As an executive director of fine dining, you will oversee and manage restaurant operations across all SCAD dining locations, including Gryphon, Art’s, Press, Bobbie’s Diner, and Lucas Theatre Café. You will develop and implement operational processes and procedures aligned with SCAD’s strategic goals. Among other duties, you will plan menus and manage food inventory, purchases, and utilization to enhance quality and reduce waste. Additionally, you will supervise and mentor a team of managers and culinary staff, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and collaboration. Responsibilities include the analysis of business performance indicators and store environments to identify opportunities for growth, cost control, and service improvement and the oversight of pricing strategies through the analysis of recipes, food costs, labor, and overhead.

In this role, you will oversee food preparation, presentation, and quality through regular tastings and visual inspections. You will also ensure compliance with nutrition, sanitation, and safety standards at all dining locations. Responsibilities include the coordination of catering services for events and special functions, and the innovation and development of innovative recipes and special dishes to enhance tastings. Among other duties, you will lead training programs for new hires and apprentices to maintain consistent standards and support professional development. Additionally, you will uphold SCAD’s mission, vision, and values in all aspects of leadership and service.

The ideal candidate demonstrates excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills. They also have strong financial knowledge and experience with budgeting, cost control, and pricing strategies. The candidate has a proven ability to lead diverse teams and manage complex operations.

Minimum qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, hospitality management, or a related field
• At least seven years of progressive leadership experience in multi-unit food service operations
• Approval as a SCAD-authorized driver

Preferred qualifications: 

• Experience in fine dining environments
• Familiarity with SCAD’s culture and creative community
• Culinary certification or advanced training

Certificates, licenses, and registrations:

• ServSafe certification
• Certifications demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of food safety practices following GFSI standards and compliance with all FSMA and regulatory requirements
• Valid driver’s license

Travel required:

• 10–20%

Work hours: The university work week is Sunday through Saturday. Most offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To accommodate business needs, employees may be assigned to other workdays and/or hours, including weekends and evenings. 

ADA tag: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.