| As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a "Great College to Work For" for six consecutive years. Thank you for considering UW Dining, a unit within Housing & Food Services on the UW Seattle Campus. The Project and Purchasing Specialist oversees and manage key aspects of UW Dining's business operations, including vendor relationships, purchasing and pricing, capital spending, vending machine program, project management support and environmental sustainability efforts.We seek a leader who will build on our successes and continue to refine and improve services to our students, staff, faculty and guests, drawing inspiration from our customers and strategic priorities. Key ResponsibilitiesProcurement, Pricing and Margins: Manage the selection and purchasing process for UW Dining, ensuring high levels of quality and financial goals are met.Source, review, recommend and incorporate new products as necessary. Collaborate with Campus Executive Chef on products and ingredients with culinary applications.Maintain and control margins through negotiating costs with vendors and setting selling prices.Participate in the review and approval of new vendors, products, RFPs and contracts.Assist in on-boarding of new contracted and sole-source vendors; maintain relationships by meeting regularly to review vendor performance, cost changes, additional accounts, sales volume and overall communication between our food service operations and the vendor.Focus on building environmentally sustainable purchases (majority of overall purchases).Establish and review yearly forecasted purchase order amounts for vendors utilized by UW Dining.Identify and collaborate with key stakeholders to implement process efficiencies; track impact and savings. Examples include condensing delivery schedules, limiting the number of invoices processed, pushing spend towards the prime food vendor and sourcing alternative products.Create/update price bench marking and monitor year over year price changes, making annual recommendations.Creation, implementation and compliance of vendor order guides and pricing, key to holding vendors and operators accountable.Vending: Oversee management of the vending business, which involves direct operational control of vending on the University's main campus as well as oversight of vending programs on our satellite campuses: Harborview Medical Center, University Medical Center, UW Bothell and UW Tacoma as well as UW Educational Outreach sites not located on any of the aforementioned campuses.Work with contracted vending companies to ensure vending machine card readers function properly and remain online.Oversee all vending machine placements and removals.Assist with and coordinate equipment service calls and installations, including Coca-Cola and Starbucks related equipment installs.Direct contact with all site administrators to establish MOUs and ensure vendors are providing service and product needed to ensure quality and service to our clients.Write and forecast vending commissions for annual fiscal year budgets.Direct contact with vendors to expedite service and placement and to ensure compliance with vending contracts.Review of monthly commissions, including monthly budget analysis and addressing budget variances accordingly.Process vending refunds and ensure petty cash is available.Focus on keeping vending equipment up to date with technology advancements.Identify opportunities for routinely updating and refreshing the vending product mix to include selections that meet customer demand and align with UW Dining goals and values.Laisse with contractors and clients to ensure all parties assume appropriate responsibilities per contract specifics.Sustainable Food Systems Management: Manage the sustainable food systems efforts, coordinate, lead and participate in campus sustainability events and committees for Housing & Food Services and UW Dining.Collaborate with the HFS Sustainability Committee, NACUFS, AASHE, MCURC, and other professional associations as a key stakeholder and subject matter expert in the areas of product sourcing and environmental sustainability and with vendors in identifying UW Dining sustainability values and procurement strategies that support those values.Oversee the sustainable waste management efforts of UW Dining striving for zero waste through composting, recycling and landfill waste diversion.Work as a resource for student groups on projects and as project lead for Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) and the Sustainability Food Systems Working Group (SFSWG) to establish sustainability goals for UW Dining, including publishing goals and tracking progress.Participate in the MCURC Nutrition and Sustainability Working Group.Project Support:Plan, coordinate resources, and execute implementation of projects within program area, including capital expenditures, environmental sustainability, and initiatives involving the selection or engagement of vendors. Work with UW Dining Administration to facilitate participation in approved University projects Add as directed. Business Operations Support:Collaborate with Dining Senior Leadership to develop and maintain plan for UW Dining's Capital Reserves spending.Oversee the compostables purchasing aspect of UW Dining's take-out business to ensure compliance with the City of Seattle's ordinance on compostable take out containers.Participate in approved programs with organizations such as the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) as directed.Research, prepare and give presentations about initiative and topics within program area. Adapt and scale delivery as necessary for small, large and diverse groups. Serve as main point of contact to UW Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S). Review all facility inspections and ensure UW Dining's commitment to UW and Washington State Rules and Regulations.Identify and source all safety products, including first aid supplies, cut gloves and other Ecolab products.Participate in community based campus/dining special events as needed.CBORD Foodservice SuiteOversee monthly inventory process for UW Dining. Review and approve inventories entered into the FSS system and direct questions or concerns to Unit Manager and/or Dining Systems team. Finalize and close inventories, oversee corrections, and provide inventory values to HFS Financial Services.Conduct audits of inventory and purchasing records to ensure adherence to recipe and vendor specifications and sustainability commitments. Update and train best practices for inventory management and listings as needed.Establish and maintain consistent inventory processes across campus and assist in training as needed.Provide and update order guides and product information for Dining Systems for making system updates and monitoring pricing or contract compliance.Provide and update order guides and product information for UW Dining units to use as a resource for ordering within established product selection.Review current system data and reports to inform decisions on vendor and product selectionReview purchasing and usage reports in response to food safety alerts and recall QualificationsBachelor's degree in hospitality or related field.Minimum of two years of management experience in the food service industry, including at least one year managing within a large, multi-unit food service operation.One year of food service category management.Excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.Project management experience.Additional qualifying restaurant/food service work experience may substitute for work experience.The candidate must have experience in effectively using basic office computer software (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and inventory/production software.Preference will be given to candidates with dining management experience in college or university.CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENTA satisfactory outcome from the employment reference check processes and education verification.Possession of a Washington State Food Handler's Card.ServSafe certification within three months of hire and maintenance of certification thereafter.Maintenance of a valid Washington State Driver's License. |
