Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)/Kitchen Manager

Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)/Kitchen Manager 

Penick Village – Southern Pines, NC

Penick Village is seeking an experienced and motivated Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)/Kitchen Manager to lead our Healthcare Dining Services team. This leadership role is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the healthcare dining department while ensuring exceptional food quality, regulatory compliance, resident satisfaction, and a positive team culture.

If you are passionate about serving older adults, developing employees, and maintaining high standards of food service excellence, we encourage you to apply.

Position Summary:

The Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) / Kitchen Manager is responsible for the daily operations of the Healthcare Dining Services Department in accordance with Penick Village policies and procedures and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. This position provides leadership and direction to dining services staff, ensuring exceptional food quality, regulatory compliance, resident satisfaction, food safety, sanitation, and efficient department operations.

In addition to overseeing kitchen operations, this position plays a key role in Nutrition in our Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living Department by collaborating with the Registered Dietitian (RD), nursing staff, physicians, and the interdisciplinary team (IDT) to support residents' nutritional health. Responsibilities include processing new diet orders and diet changes, maintaining accurate diet records, completing assigned MDS nutrition sections within required timelines, developing and implementing individualized dietary plans in accordance with physician orders and RD guidance, reviewing and updating nutrition assessments and care plans, documenting and addressing nutritional concerns, participating in interdisciplinary care planning, and supporting the Registered Dietitian in delivering quality nutrition services that promote optimal resident health and regulatory compliance.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Operations Management

Supervise departmental business operations, develop and implement cost-effective

Utilize forecasts, menu specifications, and current inventory levels to effectively plan food purchases.

Communicate and report all purchasing plans to the Executive Chef/ Culinary Manager for approval and oversight.

Utilize equipment and supplies inventory to strategically plan purchases, ensuring operational efficiency and maintaining adequate stock levels.

Report all purchasing plans to the Director of Dining.

Work cooperatively with residents, facility staff, physicians, consultants, vendors, and other service providers.

Food Service Management

Specify standards and procedures for preparing

Participate in menu planning including responding to client preferences, substitution lists, therapeutic diets, and industry trends.

Inspect meals and ensure that standards for appearance, palatability, temperature, and servings times are met.

Manage the preparation and service of special nourishment and supplemental

Assure that foods are prepared according to production schedules, menus, and standardized recipes.

Food Safety

Ensure proper sanitation and safety practices of

Manage staff to ensure compliance with safety and sanitation regulations including safe receiving, storage, preparation, and service of food.

Protect food in all phases of preparation, holding, service, cooking, and

Manage physical facilities to ensure compliance with federal and state food safety and sanitation regulations.

Prepare cleaning schedules and maintain equipment to ensure food

Nutrition and Medical Nutrition Therapy

Process new diet orders and diet changes; keeps diet cards

Complete the assigned MDS section according to required

Determine client diet needs and develop appropriate dietary plans in cooperation with RD and in compliance with physicians' orders.

Review plan of care related to nutritional status; document concerns that can be resolved, improved, or addressed to improve client's nutritional status and eating

Review, revise, and implement, in cooperation with the IDT, the client's nutrition assessment and plan of care.

Supports Registered Dietitian duties as needed.

Personnel Management and Communications

Recruit, interview, hire, onboard, coach, evaluate, reward, discipline, and when necessary, terminate employees.

Review and update job description and job duties for each level of foodservice

Identify staffing Review schedules to ensure adequate departmental staffing on all shifts.

Participate in regulatory agency

Provide and manage ongoing education and training for staff on federal, state and organizational regulations and policies.

Establish, manage, and evaluate effectiveness of departmental goals. 

Job Relationships

Reports to the Director of Dining

Direct supervisory responsibility for healthcare dining attendants, cooks and

Collaborates with residents, facility staff, physicians, consultants, vendors, and other service providers.

Education and Requirements

Graduate of Dietary Manager's Course, 2-yr, or 4-yr food-service program

Successful completion of Certified Dietary Manager exam

Two years' experience in food service management

Two plus years of healthcare experience preferred

ServSafe Certification