Senior Director of Dining Services na Sonida Senior Living

Sonida Senior Living is one of the nation’s leading operators of independent living, assisted living and memory care communities for senior adults. The Company operates 97 communities that are home to nearly 12,000 residents across 20 states providing comfortable, safe, affordable communities where residents can form friendships, enjoy new experiences and receive personalized care from dedicated team members who treat them family. 

Job Description: 

The Senior Director of Dining provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of dining services across multiple regions within the organization. This role is responsible for leading and developing Regional Dining Directors and ensuring consistent execution of culinary excellence, regulatory compliance, resident satisfaction, and financial performance across all senior living communities. The Senior Regional Director of Dining partners closely with Operations, Procurement, Nutrition, and Human Resources to elevate the overall dining experience and align culinary operations with the organization’s mission and business goals. This role drives systemwide consistency in dining standards, Supports integration during acquisitions or leadership transitions and ensures dining operations align with companywide quality, hospitality, and financial objectives.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Regional Dining Directors overseeing multiple communities across assigned states.
• Establish and communicate strategic priorities, ensuring alignment with company standards for quality, hospitality, and fiscal performance.
• Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute dining strategies that support resident satisfaction, brand differentiation, and financial sustainability.
• Champion a culture of culinary excellence, innovation, and service.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to operations leadership, identifying opportunities to enhance resident experience through dining innovation and service model refinement.
• Provide input on long range dining initiatives, capital planning, and organizational growth strategies.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee consistent implementation of dining programs, menus, and nutritional standards across communities.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local health, safety, and food handling regulations.
• Evaluate regional and community-level dining operations through audits, site visits, and performance reviews.
• Lead process improvements that enhance operational efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize food and labor costs.
• Collaborate with Procurement and Supply Chain to ensure quality sourcing, vendor performance, and cost control.
• Partner with the operational excellence and quality teams to standardize best practices, enhance performance monitoring, and drive continuous improvement.
• Support readiness for regulatory and internal audits, providing guidance and follow up training where needed.

Financial Management

• Develop and monitor dining budgets for assigned regions, ensuring achievement of financial and operational goals.
• Analyze financial performance, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities to improve profitability.
• Provide guidance to Regional Dining Directors on forecasting, staffing, and expense management.
• Collaborate with finance to align dining budgets and labor models with organizational benchmarks and performance expectations.
• Review and validate pricing, menu cost analysis, and inventory management practices to ensure financial accuracy and efficiency.

Talent Development

• Recruit, train, and retain top dining leadership talent across regions.
• Provide coaching, performance feedback, and succession planning for Regional Dining Directors and key culinary leaders.
• Foster professional growth and leadership capability across the dining organization.
• Partner with learning and development to create leadership pathways and training for future culinary and dining leaders.
• Promote a culture of accountability, engagement, and recognition across dining teams.

Resident Experience & Quality

• Partner with Operations and Resident Care teams to deliver high-quality, resident-centered dining experiences.
• Monitor and respond to resident satisfaction metrics, implementing improvement plans as needed.
• Promote innovative dining programs that support wellness, personalization, and engagement.
• Collaborate with clinical and Wellness teams to ensure menus and meal plans support resident health needs and dietary compliance.
• Oversee culinary engagement initiatives such as themed events, chef showcases, and community feedback sessions to strengthen the dining experience.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a key member of the national dining leadership team, contributing to enterprise-wide strategies and
• Partner with Operations, Clinical, Marketing, and HR to ensure dining supports the overall community experience and brand promise.
• Lead change management efforts for new systems, menu rollouts, or service model enhancements.
• Collaborate with marketing on dining related brand storytelling, promotional initiatives, and resident engagement campaigns.
• Partner with procurement and operational excellence to evaluate vendor performance, menu consistency, and supply chain resilience.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management, Nutrition, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive dining leadership experience in senior living, healthcare, hospitality, or multi-site foodservice management.
• 5+ years in a multi-state or regional director-level role required.
• Proven ability to lead through leaders — coaching, mentoring, and holding Regional Directors accountable for results.
• Strong business acumen with expertise in budgeting, cost control, and P&L management.
• In-depth knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience leading large scale initiatives such as menu redesigns, system conversions, or acquisition integrations preferred.
• Demonstrated success in improving resident satisfaction and dining profitability through operational and cultural leadership.
• Willingness to travel extensively (40%) across assigned regions.