Food Service/Catering Director

We have a far-reaching presence across the entire continent North America with hundreds of full-time and part-time opportunities at any given time. We aim to provide our people with more than just a job – we offer fulfilling opportunities in a culture that promotes stability, diversity and inclusion, camaraderie, employee recognition, work-life balance, and doing what you love. For over 75 years, the companies that began independently, and now form Dexterra Group, have been dedicated to serving North American clients to create and manage built environments that play a vital role in our economy and our local communities. Under the general supervision of the General Manager, the Director Food Services, Residence Dining is responsible for overseeing client relations and account management for their assigned units. The Director Food Services will ensure operational success by monitoring financial performance, customer and employee satisfaction, and client relations while driving continued growth for all assigned cafes and franchises.

Work with the Executive Chef and on-site Chef team to plan menus and promotions for the Residence Dining Cafe, incorporating both the company’s promotional themes and the Clients contractual requirements. while also encouraging creative ideas from staff that fall within company and client guidelines and restrictions

Put processes in place and monitor staff performance to ensure all required health and safety regulations and procedures are being followed, including relevant provincial and federal legislation

Ensure all staff participate and pass requisite training to ensure adequate knowledge of proper techniques for food preparation and handling

Monitor training being delivered to staff to ensure applicable knowledge is being transferred and used appropriately

Ensure staff are using the techniques conveyed during training and are properly using all the tools, supplies, and equipment provided (i.e. knives, ovens, cleaning materials)

Provide or ensure employees have purchased proper personal protective equipment (i.e. non-slip shoes, cut-resistant gloves) and that they are being used correctly

Put signage into place that communicates to staff the health and safety regulations and proper kitchen conduct, including signage as required by relevant legislation

Make sure the unit and staff are working within FoodSafe and/or ServeSafe standards as well as all applicable legislation and company policies

Address the concerns of employees and work with the on-site Chefs/Managers/Supervisors to create a safe, healthy, and productive working environment

Stay informed on any changes to operations, whether initiated internally or from external sources (i.e. changes to legislation) and update all training and policies as required while communicating any changes to staff members

Work alongside the Executive Chef and Retail/Catering Director Teams to control costs of the location by taking measures such as:

Perform physical inventories, adequately maintaining the level of stock at the unit

Comply with maintenance of food rotation in storage in order to minimize spoilage and waste

Control portioning of food item standards to ensure recipe yield meets quantity and budget expectations

Suggest dishes that take advantage of seasonal availability and excess inventory

Adheare to all Client and Dexterra, Signature Dining Contractual service agreement terms

Relay with suppliers in regards to maintaining inventory which can include resolving discrepancies with suppliers and escalating any and all issues unable to be resolved to the Director of Operations or appropriate support department

Work with the General Manager, Director of Operations and the Controller to review unit budgets and expenses and identify ways to drive sales while reducing operating costs

Train and develop staff in proper procedures and best practices while also providing coaching to help staff members reach the next stage in their career development; determine all training and orientation requirements for each staff and coordinate with appropriate staff to ensure successful completion of training and skill development

Work with the management team at each assigned unit to develop a marketing and business plan on an annual or semi-annual basis, detailing the locations previous accomplishments while setting goals and action plans for the upcoming quarters

Ensures the integrity of the cash flow process, making certain staff are following all security procedures closely while performing periodic checks to ensure compliance (train all staff in Cash Handling procedures)

Attend all regularly scheduled General/District Manager meetings ready to discuss your current location and overall organization success strategies

Where necessary, step in to alleviate guest concerns and resolve issues that arise from service

Act as a representative in the field for the procurement group, taking part in quarterly meetings to discuss delivery and quality of the product.

Be familiar with the GFS order guide, as well as any other regional or item specific suppliers, to represent the interests of the team within the context of national procurement expectations

Listens to customers (internal and external) and responds professionally to all questions and concerns, directing concerns to further levels of management as needed

Lead and champion any construction or unit opening, becoming a point of contact for employees, clients, and outside contractors

University Degree or College Diploma in hospitality management or a related field

Seven years of experience in the food service industry leading high volume culinary teams

Experience with Contract Management food services is an asset.

Previous business administration experience with knowledge of employee management

Red Seal Chef status would be considered an asset

Superior communication skills in both verbal and written English.

Able to effectively handle the concerns of employees, customers, and clients with tact while adhering to confidentiality policies

Able to lead projects, forecast business needs, and identify and target growth opportunities

Able to effectively use a computer and all related software, including POS equipment

Director Reports is seasonal; Dexterra Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We are pleased to consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veterans’ status, Indigenous status, or any other legally protected factors. Disability-related accommodations during the hiring selection process are available upon request.

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