Director of Nutrition Services

Director Of Nutrition Services

The Director Of Nutrition Services (DNS) is responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of the organization's clinical nutrition and dietary programs, ensuring the delivery of timely interdisciplinary services to meet the nutritional, educational, and diverse needs of patients, program participants, and community members, in alignment with program deliverables and the organization's overall mission. An active nutrition services provider, the DNS will direct the integration and administration of the WIC Program, overseeing program staff, operational performance, community outreach initiatives, regulatory compliance, quality improvement activities, and liaise with internal and external stakeholders to advance maternal and child health outcomes while supporting equitable and culturally competent healthcare services within underserved communities. The DNS is a strategic and collaborative leader with strong clinical nutrition expertise, public health experience, and a commitment to serving diverse and underserved populations.

Essential Functions

This job description is not designed to be a complete list of the essential functions, duties, and responsibilities required for this position. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Clinical & Nutrition Services Leadership

• Ensure delivery of comprehensive nutrition assessments, education, breastfeeding counseling, and referrals to healthcare and social service resources.

• Collaborate with healthcare providers and care teams to coordinate services for pregnant women, postpartum mothers, infants, and children.

• Support evidence-based nutrition and breastfeeding initiatives aligned with public health standards and organizational goals.

• Monitor participant satisfaction and address concerns in a timely and professional manner.

Clinical Nutrition & Patient Care

• Provide direct patient care through nutrition assessments, counseling, and medical nutrition therapy for pediatric, adult, prenatal, and geriatric populations.

• Develop individualized nutrition care plans for patients with chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other nutrition-related conditions.

• Collaborate with physicians, nurses, behavioral health providers, and interdisciplinary care teams to ensure coordinated patient-centered care.

• Document patient encounters and care plans in the electronic health record (EHR) system in accordance with organizational standards.

• Promote preventive health initiatives through nutrition education and wellness counseling.

Nutrition Services Leadership

• Develop and implement nutrition policies, procedures, quality standards, and evidence-based practices.

• Monitor departmental productivity, patient outcomes, and quality improvement activities.

• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and accreditation standards.

• Develop strategic goals and operational plans for nutrition services

WIC Program Leadership & Operations

• Direct and oversee program operations, ensuring compliance with all WIC federal, state, and local regulations, policies, and reporting requirements, New York State Department of Health, FQHC regulations and standards, and other oversight agencies.

• Develop, implement, and monitor policies, procedures, and workflows to ensure efficient and effective program delivery.

• Establish program goals, performance metrics, and quality improvement initiatives to enhance participant outcomes and operational efficiency.

• Monitor WIC program performance metrics, participant enrollment, outreach, retention, and satisfaction.

• Monitor program budgets, expenditures, staffing levels, and resource allocation to ensure fiscal responsibility and program sustainability.

• Ensure accurate documentation, reporting, and maintenance of participant records in compliance with HIPAA.

• Coordinate audits, site visits, and program reviews to maintain regulatory compliance.

• Strengthen community partnerships to support maternal, infant, and child health initiatives.

Staff Management & Development

• Recruit, supervise, train, mentor, and evaluate nutrition and WIC staff.

• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, continuing education, and professional development activities for program staff.

• Conduct regular staff meetings and performance evaluations to support accountability and continuous improvement.

• Foster a positive, engaging, collaborative, inclusive, culturally responsive, and mission-driven work environment focused on staff wellbeing, patient-centered care, and a sense of community.

Community Outreach & Participant Engagement

• Develop and implement outreach strategies to increase WIC enrollment and retention within the community.

• Build and maintain partnerships with hospitals, pediatric and OB/GYN providers, schools, shelters, and community-based organizations.

• Promote public awareness of WIC services, breastfeeding support, nutrition education, and maternal-child wellness initiatives.

• Participate in community events, health fairs, and public health initiatives to strengthen community engagement.

• Collaborate with external agencies and partners to improve community nutrition and wellness outcomes.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure readiness for audits, site reviews, and state monitoring visits.

• Review and analyze program data, reports, and outcomes to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.

• Maintain compliance with all federal, state, and organizational regulations, policies, and accreditation standards.

• Implement corrective action plans when necessary and monitor ongoing compliance activities.

Required Qualification And Competencies

• Bachelor's degree in nutrition, Dietetics, or a related field, master’s degree preferred.

• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).

• New York State Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (CDN).

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in nutrition services, clinical nutrition, or public health nutrition required.

• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory or leadership experience required.

• Strong knowledge of USDA WIC regulations, maternal-child health practices, nutrition education, and community health programming.

• Demonstrated leadership, staff supervision, and program management experience.

• Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

• Proficiency with EMR/EHR systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and data reporting systems.

Leadership and team development

Regulatory compliance and quality assurance

Community engagement and outreach

Cultural competency and patient-centered care

Strategic planning and operational management

Data analysis and performance improvement

Technologically advanced with a strong aptitude for leveraging digital tools, EMR/EHR platforms, and emerging technologies to enhance program operations and participant care

Willingness to work within an interdisciplinary care model, collaborating across clinical and program teams to enhance the quality of care delivered to patients

Preferred Qualification And Competencies

• Bilingual Spanish or creole.

• Experience working in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), community health center, or public health setting.

• Experience working in or managing a WIC program.

• Experience in an FQHC, community health center, or safety-net healthcare organization.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position directly supervises the nutrition and WIC department employees/managers and administrative staff.

Work Environment

• Office-based with frequent computer use.

• Deadline-driven environment with multiple concurrent grants.

• Interaction with internal leadership, program staff, and external funders.

• Occasional evening or weekend work during reporting or audit periods.