Dietary Services Manager

At ScionHealth, we empower our caregivers to do what they do best. We value every voice by caring deeply for every patient and each other. We show courage by running toward the challenge and we lean into new ideas by embracing curiosity and question asking. Together, we create our culture by living our values in our day-to-day interactions with our patients and teammates.

Job Summary

Responsible for organizing and directing the overall operation of the Nutrition & Culinary Services food service function in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local guidelines and regulations, company policies and procedures, and in coordination with the Registered Dietitian / Nutrition & Culinary Services Director, to ensure that quality food service and nutrition care is provided to the patients, employees, and guests.

Essential Functions 

Leadership

• Participates in planning and creating the hospital’s strategic plan to achieve the mission and vision of the hospital in collaboration with Registered Dietitian
• Manages the department by company policies, procedures, standards, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Participates in the planning of the department budget.
• Submits capital budget request to CFO.
• Accountable for daily managing of department budget through operational expense management and labor management.
• Manages the department’s financials by maintaining records of department expenditures, daily meal counts, and compiling end of the month financial reports and turn into Administration.
• Develops department schedule to ensure adequate staff to provide services, but within budgeted FTEs.
• Purchases and confirms delivery of food, supplies, and equipment from approved vendors to ensure adequate stock levels to perform departmental functions.
• Inspects arriving shipments, signs invoices/receipts of shipment.
• Manages the stocking and inventory of current food and supplies following proper storage and labeling procedures.
• Performs monthly end-of-the-month physical inventories.
• Participates in the hospital’s Performance Improvement program by conducting, aggregating, trending, and acting on data for key foodservice indicators. 
• Annual QAPI department plan is developed with mandatory components. Monthly reports are taken to the hospital committee as per facility policy. 
• Monitors quality control in kitchen by assuring quality measure are routinely done; spot checking logs frequently for accuracy of data and conducts weekly kitchen safety/sanitation audits
• Participates in the survey process; instructs staff in matters of conduct and disclosure; maintains a presence at all times while surveyors are on-site and directs the timely collection of information required by the survey team. Undertakes corrective action while survey is in progress, if appropriate; works with other hospital departments to develop survey plan of correction, as needed.
• Serves on various committees as required by company standards, regulations, and/or appointments by immediate supervisor.

Labor Management & Staff Training

• Assumes responsibility for recruiting, selecting, and training culinary staff.
• Completes new hire and annual competency evaluation per company policy on all culinary staff.
• Prepares and retains work schedules to maintain adequate staffing in the department.
• Provides department orientation to all new employees.
• Evaluates employee performance, conducting 90 day and annual reviews in a timely manner.
• Schedules and/or conducts monthly in-services for culinary staff. Holds routine department meetings. 

Menu Management

• Directs diet clerk or designated employee in the menu management process (preparing menus for distribution to patients, checking electronic medical record prior to each meal for diet order changes, room changes, new admits and discharges, updating patient cardex, printing tray tickets, inputting patient menu selections, etc)
• Provides production sheets and standardized recipes to staff to ensure proper food preparation.
• Ensures all patient snack orders are checked against the diet order and provides a production sheet for snack preparation; ensures all snacks are labeled properly and distributed to patients timely.
• Communicates patients’ concerns or dissatisfactions with diet to the Dietitian for further follow up and education as needed.

Flow of Food Management

• Organizes food preparation and service by using production sheets and planned menus for patients, cafeteria, and catering; cook huddles as needed.
• Ensure proper food preparation preserving nutrient content, quality, flavor, and appearance per state and federal regulations.
• Monitors food temperatures (internal cooking, holding for each meal) to ensure food safety. 
• Supervises staff to ensure food is prepared in accordance with all food safety and sanitation regulations and accuracy based on therapeutic menus/recipes.
• Monitors tray line assembly for accuracy and timely delivery of meals (patients and café)
• Ensures routine delivery of floor stock to Nursing Units and Administration
• Stays abreast of federal, state, and local regulations for food safety and sanitation.
• Handles all food recalls with urgency and assures the effected product is handled properly.
• Supervises dish room procedures for cleaning and sanitizing dishware, meal delivery carts and pots/pans to enforce department policies and proper procedure.

Physical Plant Management

• Performs physical plant inspection monthly; assures fire extinguishers are properly inspected, eyewash station properly maintained, and contract services have been performed (grease trap, barrel, vent hood, fire suppression system, pest management, chemical dispensers)
• Plans and implements a process for managing equipment and physical environment to ensure a safe working environment. 
• Ensure the equipment’s temperatures are taken in accordance with policy.
• Reports all hazardous conditions/equipment immediately and communicates issues, concerns, and opportunities for improvement to immediate supervisor routinely.

Emergency Preparedness Management

• Always ensures emergency/disaster readiness in accordance with company policy and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. 
• Conducts monthly inventory of emergency food/supplies and documents appropriately.

Other

• Stays abreast of federal regulations for LTACs and food safety, as well as state-specific regulations for the state in which he/she works and incorporates into his/her work as needed.
• Monitors industry trends, new products, current research, and new programs in foodservice and incorporates into his/her work as needed.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age-appropriate care to the patient population served
• Attends all mandatory in-services and staff meetings.
• Maintains current licensure/certification for position, if applicable
• Consistently follows departmental and hospital Health, Safety, Security, and Hazardous Materials policies and procedures.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/Expectations

• Knowledge of quantity food production, safe food preparation and proper food handling techniques.
• Knowledge of therapeutic diets for patients in a acute care setting.
• Skilled in directing and motivating the workforce.
• Must read, write and speak fluent English.
• Must have good and regular attendance.
• Approximate percent of time required to travel: 0%
• Performs other related duties as assigned. 
• Basic computer skills with working knowledge of Microsoft Office, word-processing and spreadsheet software.

Pay Range: $33.00-$41.85/hr.

ScionHealth has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit-eligible employees that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), FSA/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, and Wellness.

Education (one of these is required)

• Registered/licensed Dietitian
• Registered Dietetic Technician
• Certified Dietary Manager (Association of Food & Nutrition Professionals)
• Certified Food Service Manager (CFM; International Food Service Executives Association)
• Food Management Professional (FMP, MFP; National Restaurant Association - ManageFirst™ program)
• Associates degree or higher in food service or restaurant management+
• + Must meet state requirements and have frequent, scheduled consultations with registered dietitian.

Licenses/Certification (required)

• Food Protection Manager Certification from an ANSI-CFP accredited program

Experience 

• Two years’ experience in food service management. 
• Experience in acute care hospital setting preferred. 
• Knowledge and experience with therapeutic diet preparation.