Dietary Director

Summary:

Manage the operation of the Dietary Department to include staffing, food ordering, and preparation, food delivery and clean-up in accordance with facility policies, physician orders, resident care plans and appropriate regulations.

Environment:

Work will be performed primarily indoors at one of our long-term healthcare facilities, throughout all areas, including in resident rooms, and on carpeted and/or tiled floors. Work will be performed there routinely around other co-workers, healthcare staff, residents, and guests. Due to the nature of facility's business, worker may be exposed to occasional slippery floors, object on floors, chemicals, sharp objects, hazardous materials and waste (including human), blood borne pathogens, and communicable diseases, as well as high-stress medical and/or life threatening situations.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Meet physical and sensory requirements stated below, and be able to work in the described environment.
• Identify and participate in process improvement initiatives that improve the customer experience, enhance work flow, and/or improve the work environment.
• Management duties including, but not limited to, hiring, training and developing, coaching and counseling, and terminating department staff, as deemed necessary.
• Ensure that all employment practices are administered fairly and without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, amnesty, or veteran status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

• Participate in regularly scheduled conferences including department head meetings and interdisciplinary care plan meetings.
• Purchase food and supplies within budget and maintain a supply to adequately cover each meal.
• Provide technical guidance and administrative direction over diet planning, menu formulation, preparation and service of regular and therapeutic diets.
• Plan menus, conferring with the Dietary Consultant as needed, to confirm that menus conform to nutritional standards and government and established regulations and procedures.
• Interview residents or family members, as necessary, to obtain diet history.
• Participate in maintaining records of the resident's food likes and dislikes.
• Confirm that charted dietary progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident's response to the service.
• Visit residents periodically to evaluate quality of meals served, likes and dislikes, etc.
• Provide timely and accurate completion of dietary portion of MDS, Resident Care Planning, and Progress Notes as well as Dietary Assessment, Nutritional Data Card, Diet Card and any other dietary forms as required by the Administrator in order to comply with federal and state regulations and facility policies and procedures.
• Provide nutritious, well-prepared, and palatable meals in a timely and consistent manner while adhering to menus and diet orders.
• Verify appropriate meals/snacks are served to residents with special dietary needs.
• Monitor food production, maintaining use of standardized recipes and menus and ensuring proper preparation and storage of food and supplies.
• Maintain the highest level of quality and timeliness of food service.
• Maintain adequate food and supplies for disaster preparedness as required by state and federal regulations.

• Recognize staff for exceptional care and job performance on a regular basis and as part of their performance evaluation.

• Make job assignments and set priorities.
• Orient new staff and participate in recruitment and selection.
• Meet Company policies and State and Federal regulations regarding sanitation and safe food handling techniques.
• Develop plan of correction following State, Federal and QA surveys, as needed.
• Maintain records, manage budget and supplies.
• Monitor equipment and work areas to verify they are maintained in a clean, safe and orderly manner; maintain strict adherence to procedures regarding cleaners or hazardous materials or objects; verify universal precautions and infection control, isolation, fire, safety and sanitation practices and procedures are followed; and promptly address any hazardous conditions and equipment.
• Monitor food preparation and food storage areas to be sure that health and sanitation regulations are being met.
• Review resident diet information and care plans, discuss with resident, family, nursing staff, and Dietary Services Consultant as necessary to make appropriate changes.
• Create and implement procedures for department equipment to be operated only by trained, authorized personnel in a safe manner.

• Other special projects and duties, as assigned.

Job Requirements:

• Must possess Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) certification.
• Minimum of three (3) years related experience.
• One (1) to two (2) years management/supervisory experience required.
• Effective verbal and written English communication skills.
• Demonstrated basic to intermediate skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook, Internet and Intranet navigation.
• Highest level of professionalism with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to communicate at all levels of organization and work well within a team environment in support of company objectives.
• Customer service oriented with the ability to work well under pressure.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, excellent organizational skills with ability to prioritize, coordinate and simultaneously maintain multiple projects with high level of quality and productivity.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, take initiative and make independent decisions.
• Ability to deal with new tasks without the benefit of written procedures.
• Approachable, flexible and adaptable to change.
• Function independently, and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with employees and vendors.

Physical and Sensory Requirements:

• Moderate physical activity:
  
  • Push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of fifty (50) pounds to a minimum height of three (3) feet and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum distance of fifty (50) feet.
  • Standing and/or walking for more than four (4) hours per day.
  • Bending and/or stooping for more than one (1) hour at a time.
  • Sitting for more than two (2) hours at a time.
  • Requires computer work with repetitive typing and concentrating on computer screen.