Hospitality Manager

Hospitality Manager

Full Time job opportunity at the University of Southern California
Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability

The Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability (WIES) at the University of Southern California (USC) seeks a highly motivated and experienced individual to serve as Hospitality Manager at their Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) on Catalina Island. This position is located on the island and reports to the Associate Director of Operations at WMSC.

This position oversees all aspects of kitchen and housekeeping operations, including a cafeteria-style Dining Hall capable of serving up to 150 people and housekeeping services for dorms, apartments, and cottages capable of housing up to 130 people at a given time. Manages and develops staff, maintaining health department standards. Develops systems to improve operational efficiency, facilitate volume growth, improve general operations, maintenance, and cleanliness. Controls costs to stay within budget.

Job Details

This is a small, close-knit team environment where the Hospitality Manager will not only lead and supervise, but also step in to directly perform hospitality duties when necessary to ensure smooth daily operations.

The successful candidate will provide leadership for and have oversight over all hospitality duties at the WMSC and ensure standards for a safe and efficient operation are maintained. The Hospitality Manager is expected to lead a team of 5-6 full-time staff and occasional temporary workers to provide excellent customer service to meet client needs, serve three meals a day, provide regular housekeeping to assigned housing units, and regularly inspect equipment and assigned buildings with a detailed eye for safety and overall aesthetic of the Center. Team members who will report to this position include two Chefs and 3-4 Hospitality Attendants who assist with dishwashing and housekeeping. With direction from the Hospitality Manager, team members are expected to contribute to the University and Institute’s mission of supporting and facilitating current and future research, education and skills training across multiple fields.

The Hospitality Manager is expected to provide a user experience of outstanding quality that includes a friendly, service-oriented approach; the ability to work in a team setting with students, staff, visitors and administrators; a work ethic that fosters timely responses to inquiries; and effective and innovative problem-solving skills.

The Hospitality Manager will work closely with WMSC facilities, laboratory, and marine operations to ensure the Center is running smoothly and efficiently and that staff are being cross-trained and developed to provide maximum support wherever they are needed. The Hospitality Manager is expected to foster close relations with the central Hospitality and Auxiliaries department at USC, other key department personnel, and outside contractors to ensure operations are running smoothly and efficiently. The Hospitality Manager is expected to be operationally ready to step into any hospitality role to maintain service standards, especially during peak seasons, staff absences, or urgent situations. The position will require effective personnel training and management and deep knowledge of kitchen and (or) housekeeping operations to be successful. This position requires a hands-on leader who can balance administrative oversight with active participation in hospitality operations.

About the Wrigley Marine Science Center

The Wrigley Marine Science Center (WMSC) is a USC campus and field station advancing the understanding of the environment and sustainability. Located in a pristine environment on Santa Catalina Island, just 22 miles from Los Angeles, WMSC provides unparalleled access to both unspoiled natural systems and areas heavily affected by human activity. WMSC is equipped to host both undergraduate and graduate courses and individual academic researchers and hosts approximately 10,000 visitors per year.

WMSC offers wet and dry labs, sized for individual researchers or groups; a lecture hall and classrooms with A/V setup; a greenhouse and blue house; and dive facilities. Getting to the island is convenient aboard the USC vessel, Miss Christi, which provides free transportation to and from WMSC, plus a full-service waterfront to support research and educational activities like kayaking, snorkeling, etc. We offer full support for research diving, including access to boating and the USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber. Our dining hall serves three meals each day. Housing options include dorm-style rooms with shared bathrooms; one-bedroom apartments with full kitchens and living/dining spaces; and 2- and 3-bedroom cottages with full kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms. The George and MaryLou Boone Center for Environmental Research is our premium housing option which offers a retreat facility for public- and private-sector leaders looking to develop solutions to environmental and sustainability problems. It consists of six semi-detached homes situated around a central courtyard with a view of Big Fisherman’s Cove.

Major Responsibilities:

• Oversees all aspects of kitchen and housekeeping operations, providing guidance and direction to service personnel. Conducts room and line checks, food reviews and recipes of the day. Maintains housekeeping records. Tracks cost schedules and expenses.
• The Hospitality Manager is expected to work alongside the team as needed, including cooking in the kitchen during peak periods or staff shortages, and performing or assisting with housekeeping duties to meet operational needs.
• Ensure excellent departmental customer service. Responds to requests from guests or management in a timely and efficient manner. Responds to and tracks customer requests, complaints, and feedback. The position also documents maintenance requests and communicates to the appropriate departments or personnel to ensure quality service standards, and tracks cost schedules and expenses.
• Plans, organizes, directs, coordinates, schedules, and delegates responsibility to the staff, ensuring the goals and objectives of the department are met on a daily basis by the staff. Maintains current kitchen and housekeeping schedules, staffing templates, staff training, ordering and production targets. Conducts inventory of food, linen, and other supplies. Demonstrates techniques, equipment or procedures to service personnel. Plans and develops menus in coordination with Chefs and Associate Director of Operations.
• Works within developed systems to improve operational efficiency and general facilities maintenance and cleanliness. Ensures adherence to all systems, procedures and policies. Creates, maintains and implements all unit Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Reviews work for quality, completion, accuracy and adherence to internal SOP. Conducts investigation, counsels and/or disciplines as needed.
• Maintains costs for linens, cleaning supplies, food, beverage and labor within established budgetary guidelines and ensures the unit generates revenue.
• Actively participates in daily operations by covering staff shifts, assisting with meal service, dishwashing, and housekeeping during busy periods, emergencies, or when staffing levels require. Routinely assists in setup and breakdown of the Dining Hall and housing areas.
• Maintains the security of keys and equipment. Maintains an understanding of and ensures unit compliance with all university policies and procedures, inventory procedures and with all applicable local, state and federal health, cleanliness, and safety guidelines.
• Directly supervises department employees. Performs recruitment, screening, hiring, orientation and training of department staff. Evaluates employee performance and provides guidance and feedback. Counsels, disciplines or terminates employees. Resolves problems referred by other managers or staff. Oversees processing of time cards and delivery to payroll.
• Develops and implements security related procedures such as office opening and closing routines, recognition of duress signals and key controls. Coordinates security activities with the Department of Public Safety. Promotes and maintains standards for security conscious awareness and behavior. Maintains knowledge of University's crime prevention and suppression programs and services. Ensures dissemination of security related information to staff.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum Education: Specialized/technical training 
• Minimum Experience and Field of Expertise: Three plus years experience in a leadership role within a high-volume, full service kitchen or hotel environment. Strong track record of success in previous assignments demonstrating upward career mobility. Demonstrated knowledge of pertinent local, federal and state health and safety laws and regulations.
• Ability to effectively manage and develop employees, and work within a team atmosphere
• Demonstrated interpersonal, organizational, customer service, and communication skills
• Ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community including faculty, students, and staff

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred Education: Related undergraduate study
• Four plus years experience in a leadership role within a high-volume, full service kitchen or hotel environment.
• Other Skills to include: analysis, assessment/evaluation, budget control and development, coaching, conflict resolution, human resource process and employment knowledge, knowledge of applicable laws/policies/principles/etc., managerial skills, organization, planning, problem identification and resolution, scheduling, staff development, teaching/training

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Some weekend and after-hours work may be required. This position is exempt and not eligible for overtime.

Location: Wrigley Marine Science Center, Two Harbors (Santa Catalina Island), California

Housing and Living Arrangements: You are eligible for private or shared housing in Two Harbors staff housing, owned and operated by USC. In the town of Two Harbors there is a small general store, restaurant/bar, dive shop, snack shack, bed and breakfast, etc. It is a small town with a tight-knit community. USC employees carpool to work (USC's campus is two miles from Two Harbors) each day. Lunch is available each day in the dining hall, or employees can take the carpool home for their lunch break.

USC has a boat that employees and their guests can ride for no charge. The USC vessel has departure times from SCMI in San Pedro Monday through Friday. To check the boat schedule and make a reservation, please visit www.dornsife.usc.edu/wrigley/transportation. Catalina Express also has a public charter to the island for additional transportation needs.

About the Wrigley Institute

The mission of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability is to inspire global environmental solutions through frontier research and education. Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, one of the nation’s premier research universities, we also have a satellite campus on California’s beautiful Santa Catalina Island. Through education, research, and engagement, we train the next generation of environmental leaders, develop original solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental problems, and encourage nonpartisan action for sustainability and environmental justice.

WIES is part of USC’s oldest and largest school, the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and a key player in the university’s high-profile sustainability initiatives. We are home to:

• Dornsife’s Environmental Studies academic program, which grants both undergraduate and graduate degrees;
• The Wrigley Marine Science Center, our Catalina Island research base;
• The USC Hyperbaric Chamber, which serves the Southern California dive community;
• USC Sea Grant, which conducts outreach and advocacy on the urban ocean;
• Research centers on Earth & Environmental Systems, Applied Environmental Solutions, and Social Transformation; and
• Signature public events that bring together business leaders, policy makers, activists, and scholars for conversations of consequence on the environment and sustainability

A job with the Wrigley Institute is an opportunity to help solve one of the most important challenges of our era. We are growing rapidly, with dedicated communications to help maximize our reach and ensure that the work we do is beneficial for everyone. Join us to help create a more sustainable future!

Position is eligible for USC benefits and is open until filled.

USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix Dfor specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying. 

Salary and Benefits:

The annual base salary range for this position is $74,717 - $ 88,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer alignment, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

To support the well-being of our faculty and staff, USC provides benefits-eligible employees with a broad range of perks to help protect their and their dependents’ health, wealth, and future. These benefits are available as part of the overall compensation and total rewards package. You can learn more about USC’s comprehensive benefits here. 

Minimum Education: Specialized/technical training Minimum Experience: 3 years Minimum Field of Expertise: Three plus years experience in a leadership role within a high-volume, full service kitchen environment. Strong track record of success in previous assignments demonstrating upward career mobility. Demonstrated knowledge of pertinent local, federal and state health and safety laws and regulations.