Certified Dietary Manager

JOB SUMMARY

This position must provide management for the Dietary Department, ensuring quality food. The Dietary Manager will direct and assist the preparation and serving of regular meals and therapeutic diets, order food and supplies and maintain area and equipment in sanitary condition and assure the smooth operation with other St. Luke departments.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Duties are determined by the facility’s needs and may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Is responsible for food purchase, production, and timely service of meals.
• Directs and supervises all dietary functions and personnel.
• Purchases food products from vendors approved by St. Luke.
• Maintains cost records and works to meet budget guidelines.
• Hires, trains, counsels, disciplines, and when appropriate, terminates dietary employees.
• Schedules work hours and assignments, reviews and checks staff work performance. Is responsible to see that each shift is properly staffed.
• Develops job descriptions and schedules. Inventories incoming food and supplies.
• Assures that proper storage is available, and that handling of food and supplies complies with current guidelines.
• Processes new diet orders and diet changes when received from nursing service and keeps diet cards updated.
• Plans and assists in preparation and service of holiday and special meals and functions.
• Participates in department head meetings.
• Evaluates work performance and gives evaluations to dietary employees.
• Coordinates dietary services with nursing service and activities director.
• Assures that food and supplies are available for use by dietary personnel.
• Maintains the standardized recipes in which the recipes are adjusted to the size of facility.
• Checks diet orders that are received against physicians’ orders at least once a month. Notify nursing of discrepancy.
• Inspects storage areas on a weekly basis for proper temperatures, cleanliness, and order. Assists in cleaning procedures as needed.
• Inspects Dietary Department regularly to ensure that it is safe and sanitary.
• Submits written reports to administration as necessary.
• Plans and presents in-service education programs for the Dietary Department.
• Investigates on-the-job injuries and corrects the problem and/or retrains the employee as necessary.
• Ensures continued compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.
• Works with Registered Dietitian to achieve quality food service.
• Maintains current Care Plan for each resident through interdisciplinary Care Plan meetings and updating when necessary.
• Maintains the security of the Dietary Department
• Is responsible for knowing, understanding, and conveying to other dietary staff personnel the Federal and State rules and regulations regarding nursing home dietary requirements and is responsible for their enforcement within the scope of the Dietary Department.
• Develops the dietary department’s budget and major expenditures for approval by the Administrator.
• Performs other tasks as necessary and appropriate when assigned.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS/ENVIRONMENT;

St. Luke Hospital & Living Center is an acute care and long term care facility licensed for 10 acute beds and 32 long term care beds. This includes meals for patients, residents, visitors, employees and home health clients.

The Dietary Manager stands and walks intermittently throughout the working day, as well as reaches, stoops, bends, lifts, carries, and manipulates various food products, dietary supplies and equipment. The Dietary Manager must have the ability to work with chemicals/cleaning agents.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY;

Directly Reporting:

Fulltime/part-time dietary staff

Indirectly Reporting:

Works closely with consulting dietitian

SCOPE AND COMPLEXITY;

Creates a facility-wide focus of performance improvement and quality management. Responsible for developing operational plans, consistent with St. Luke facility priorities, to identify and reach short and long term goals. Assures development and compliance with operating and capital budgets and achievement of financial performance. Internal customers include but are not limited to employees, patients, and other managers, directors, and administrator. External customers include but are not limited to practicing physicians, vendors, and the community.

QUALIFICATIONS;

The Dietary Manager must be a graduate of an approved dietary manager’s course that meets the state and federal care regulations. If not a graduate, the employee must be presently enrolled in a dietary manager course or be enrolled within four months of the next approved dietary manager course. If an employee has not been certified by the Dietary Manager Association but has completed the dietary manager course, they will qualify to have the job title of Dietary Manager. An employee who is uncertified but currently enrolled in dietary manager course or is to be enrolled during the next session, will carry the job title of Food Service Supervisor.

This position also:

• Must be able to read, write and understand English.
• Must be in good mental and physical condition.
• Must possess leadership qualities and be able to supervise and secure the cooperation of the dietary personnel.
• Must have basic knowledge of dietetic principles, food sanitation, and food service operation.
• Must be able to work productively with other department heads and personnel and the Dietitian.
• Usually works forty (40) hours per week. Will vary, may include weekends and evenings.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Administers and directs the activities of the dietary department to ensure that continuous quality and cost effective food service and nutritional care is provided.

2. Provides leadership to department staff and supports the policies and goals of the facility to ensure the effectiveness of the department.

3. Develops and implements safety and sanitation programs to ensure a safe and clean work environment.

4. Develops regular and special menus for residents, patients and home health clients according to physician diet orders and established policies and procedures to provide therapeutic and nutritional care.

5. Maintains department expenditures within approved department budget to contribute to the cost effective utilization of the facility’s financial resources.