary principles of healthy and sustainable menus. The food program focuses on scientific research, innovative menu concepts, and food and ingredients. Menus are globally inspired and plant-centric which celebrate cultural diversity and discovery. Campus Dining’s Culinary Council and a team of Food and Beverage professionals develop unique memorable experiences for our students, faculty, and staff. Campus Dining’s vision for the future engages our campus community in activity-based learning.

Our guiding principles are:

• Team and People: to inspire our team of hospitality professionals.
• Service Excellence: to deliver excellence in food and beverage service and food and beverage production.
• Efficiency and Effectiveness: to continually develop innovative solutions that are fiscally responsible while being sustainable for our community, health, well-being, and the environment.

General Operations

• Maintains standards for service levels and hospitality at all times for all meal periods with special attention to signage, digital signage, set up, and preparedness at opening and closing of operations. Ability to deliver a consistent high standard service experience.
• Must possess strong and effective communication and interpersonal and have the ability to create and establish good relationships with main clients including: the Office of the President, Development, Human Resources, the Office of the Vice President, Athletics.
• Have a strong commitment to providing excellent customer service to both internal and external clients, be able to get firsthand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services.
• Interact daily with customers by initiating contact, planning, and executing service agreements.
• Ensure proper inventory, billing, payroll, and other business office procedures are effectively and efficiently implemented in compliance with university policies and procedures.
• Monitors customer satisfaction through table touching, being present on the floor during functions, focus groups, and responding to customer inquiries in a timely manner. Develops and maintains client relations.
• Works closely to support satellite café operations.

Team & Training

• Provides guidance and feedback to the associates. Supervises union and nonunion employees to ensure compliance with the collective bargaining unit agreement and adherence to university policies and procedures. Administers performance appraisals; counsels, and disciplines employees as required.
• Provides continual positive leadership to motivate and engage the team. Ensures associates ideas are heard and solutions are provided.
• Responsible for proper on-boarding, training, and performance appraisals for the production team.
• Ensures efficient and effective staffing levels. Establish baseline expectations for associates and provides guidance and feedback.
• Assists with the planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, scheduling, and delegating responsibility to the staff, ensuring the goals and objectives of the operation are met daily.
• Attends meetings/trainings as required.

Food & Workplace Safety

• Maintains high level of food safety and sanitation standards. Provides training (to include safe and proper equipment handling) and supervision to all staff for these standards. Maintains quality facilities through regular inspections of all retail dining facilities.
• Ensures compliance with all state, local, and university food safety, workplace safety, and HACCP policies and procedures. Ensures a safe work environment through addressing safety concerns to eliminate safety hazards; investigates and reports incidents, enforces safety work rules and procedures and works with Environmental Health & Safety to provide training programs.

Other

• Monitors systems for controlling costs.
• Supports and takes leadership in the department’s sustainability and wellness initiatives.
• Supports Campus Dining events as needed.

• Associate Degree or equivalent experience, with emphasis on hospitality or related.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Progressive experience in a supervisory role, leading teams and/or projects.
• Knowledge and ability to learn health department’s rules and regulations, including HACCP and ServSafe.
• The ability to work independently with a high level of accuracy, manage multiple priorities, and delegate tasks.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to interact with a diverse pouplation. 
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to meet firm production deadlines.
• Must be effective at listening to, understanding, and clarifying concerns and issues raised by team members and
• Ability to develop and implement training programs for employees to promote quality. 
• Clearly projects the vision of the department and measures.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, AM, PM, overnights, weekends and/or holidays.
• Basic proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, and food ordering systems.
• Ability to follow the Essential Employee guidelines of Campus. 

Physical Requirements:

• Stand or walk up to 2 hours at one time for a total of 6-8 hours per
• Sit for no more than 2 hours during an 8-hour.
• Lift or carry up to 30 pounds frequently (34 – 66% of the workday).
• Lift or carry up to 50 pounds occasionally (less than 33% of the workday).
• Push or pull using forces up to 50 pounds occasionally (less than 33% of the workday).
• Frequently use hands for simple grasping, fine manipulation, pushing or pulling with forces up to 30 pounds (34 – 66% of the workday).
• Bend, squat, kneel, climb stairs, reach overhead, lift overhead occasionally (less than 33% of the workday).
• Lift up to 30 pounds in a range of motions from floor to overhead; lift 50 pounds in a range of motions from floor to chest height.
• Work under a range of temperature conditions (e.g., kitchens, walk-in refrigerators, and freezers, ).
• Possess physical agility, full range of motion, and ability to maintain.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Knowledge of Local, State, and Federal Nutritional.
• Experience working in a unionized environment.
• Knowledge of culinary techniques: hot, cold, ambient, aspic, garde manger, display cooking, and buffet. 
• Basic knowledge of computerized food production.
• Knowledge and experience with the use and maintenance requirements of kitchen.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS