Food Service Director

Job Description

LifeWorks is seeking a dynamic and experienced Food Service Director to lead operations at a high-volume corporate dining account in the DMV area. This is a fast-paced, client-facing role ideal for a strategic leader passionate about culinary excellence, team development, and delivering exceptional dining experiences. In this role, you'll oversee daily food service operations, ensuring quality, efficiency, and compliance, lead and inspire a diverse team of culinary and service professionals, collaborate with corporate clients to tailor dining programs to their needs. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of progressive leadership in food service or hospitality, proven success managing large teams and high-volume operations, strong financial acumen and client relationship skills.

 

LifeWorks Restaurant Group, an independently operated division of Aramark, designs custom solutions for clients looking to take amenities to the next level. Our team of forward-thinkers look at each opportunity as an experience—not a requirement—and deliver out-of-this world, truly sensory experiences, feeding your company culture. Learn more by visiting lifeworksrestaurantgroup.com.

 

Job Responsibilities

Leadership
•    Lead, mentor, engage and develop teams to maximize their contributions, including recruiting, assessing, training, coaching and managing performance 
•    Ensure food services appropriately connects to the Executional Framework 
•    Coach employees by creating a shared understanding about what needs to be achieved and how to execute
•    Reward and recognize employees
•    Ensure safety and sanitation standards in all operations

Client Relationship
•    Identify client needs and effectively communicate operational progress

Financial Performance
•    Adopt Aramark process and systems
•    Build revenue and manage budget, including cost controls regarding food, beverage and labor
•    Ensure the completion and maintenance of P&L statements
•    Achieve food and labor targets
•    Manage resources to ensure quality and cost control within budgetary guidelines

Productivity
•    Implement and maintain Aramark agenda for both labor and food initiatives
•    Create value through efficient operations, appropriate cost controls and profit management
•    Full compliance with Operational Excellence fundamentals, including food and labor
•    Direct and oversee operations related to production, distribution and food service

Compliance
•    Maintain a safe and healthy environment for clients, customers and employees
•    Comply with all applicable policies, rules and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to safety, health, wage and hour

Key Responsibilities  
•    Establish and maintain systems and procedures for the ordering, receiving, storing, preparing and serving of food related products, as well as menu planning and development
•    Develops operational component forecasts and can explain variances.  Responsible for components accounting functions.
•    Ensures that requirements for appropriate sanitation and safety levels in respective areas are met
•    Coordinates and supervises unit personnel regarding production, merchandising, quality and cost control, labor management and employee training
•    Recruits, hires, develops and retains front line team.
•    Conducts period inventory
•    Maintains records to comply with ARAMARK, government and accrediting agency standards
•    Interacts with Client Management and maintains effective client and customer relations at all levels with client organization
•    May participate in sales process and negotiation of contracts
•    Looks for opportunities to implement new products and services which support sales growth and client retention

 Additional Responsibilities
•    Manage the front of the house of the dining operation (Cafeteria/ Residential Dining Facility)
•    Develop and implement food service plans aligned with the client's mission and vision, to include sustainable practices

At Aramark, developing new skills and doing what it takes to get the job done make a positive impact for our employees and for our customers. In order to meet our commitments, job duties may change or new ones may be assigned without formal notice. 

Qualifications

•    Requires at least 4 years of experience
•    Requires at least 1-3 years of experience in a management role 
•    Requires previous experience in food service
•    Requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
•    Strong communication skills  
•    Ability to develop and maintain effective client and customer rapport for mutually beneficial b