Description
Wisconsin Union Chief Operating Officer
Requisition Number: JR10014296
Remote Type: On Site
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Category: Academic Services and Student Experience
Time Type: Full time
Apply By: Oct. 4, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CDT
Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs/Wisconsin Union Executive Director, this position provides strategic leadership for the Wisconsin Union’s dining and food services operations, facilities operations, event services and support operations, and the Wiscard office.
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is part of the executive team for one of the nation’s largest and most complex university union systems. This role provides strategic leadership for multi-facility operations, diverse self-operated business portfolios, large-scale capital planning, and a large multicultural workforce. The COO ensures all programs, services, and facilities are safe, clean, accessible, and financially sustainable for millions of annual visitors.
As a strategic leader in university auxiliary services, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) demonstrates keen entrepreneurial and business acumen, excellent financial management, and inspiring leadership in customer service and hospitality. Further, the COO is expected to comprehensively manage and lead the major revenue generating departments to help create the necessary resources to support the Wisconsin Union departments focused on student and community programming, its overall mission, and its administration. The COO also provides strategic direction in the management of Wisconsin Union facilities to help ensure the Union meets it mission of fostering an environment where every individual can build meaningful connections, grow both personally and professionally, experience a deep sense of belonging, and help ensure the Union lives up to its vision of being the place on campus where lifetime memories are made. To this end, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer are (1) the Director of Dining and Hospitality, who oversees the retail dining, catering, culinary and food services supply chain operations; (2) the Director of Facilities, who oversees building services, maintenance, and event services and support, corporate sponsorship program; and (3) the Director of Wiscard Services, who oversees the campus card program and the point of sale system that supports most retail and catering operations on campus.
Key Job Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership -Directly supervises the Director of Dining & Hospitality, Director of Facilities, and the Director of Wiscard Services. Provides broad strategic leadership, operational oversight, and overall financial management for these Wisconsin Union divisions: dining; facilities and events; the Wiscard office.
Strategic Management and Projects -For these units of the Wisconsin Union, directs strategic planning initiatives and establish objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative and staffing resources, and alignment with the strategic plan.
External Communication - Serves as the liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information pertaining to dining, facilities, Union event services, and the Wiscard office.
Business and Financial Management - Provides strategic oversight of the budgeting, forecasting, benchmarking, cost benefit and breakeven analyses for dining, food services and catering operations, and the events services and production operations. Oversees an overall budget of approximately $38 million. Coordinates the presentation of these divisional budgets in the annual budgeting processes. Works with Wisconsin Union marketing department to obtain the support needed to meet the revenue goals related to the dining, events, corporate sponsorships and Wiscard operations. Monitor and analyze sales and financial data and continuously improve financial performance of the dining and events operations.
Security and Safety - Ensures the appropriate operations, safety and security of Union facilities, event services, maintenance, and equipment. Ensures compliance with policy, law, and regulation pertaining to food and environmental health and safety.
Executive Leadership - Serves on the Wisconsin Union Executive Team, Leadership Team, and Senior Management Team. Fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, staff, and guests of the Union. Serves on the Student Affairs Council, actively participating in the leadership and program initiatives of Student Affairs.
Sustainability - Leads the Wisconsin Union’s sustainability efforts and serves on the Sustainability Advisory Board. Coordinates the sustainability efforts throughout the Wisconsin Union.
High-Profile All Campus Programs – Provides leadership in large campus & community events like Badger Bash, Commencement, events with the potential for disruption, etc.
Sponsorship. Serves as the primary contact to university administration for sponsorship related activities. Meets regularly with the Office of Strategic Communications and Badger Sports Properties.
Capital Infrastructure Leadership - Serves as the lead for institutional capital planning, deferred maintenance, major renovations, and new construction while actively assisting in fundraising efforts.
Union South Revitalization - Although this position has strategic oversight of food services, facilities, and event operations in several campus buildings and locations, this position also provides specific leadership for the general activation of Union South and provides coordination and leadership for the Wisconsin Union’s efforts at Union South insofar as these activities contribute to the overall vitality of Union South as a college union facility. The COO will lead the Wisconsin Union’s efforts to manage and improve the overall activity and financial performance of Union South by effectively bringing together dining, facilities, and events operations, with operations related to student programming and engagement, community engagement, sponsorship, donor and member relations, and with other Wisconsin Union stakeholders.
More about the Position and the Wisconsin Union Operations:
Multi-Site Facility & Space Management: Union operations, programs, and services span across 9 distinct campus buildings, including the historic Memorial Union and Union South. In addition to General Use spaces, there are unique and specialized spaces such as a marina, an historic theater, an executive education center, an art studio and a bowling/indoor recreation center.
High-Volume Foot Traffic: The operations of the Union facilities serve an average of over 12,420 daily visitors.
Comprehensive Hospitality Portfolio: Operations include 35 self-operated dining units across campus, including nationally recognized catering and specialized operations within academic buildings.
Enterprise-Wide Workforce: The COO provides strategic leadership for an expansive organizational structure where approximately 40% of all Union employees are employed in units including Dining, Facilities, Custodial, and Event Planning & Production.
Multidisciplinary Teams: The COO provides strategic oversight of a diverse labor force comprising executive professionals, specialized technical staff, student employees, and skilled trades (including chefs, bakers, painters, electricians, and carpenters).
Multilingual Culture: The COO fosters an inclusive workplace culture with a highly diverse staff speaking more than 5 different languages in addition to English.
Key Job Responsibilities:
Directs strategic planning initiatives and establishes objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative and staffing resources, and alignment with the strategic plan
Executes and oversees self-operated and/or contracted auxiliary services and operations which may include university dining, bookstore, banking, vending, and other services
Oversees the operations, safety and security of Student Union facilities, event services, maintenance, and equipment
Fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment to all students, faculty, staff, and guests of the Student Union
Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
Supervises student engagement initiatives such as student organization management and advising, student governance advising, student programs and activities, and entertainment contracts
Serves as the liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information
Develops and directs budget and approves unit expenditures
Requirements
Required Qualifications:
Ten or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in hospitality, facilities management, dining services, event services, or related operations.
Demonstrated experience managing large and complex budgets, personnel, and multiple operational units.
Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree (MBA, MPA, Higher Education Administration, Hospitality Management, Organizational Leadership, or related field).
Fifteen or more years of senior leadership experience.
Experience overseeing self-supporting auxiliary enterprises, capital projects, and revenue-generating operations within a large, complex organization.
Experience in improving financial performance of hospitality business operations.
Experience in higher education, particularly student unions, auxiliary services, dining, facilities, or conference and event operations.
Education:
Bachelor's degree in business administration, hospitality management, public administration, higher education administration, facilities management, engineering, finance, accounting, or related field.
Compensation:
The minimum starting salary for the position is $170,000. Actual pay is determined at hire and is based on experience and qualifications.
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf.
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How to Apply:
Applicants should attach a cover letter and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required qualifications. The screening committee will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process.
Go to this address to apply using the Apply Now section.
https://jobs.wisc.edu/jobs/wisconsin-union-chief-operating-officer-madison-wisconsin-united-states
