SAIT's
School of Hospitality and Tourism stands among the world's leading hospitality schools — CEOWORLD Magazine named us #1 in Canada and #14 globally in 2026. Renowned for our innovative curriculum, strong industry partnerships and unparalleled approach to applied learning, serving up excellence is what we do best.
The Opportunity
Job classification: M1100 - Manager
Salary range: $90,000 - $110,000. Placement within the range is typically based upon a review of skills, experience, and internal equity.
Hours per week: 37.5
Paid leave: 4 Weeks Vacation / 14 Flex Days per year
Deadline to apply: end of day August 23, 2026
The School of Hospitality & Tourism is seeking a dynamic and highly visible Manager, Restaurant Operations & Events to provide leadership for Highwood Kitchen & Bar and the School's growing events portfolio.
Reporting to the Associate Dean, this role works collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, industry partners, and institutional stakeholders to deliver exceptional hospitality experiences while advancing applied, real-world learning. This unique leadership opportunity combines the excitement of commercial restaurant and event operations with the rewarding impact of supporting student success in a live learning environment.
As Manager, you will balance operational excellence with educational priorities, ensuring every decision supports both outstanding guest experiences and meaningful student outcomes. You will be accountable for operational performance, financial stewardship, people leadership, continuous improvement, business development, and the continued growth of the School's events portfolio.
This hands-on leadership role requires a consistent presence during restaurant service, particularly dinner service. You will coach employees, mentor supervisors, engage with guests, support student learning, and foster a culture of hospitality excellence.
Provide leadership for Highwood Kitchen & Bar and the School's events portfolio, delivering exceptional guest experiences while supporting student learning.
Lead restaurant and event operations, ensuring service excellence, operational performance, quality standards, and regulatory compliance.
Drive the growth of the events portfolio through business development, client relationships, proposal development, and revenue-generating opportunities.
Collaborate with faculty, staff, industry partners, and institutional stakeholders to create authentic hospitality and event learning experiences.
Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and frontline teams, fostering a culture of service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Oversee budgets, labour utilization, financial performance, forecasting, and business planning for restaurant and event operations.
Serve as a visible, hands-on leader, engaging with guests, mentoring employees, and supporting student success in a live learning environment.
Champion operational excellence by identifying opportunities to improve service delivery, efficiency, and overall performance.
Minimum:
Diploma or degree in Hospitality Management, Business, Culinary Management, or a related discipline
Minimum five (5) years of progressive hospitality leadership experience in restaurant and/or event operations
Demonstrated experience leading teams, managing budgets, and delivering exceptional guest experiences
Food Safe Certification or equivalent
ProServe Certification
Preferred:
WSET Level 2 Award in Wines or equivalent wine education
Event Management certification
First Aid certification
Skills:
Leadership, coaching, and team development
Guest-focused hospitality and service excellence
Strong business, financial, and operational acumen
Excellent project management, communication, and relationship-building skills
Sound judgment, professionalism, and problem-solving abilities
Ability to balance competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
Collaborative leadership style with a focus on accountability, continuous improvement, and inclusion
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and hospitality technology, including POS systems
We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity. We understand how important communication is, and we are committed to following up with every candidate. Please know that each application is thoughtfully reviewed, and you will hear from us either way.
Together, we build bold futures
At SAIT, we equip you with the resources you need to shape bold futures for yourself and our communities. We offer a comprehensive package including:
- Defined Benefit pension through LAPP to help you retire with confidence
- Generous time off to pursue other passions and support your wellbeing
- SAIT paid premiums for medical, dental, and vision benefits so you, and your family, are well supported
- Access to a Health Spending or Taxable Spending Account
- Benefits supporting mental health and access to Greenshield + for virtual therapy at a reduced rate
- Professional development opportunities through our Free Seat Program, tuition support, access to LinkedIn Learning and discounted Continuing Education & Professional Studies courses
- Excellent dining options on campus
- Free access to our fitness facilities and group fitness classes
About SAIT
At SAIT, we’re building bold futures. We’re a community of tenacious problem-solvers, inventive thinkers, and passionate collaborators who believe in doing work that matters.
Named one of Alberta’s Top Employers, we’re driven by a desire to create an impact in our community. If you’re looking for a place where purpose meets possibility, you’ve found it here.
We’re committed to community and belonging
Community and belonging is essential to achieving SAIT's vision to be a global leader in applied education. We encourage applications from women, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities, and/or people with intersectional identities. Learn more about
Community and Belonging at SAIT.
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