Job Description

The Mountain Campus Dining Manager oversees daily operations of the Mountain Campus dining center, including food production, personnel management, safety, customer service, and catering, in a remote mountain environment two hours from CSU’s Main Campus. The role supervises full-time, part-time, and student employees, ensuring quality, quantity, food safety, and operational continuity. The position also manages procurement, inventory, financial controls, and risk management. This position is part of the satellite campus leadership team, overseeing and collaborating on guest experience and operational logistics.

Full Consideration Date: This posting will remain open until filled

Description of Work Unit

The Mountain Campus (MTC) of Colorado State University, located 53 miles west of Fort Collins at 9,000 feet, is a remote educational and research site adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park. As part of Housing & Dining Services, the Mountain Campus supports CSU and the broader community through student learning, research programs, and conferences. MTC operates a single dining facility and is open seasonally from May through November. The campus employs 30–35 seasonal staff and serves more than 65,000 meals annually to approximately 6,500 students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Limited Wi‑Fi is available; however, there is no cell service, and pets are not permitted.

Essential Job Duties

• Lead all food production and service operations, ensuring adherence to recipes, HACCP compliance, meal quality, and timely service.
• Manage and supervise full-time, part-time, temporary, and student staff, including hiring, training, scheduling, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions.
• Oversee budget management, procurement, cost control, and inventory processes with electronic menu-management systems.
• Ensure compliance with safety and sanitation standards by maintaining cleaning schedules, verifying critical control points, and coordinating with relevant safety units.
• Develop and execute catered events and special event dining, including menu planning and staffing.
• Implement customer service standards, resolve guest concerns, and train staff on communication and service expectations.
• Complete administrative and operational documentation, including financial records, accident reports, and performance files.
• Serves in an on-call rotation of staff responsible for managing crises, including various emergencies, and for responding to student and guest needs 24 hours a day during the season.

Conditions of Employment

• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
  Pre-employment Physical 
  Valid Driver’s License  
  Essential Services Designation    
  Special Requirements/Other: Must pass ServSafe certification within 6 months of hire.

Supervision

• Lead Cook 
• 2 Cooks 
• 12 Temporary Hourly employees 
• Student employees. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Possess a bachelor’s degree in a related field relevant to the duties of the position, plus two or more years of progressively responsible supervision and leadership experience in food service.

OR

• High School Diploma or GED, plus 4 or more years of progressively responsible full-time experience in the foodservice/retail industry. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Work experience in a food production operation serving at least 100 customers per meal.
• Work experience in a food production operation in a remote location with limited access to external resources.
• Experience working or living in a remote setting and ability to embrace small community, mountain living.
• Demonstrated experience supervising and leading a staff of at least 10 employees.
• Experience utilizing computerized systems for inventory, ordering, and menus (e.g., CBORD, Computrition).
• Possess a current ServSafe certification or equivalent.

Application Instructions

To apply, please upload your cover letter and resume with your work experience, education, certifications, and any other relevant information that align your applicable experience with the minimum and preferred qualifications listed on the posting.

Salary Range

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.

• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.

• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.

• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.