About This Role
Directing the overall operational excellence, financial stewardship, and long-term resilience of Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS) is the core of this senior strategic leadership role. The Director of Operations provides centralized leadership for business processes, operational systems, technology governance, cross-functional labor relations support, sustainability initiatives, and campus partnerships. This position modernizes processes, reduces operational and compliance risk, strengthens data-driven decision-making, and ensures seamless execution across all HUDS units. The role is critical for succession planning, organizational continuity, and advancing HUDS’ mission to provide an exceptional, sustainable dining experience.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the central operational leader for HUDS, providing strategic direction, decision support, and cross-unit coordination
- Develop and implement operational strategies that align with Harvard’s long-term goals for dining, student experience, facilities, and sustainability
- Translate strategic priorities into executable plans, performance metrics, and clear operational accountability
- Build structures, processes, and documentation that reduce reliance on individual expertise and support long-term organizational stability
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, and accountability through regular review of performance data, feedback loops, and improvement initiatives in partnership with senior leaders
- Lead governance, optimization, and integration of key operational and business applications (e.g., UKG/Kronos, POS/Transact, scheduling and shift-bidding platforms, menu/production and other operational systems)
- Partner with Harvard University Information Technology (HUIT), Campus Services (HR, Finance, Facilities), and vendors to implement system upgrades, automate workflows, and strengthen reliability and data integrity
- Design, document, and continuously improve core HUDS business processes (e.g., scheduling, payroll/timekeeping, inventory, procurement workflows, billing, project intake)
- Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) and process maps to ensure consistency, compliance, and clarity of roles and handoffs
- Establish and champion project management discipline across HUDS, including project intake, scoping, prioritization, timelines, communications, and stakeholder engagement
- Oversee cross-functional projects such as facilities renewal, system transitions, process redesign, and large-scale operational changes
- Drive “velocity with accuracy” by ensuring that projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to defined quality standards, with robust testing and change management
- Track project outcomes against expected benefits, report progress to leadership, and incorporate lessons learned into future initiatives
- Provide coaching and development to managers and staff in areas such as process thinking, project management, and data literacy in partnership with senior leaders
- Support senior leadership and HR in the consistent application of union contracts, labor policies, staffing models, and scheduling practices
- Support senior leaders in establishing clear accountability measures for inconsistent management practices related to contract compliance
- Provide data, analytics, and tools to inform staffing forecasts, scheduling models, and workload allocation
- Promote fair, transparent, and compliant workforce practices that support engagement, inclusion, and operational reliability
- Partner with Finance and HUDS leadership on annual budgeting, forecasting, and multi-year financial planning
- Develop and oversee financial and operational dashboards (e.g., labor, food cost, productivity, utilization) that enable data-driven decision-making at all levels
- Identify and drive initiatives that optimize cost, maximize value, and strengthen revenue and margin performance while preserving quality and service
- Conduct financial and operational analyses to evaluate new initiatives, capital investments, and process changes
- Partner with HUDS leadership, Harvard’s Office for Sustainability, Facilities, and Procurement to integrate sustainability goals into operational and financial decision-making
- Use data and process design to reduce waste, optimize sourcing, and improve energy, water, and materials efficiency across dining operations
- Support the development, tracking, and reporting of sustainability metrics and initiatives, ensuring alignment with university-wide commitments
- Coordinate closely with key campus partners including Campus Services, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Procurement, House Renewal, HR, HUIT, and Facilities Operations
- Serve as the central hub for complex problem-solving that spans facilities, technology, procurement, and dining operations
- Clarify roles, ownership, and service expectations between HUDS and campus partners to reduce friction and accelerate issue resolution
- Represent HUDS on committees and working groups related to operations, technology, facilities planning, sustainability, and business process improvement
- Lead development, maintenance, and testing of HUDS emergency preparedness and business continuity plans in coordination with Campus Services, Environmental Health & Safety, and University emergency management
- Establish clear roles, communication protocols, and decision-making frameworks for responding to incidents affecting dining operations (e.g., severe weather, public health emergencies, infrastructure failures, supply chain disruptions)
- Partner with senior leaders to ensure managers are trained on emergency procedures, contingency plans, and crisis communication expectations
- Conduct after-action reviews following incidents, identify lessons learned, and integrate improvements into plans, SOPs, and training
- Maintain readiness of critical systems, backups, and redundancies to support continuity of food service in emergencies
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Hospitality Management, or a related field
- 7–10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience in operations, project management, business systems, or related functions
- Experience managing a complex labor environment within a multi-stakeholder operational setting
- Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-unit operational environments and leading cross-functional teams
- Strong understanding of enterprise and operational technology systems (e.g., UKG/Kronos, POS/Transact, scheduling tools, production/menu systems)
- Proven ability to design, implement, and sustain structured processes, including documentation, SOPs, and governance frameworks
- Exceptional communication, analytical, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence across organizational levels and functions
- Demonstrated ability to lead change, manage ambiguity, and drive results in a fast-paced environment
Nice to have:
- Experience in higher education, hospitality/dining services, or unionized environments
- Certification or formal training in project or change management and/or process improvement (e.g., PMP, Lean, Six Sigma, Prosci)
- Familiarity with decentralized organizational structures and shared-services models
- Commitment to sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Experience with Agentic AI solutions for hospitality
Benefits
- Generous paid time off including parental leave
- Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
- Retirement plans with university contributions
- Wellbeing and mental health resources
- Support for families and caregivers
- Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
- Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks
Important Details
- Schedule: 40 hours per week
- Team: 3 direct reports who manage business systems
- Emergency Status Designation: Essential Personnel
- Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education, Criminal, CORI, References, Drug Test
- Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
About the Company
Harvard University is a vibrant community that advances world-changing missions, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.
