Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

Swarthmore Dining is dedicated to serving our community with nutritious and satisfying food in a welcoming environment every day. Our mission is to offer a diverse menu that features high-quality ingredients, emphasizing locally grown and sustainably produced products whenever possible. We are committed to inclusive dining by ensuring vegetarian, vegan, and accommodations for dietary restrictions are always available. As a self-operated dining program encompassing Residential Dining, we pride ourselves on providing a work-life balance that is often difficult to find in the restaurant industry. Join us at Swarthmore Dining to be a part of a vibrant community committed to quality, sustainability, and exceptional service in a state-of-the-art kitchen setting.

The opportunity:

The Associate Residential Manager assists the Residential Manager in all aspects of managing all services and personnel associated with the front facing operations of the Dining Center. Be the main point of contact for the front of the house operations when the Residential Manager is not on site. Assist with recruiting, hiring, scheduling, evaluating, and training all front of house staff. Provide outstanding customer service to the dining program. Work with the Executive Chef to ensure the Allergen Station menus are meeting requirements for the top allergens and offering a varied menu to meet the needs that students require. Work in partnership with the Student Disabilities Office in communicating and setting expectations with students who identify with special food intolerances and allergies. In this position, the expectation is to work Sunday - Thursday, 1pm-9:30pm.   

Essential Responsibilities

• Oversee daily operations at the Dining Center to ensure guidelines, standards, and goals are being met and continually challenged, including: sanitation, safety, customer service, high-quality production standards, and presentation.
• Assist with coaching and developing front of house staff on standardization of line presentation and proper portions. Ensure customer service goals are met. Running shifts and being present on the floor during meal service time to answer staff questions, as well as interacting with customers. 
• Coordinates with students who have identified with food allergies or special diet needs. Is the primary point of contact and liaison with the Office of Student Disabilities. Works in collaboration with the Executive Chef to develop menus and concepts for the Free Zone station. Sources products and orders ingredients and groceries for the Free Zone. This sometimes requires you to shop at specialty stores.
• Acts as Dining’s appointed safety officer (all dining locations). Responsible for ongoing staff safety training and maintaining records. Ensure all staff who require ServSafe training have tested and passed and remain incumbents, and stay certified. Maintain MSDS sheets for chemicals as well as Standard Operating Procedures. Meets monthly with College Safety committee. Attend ongoing safety committee meetings.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise the work of up to 35-40 employees, depending on shift.
• Effectively performs the following:
  • Organize workflow and ensure employees understand their duties or delegated tasks.
  • Communicate key issues and information to staff members and student workers.
  • Provide fair, constructive, and timely feedback and coaching to staff to drive performance and work toward established goals.
  • In partnership with Human Resources, follow disciplinary procedures as established in accordance with the employee handbook.
• Participate in supervisory training opportunities.
• Maintains a safe, diverse, and inclusive work environment.

Who you are:

• Outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team environment.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Demonstrated problem-solving ability.
• Ability to communicate with co-workers and management with professionalism and respect.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma with 5 years of supervisory experience in culinary management, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Current ServSafe Certification
• Food Allergen Certification
• Valid PA. Drivers License

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree in culinary, institutional management, nutrition, dietetics or related area.
• Experience in a high-volume food service operation that offers a varying daily menu.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 lbs for up to 15 minutes
• Ability to stand on your feet for up to 5 hours at a time.
• Ability to perform reaching, bending, and squatting motions for extended times.

Working Conditions

• Diverse duties require the ability to change routine frequently.
• Safety in the job is paramount.
• Must be available to support a 7 day a week operation. Work may require time outside of the normal workday.
• Ability to work and interact with a diverse community, including faculty, students and staff, is important.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume by November 18, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled.

The market range for this position is $65,000 - $71,000 per year, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

PA Criminal Clearance Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

MVR Clearance Required by Position

Due to operating a College owned motor vehicle while performing essential job responsibilities for this position, a motor vehicle report (MVR) clearance is required prior to the start of employment.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2025 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.