Schwab Executive Dining Event Operations Manager

About Residential & Dining Enterprises:

Founded in 1891, Stanford University is among the top academic institutions in the country, excelling in a wide range of fields from the humanities to information technology to the health sciences and medicine. The university is located near Palo Alto, 35 miles south of San Francisco, on an 8,800-acre campus.

Residential & Dining Enterprises, the largest auxiliary organization at Stanford University, supports the academic mission of the University by providing the highest quality services to students and other members of the university community. The Department has an annual operating budget of over $206 million, oversees a 5 million sq. ft. physical plant across the campus, and provides housing for over 12,000 students, serves over 18,000 daily meals at 30 dining and retail locations and over 500,000 meals at Athletic Concessions events, and hosts 20,000 conference guests annually. Additionally, R&DE comprises 660 FTE staff in the following divisions: the Office of the Senior Associate Vice Provost, Student Housing, Stanford Dining, Stanford Hospitality & Auxiliaries, Stanford Conferences, and a team of R&DE strategic business partners: Finance & Administration, Human Resources, and  Information Technology.

“Students (Customers) First” is the mantra of R&DE and our strategic goals reflect our commitment to delivering quality and excellence to our constituents every day.  In R&DE, “Excellence is defined by aligning our strategic goals and performance with our vision.”

About Stanford Dining:

R&DE Stanford Dining, a division of Residential & Dining Enterprises, serves over 12,000 meals per day. Its operations include11 undergraduate dining halls, two late-night dining operations, Schwab Executive Dining , an athletic training table program, the Teaching Kitchen @ Stanford , Community BeWell Gardens, and summer conference dining. As the dining department of the world’s premier research and teaching institution, R&DE Stanford Dining promotes food as a multidisciplinary educational experience and engages students in food issues such as those related to health, the environment, social equity and the global economy. R&DE Stanford Dining has been recognized for its culinary excellence by awards such as the prestigious industry Ivy Award by Restaurants and Institutions for its environmental leadership role, by numerous awards such as the Acterra Award for Sustainability, and most recently was named Most Vegan-Friendly College by peta2 for its vegan and vegetarian offerings, and certified as a Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) restaurant by the United States Healthful Food Council for its use of nutrition and sustainability best practices. For more information, please visit www.dining.stanford.edu .

Stanford and R&DE are committed to creating and sustaining a diverse environment. R&DE’s dedication to promoting diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion is reflected in our work of providing service excellence to our students.  Diversity is more than a commitment—it is foundational to what we do. We are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other characteristics that make us different. 

JOB PURPOSE:

Lead and manage event teams charged with producing high-quality events. Serve as project leader on complex, large-scale events, including responsibility for financial management. Provide training and guidance to colleagues.

CORE DUTIES*:

• Serve as project manager of multiple activities, scope out project tasks/team assignments and guide team to create work plans and schedules, monitor progress, and meet milestones.
• Oversee the management of event teams and/or production consultants to produce quality, multi-faceted events and productions.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external university partners.
• Act as department representative at cross-departmental project meetings.
• Operate as account manager on deliverables, program metrics, and status reports.
• Work cross-departmentally to prepare and manage complex program budgets.
• Recommend and schedule events into appropriate off-campus and on-campus venues.
• Oversee registration strategy and logistics.
• May hire and oversee support staff, students and contingent event staff.
• Train and supervise junior event planners in proper execution and implementation of events.
• Oversee scheduling strategy and logistics. Resolve scheduling conflicts and optimize venue reservations.
• Coordinate menu, logistics and budgets with the Associate Director of Schwab Executive Dining.
• Schedule and manage programs and events into Schwab Executive Dining venues and recommend alternative R&DE venues.
• Prepare and manage complex event budgets and forecast planning. Work with event planners to manage and/or assist with their program budgets.
• Establish and maintain relationships with internal and external GSB and university partners. Act as department representative at cross-departmental project meetings

* - Other duties may also be assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Superior project and event management skills.
• Ability to manage a diverse team of staff and contingent labor, holding them to deadlines and the highest quality output.
• Demonstrated experience with financial management of complex event budgets requiring excellent analytical skills.
• Extreme attention to detail and deadlines; ability to prioritize and manage complex workflows.
• Excellent communication, time management, and customer service skills. Must be well organized and detailed oriented.
• Ability to accomplish goals working through formal and informal channels, with diplomacy and tactfulness.
• Demonstrated high level of confidence in making strategic decisions, good judgment, and innovative and creative problem solving skills.

Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of basic A/V equipment for operational events

Certifications and Licenses:

• Valid Non-Commercial Class California Driver’s License.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS*:

• Frequently stand/walk, sit, perform desk-based computer tasks, and use a telephone.
• Occasionally kneel/crawl, twist/bend/stoop/squat, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, and grasp forcefully, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh 21-40 pounds.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a California Non-commercial Class license and drive day or night.

* - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• May require some travel and working evenings and weekends.

WORK STANDARDS:

• When conducting university business, must comply with the California Vehicle Code and Stanford University driving requirements.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu .

Stanford is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.