Sr. Culinary Program Manager

Visa is a world leader in payments and technology, with over 259 billion payments transactions flowing safely between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities in more than 200 countries and territories each year. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive while driven by a common purpose – to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid.

Make an impact with a purpose-driven industry leader. Join us today and experience Life at Visa.

The Visa Culinary Team creates workplace food moments that foster connection, community and collaboration, and have established the food program as a strategic vehicle of culture. The Senior Culinary Program Manager supports this purpose by upholding Visa’s standards of excellence and ensures consistency and efficiency of products and services through internal collaboration and effective vendor management. Serving as the onsite food and hospitality subject matter expert, the Senior Culinary Program Manager is a culture champion and advocate for the Visa colleague experience.  

This position is based in Austin, Texas and is accountable for the management of the Visa Culinary Program across 4 Campuses in North America, including operational oversight of multiple onsite cafes, coffee bars, catering, and break rooms, that service upwards of 5,000 Visa colleagues and guests.  

The Senior Culinary Program Manager is accountable for the deliverables of our foodservice operators, requiring strong partnerships and clear communication with both suppliers and internal stakeholders. The position will interface with all levels of Visa local management, Executives and their support staff, facility managers and vendors to ensure the culinary program aligns with operational requirements, optimizes Visa’s investment and enhances the employee experience.

Essential Functions

Food Program Management 

• Partner with supplier to create a flexible food program that adapts to deliver exceptional service and value to the ever evolving hybrid workplace experience  

• Ensure food program at respective sites serves as an equitable and consistent amenity, in alignment with the NA portfolio, while thoughtfully adapting to site specific needs, characteristics and local culture of each location 

• Operationalize strategic initiatives and partner with supplier to integrate Visa’s sustainability, inclusion and wellness initiatives into our visa food program platform  

• Guide supplier to innovate and make creative, continuous improvements to programs and operations  

• Take a data driven approach to all decision making processes and to inform future program development and design 

• Lead project management and change management for all culinary related initiatives, collaborate and liaise with fellow Visa Corporate Services partners and vendor partners and ensure leadership and stakeholder alignment with consistent and effective communication throughout process 

• Manage and support foodservice vendors to ensure culinary program, equipment, product procurement, presentation, and sanitation meet contractual requirements and Visa’s standards of excellence for a consistent workplace experience 

• Onboard, coordinate, administer, and manage multiple vendors, contractors as well as relations and contractual agreements for related programs 

• Ensure SLAs are being met and manage to contract  

• Lead routine culinary meetings with all four onsite vendor teams 

• Frequently participate and contribute content to routine team meetings 

Communication and Engagement 

• Lead effective internal communications for respective sites to drive employee engagement and optimize investment  

• Steer activations calendar and ensure experiences are purposeful and aligned with culinary program mission to foster connection, community, and collaboration 

• Drive storytelling at the site level to convey value proposition and demonstrate ROI of food program to colleagues, partners, leadership and stakeholders 

• Monitor and manage responses to internal surveys and feedback. analyze trends and translate insights into action as necessary  

• Coordinate and conduct employee focus groups to validate programs are meeting Visa’s needs regarding quality, service, convenience, and value 

• Lead deck creation and contribution for respective sites including reporting, proposals, changes to program, new programs, stakeholder alignment, etc. 

Events and Activations 

• Partner with Site Lead Teams and Employee Resource Groups to uplift the workplace experience, and support culture creation. Lead onsite events as part of employee engagement efforts (such as Bring Your Child to Work Day, cultural celebrations, Farmers Market Events, Holiday Events and Company BBQ) 

• Collaborate with Corporate Events team to ensure events are successful, on brand, and remain within budget 

• Coordinate catering teams (whether onsite caterer or outside caterer), security, janitorial services, site set up, and clean up to ensure a successful Event for Visa. 

• Responsible for ensuring onsite catering service levels meet the needs of our stakeholders to ensure they are the First Preference Provider at each of our Cafe Sites. Promote in house catering for departmental events. 

Financial 

• Manages a combined annual budget of 4M USD, ensuring services provided and food quality adhere to service level agreements with our 3rd party foodservice vendor partner 

• Develop annual budget and keep to the budget for all expenditures  

• Utilize Purchasing Requisitions and Purchasing Cards per the established process 

Basic Qualifications
8 or more years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor Degree or at least 5 years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 2 years of work experience with a PhD

Preferred Qualifications
9 or more years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor Degree or 7 or more relevant years of experience with an Advanced Degree (e.g. Masters, MBA, JD, MD) or 3 or more years of experience with a PhD

Education and professional credentials

10 years of work experience managing Food Service Operations, Corporate Services or related service industry field, or 8 years of work experience with a bachelor’s degree

Membership to professional hospitality organization preferred

Certificate from professional Facility Association such as IFMA (International Facility Management Association) preferred

Required Experience, Skills, and Knowledge

Ability to communicate effectively with strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills, business acumen, collaborative and influencing skills to effectively navigate a matrix management structure 

Demonstrable experience with marketing, engagement, communications, and storytelling

Strong presentation skills. ability to clearly communicate complex concepts, and create supporting PowerPoint slides to clarify and memorialize

Demonstrable experience of data analysis and use of data to drive change in service excellence 

Strong Analytical skills with a proven ability to determine what data is meaningful and relevant to develop insights and to use such insights to influence stakeholders 

Gathering the appropriate information to develop consensus and decision making

Experience developing and maintaining food service programs and upholding food safety

Knowledge of general facility management and operations. Understand and implement facilities processes in both leased and owned office facilities

Ability to manage vendors and interpret vendor contracts

Effectively work and collaborate with both internal and external clients

Strong customer service and personal interaction skills

Strong computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, work order and CMMS system experience preferred

Project management experience, ability to interpret construction drawings

Works with minimal supervision and can establish themself as subject matter expert with local management

Collaborates with Sourcing to write contracts, making sure services are performed at the contracted time, term and conditions. Establishes and enforces service levels keeping in mind the needs of Visa staff

Consults with business leaders on any outstanding issues that arise and handles according to the developed plan

Develops site budgets and assists management with the development of the annual budget and keeps to the budget for all expenditures.

This is an onsite position. An onsite position must be consistently performed at an assigned Visa office location and require daily commute to the office location.

Work Hours: Varies upon the needs of the department.

Travel Requirements: This position requires travel 5-10% of the time.

Mental/Physical Requirements: This position will be performed in an office setting.  The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Visa is an EEO Employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.  Visa will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with EEOC guidelines and applicable local law.

Visa will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable local law, including the requirements of Article 49 of the San Francisco Police Code.

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY: The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is 128,000.00 to 185,700.00 USD per year, which may include potential sales incentive payments (if applicable). Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position may be eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401 (k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness Program.