Jennifer Nicholas
Yorktown,VA
Summary
Experienced Retail Manager with a proven ability to manage all facets of food service operations. Proficient in staff supervision, inventory management, and budget control to optimize efficiency and profitability. Skilled in upholding stringent standards of food quality, safety, and customer satisfaction. Adept leader capable of inspiring and guiding teams to hit goals.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Retail Manager
Christopher Newport University
Newport News, VA
01.2024 - Current
- Manage daily operations of 4 retail outlets, including opening and closing procedures, to effectively maintain operational excellence.
- Hire, train, mentor, and evaluate staff members, students and temps on a regular basis.
- Effectively manage inventory controls to stay within budget guidelines and to meet or exceed fiscal sales goals.
- Resolve customer complaints in an efficient manner, while ensuring customer satisfaction, to drive quality of performance and experiences for guests.
- Connect with customers to provide assistance and collect feedback to optimize operations.
- Maintain high standards at Chick-fil-A, ensuring that we pass bi-monthly audits and quarterly quality improvement visits.
Beverage Director
Aramark Newport News Shipyard
Newport News, VA
07.2022 - 01.2024
- Develop and execute strategies and procedures to meet operating and financial goals.
- Lead the operation of water services by overseeing third-party provider and ensuring areas of responsibility meet objectives and client expectations. Ensure safety and sanitation standards in all areas of operation.
- Build revenue and manage budget, including cost controls regarding beverages. Ensure the completion and maintenance of P&L statements. Create value through efficient operations, appropriate cost controls, and profit management.
- Create and enforce policies and guidelines for the department. Lead consolidation process to reduce water support cost savings initiative. Create an inventory of all water locations, discovering over 900 water coolers.
- Assist the Catering Manager and Executive Chef with all caterings and events, including high-profile Keel Layings, Float-Outs, and Christenings.
- Maintain professionalism and establish excellent relationships with the client while ensuring outstanding success and customer service.
- Assist management with organizing, staffing, training, and all logistical aspects of catered events, feeding up to 3,000 shipyard workers.
Food Service Manager
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA
09.2015 - 06.2022
- Managed two residential dining halls, feeding up to 4,000 meals daily, and supervising 265 employees.
- Managed two successful pilot programs for Sodexo. An in-house, full-service restaurant and a New Management Trainee Site Program.
- Responsible for the full circle hiring process. Interviewed, hired, trained, mentored, and leading up to termination.
- Proficient in all Sodexo computer systems, including Kronos, Catertrax, and FMS.
- Member of the sustainability committee. Worked closely with students to introduce sustainable to-go containers campus-wide and installing a growing wall of herbs inside the dining hall.
- Worked with local farms to provide a 'Farm to Table' experience for dining facilities and multple catering events.
- Worked with Catering on all major events: graduations, football games, convocations, high-profile fine dining events, and orientations. Organzied, planned, scheduled, trained, and supervised events for over 15,000 guests.
- Responsible for scheduling and maintaining labor, with successful reduction in overtime.
- Promoted to District Safety Coordinator. Managed, trained, and implemented policies and procedures for 3 Universities in support of their safety program.
- Successful 98% completion of EcoSure third party audit across all 3 Universities.
Assistant Director/Patient Service Manager
Sentara Careplex, Compass Group
Hampton, VA
04.2014 - 09.2015
- Direct all functional areas within the Food and Nutrition Department, including retail, patient meal services, and catering, with over 45 employees.
- Manages CateringToYou, a patient food service program, at a 224-bed hospital serving over 900 meals daily in accordance with specialized diets.
- Responsible for operating an employee cafeteria to service visitors, employees, and staff, serving over 1,000 meals daily.
- Increased Patient Satisfaction Scores by 5% within 4 months, exceeding our contracted goal, while increasing employee satisfaction.
- Brought the facility to a superior standard, exceeding contracted goals, while achieving excellent results in sanitation by the Board of Health and DNV.
- Responsible for hiring, managing, motivating, retaining, and training staff.
- Provide continual customer service training for staff to drive sales and increase revenue.
- Maintain systems and procedures for the ordering, receiving, storing, preparation, and serving of food-related products and nutritional supplements.
- Responsible for daily financial reporting, cash handling, cash deposits, event planning, budget management, menu planning and development, and payroll.
- Implemented measures for profit maximization by cost cutting and enhanced employee productivity.
Patient Service Manager
Riverside Regional Medical Center
Newport News, VA
05.2013 - 04.2014
- Develop, evaluate, and recommend improvements and quality assurance programs designed to maximize Patient Service scores
- Ensures accuracy of patient meals in accordance to their diets/allergies as well as tray delivery/pick-up from patient rooms
- Daily patient meal rounding, direct interaction with the patients and nursing staff, tray audits, training, evaluations, and overseeing inventory and stocking of the floors
- Responsible for all hiring, training, supervising and evaluating qualified team personnel
- Provide daily direction to the team with scheduling, documentation, productivity and patient care operations
- Resolve patient care concerns and assure complaints are handled in accordance with legal compliance
- Promote resource management plans (going green campaign) within company standards of quality, which has contributed to the overall growth of the organization
- Successfully implemented Expressly forYou program within 2 months while consistently increasing patient satisfaction scores
- Worked with management team and staff on successfully passing the yearly Sodexo NSF safety audit.
Senior Executive Administrative Assistant
Riverside Regional Medical Center
Newport News, VA
02.2013 - 05.2013
- Supported the Retail Manager, Executive Chef, Clinical Nutrition Manger, and 4 Dietitians
- Planned/scheduled meetings and manage projects that are time sensitive and critical in nature
- Produced weekly statistical and financial reports for Sodexo and RRMC
- Tended the cash vault/registers for the cafeteria/coffee kiosk and manage all deposits and transfer of currency through Garda
- Managed weekly charges and payroll for Nutrition Services Department consisting of over 70 employees.
Education
Bachelors of Science - Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise, Dietetics
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA01.1998
Skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Proficient with Microsoft Office & Excel
- Customer Satisfaction Enhancement
- Labor Control
- Online Ordering and Inventory Systems
- Excellent communication and attention to detail
- Proficient in scheduling and multi tasking
- Positive individual that leads the team by example
- Serv Safe Certified
Timeline
Retail Manager
Christopher Newport University
01.2024 - Current
Beverage Director
Aramark Newport News Shipyard
07.2022 - 01.2024
Food Service Manager
College of William and Mary
09.2015 - 06.2022
Assistant Director/Patient Service Manager
Sentara Careplex, Compass Group
04.2014 - 09.2015
Patient Service Manager
Riverside Regional Medical Center
05.2013 - 04.2014
Senior Executive Administrative Assistant
Riverside Regional Medical Center
02.2013 - 05.2013
Bachelors of Science - Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise, Dietetics
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
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