Dietary Director

Elwood Health and Living; Elwood (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Elwood Health and Living seeks a Dietary Director to lead the dietary department, ensuring nutrition and care plans meet state and federal regulations while coordinating with medical teams.

The role requires strong leadership, budgeting, and food service management with a focus on resident safety and high-quality meals. This full-time position emphasizes collaboration with care staff and adherence to infection control standards.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Certified Dietary Manager credential.
• Caring for frail elderly residents.
• Experience in institutional dietary service preferred.
• Ability to read procedures, recipes and diet orders.
• Numerical skills for budgeting, ordering and inventory.
• Physical endurance for demanding tasks.
• Team leadership and coordination abilities.
• Safety and sanitation knowledge.
• Ability to work as part of a team and lead staff.
• Computer use for timekeeping, documentation and training.

Responsibilities

• Oversee dietary department operations and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Assist with food preparation, serving and cleaning per procedures.
• Attend required training modules and in-service sessions.
• Direct resident nutrition planning and care conferences with documentation.
• Coordinate with Nursing on resident nutritional needs and physician orders.
• Plan menus with Dietician and Dietitian Consultant considering seasonal and budget factors.
• Manage department purchasing and annual budgeting.
• Hire, train, evaluate and discipline dietary staff as needed.
• Maintain sanitation, safety, and infection control standards.

Skills

Team leadership

Staffing coordination

Regulatory compliance

Procedural reading

Dietary computations

Time management

Communication

Resident care planning

Budget tracking

Infection control

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Certified Dietary Manager

Job description

*** Come be a part of something different - Join the Elwood Health and Living team TODAY!***

The Dietary Director is responsible for providing quality food service in accordance with all State and Federal regulations and to meet the nutritional and individual needs of the residents. They will manage the operation of the Dietary department to include staffing, department purchasing, food preparation, food delivery and clean-up in accordance with facility policies, physician orders, resident care plans and appropriate regulations.

Qualification

1. 1.Highschoolgraduateorequivalent.
2. 2.Successfulcompletionofstate-approvedfoodservicemanagementcourse Certified Dietary Manager.
3. 3.Caringpersonwithadesiretoworkwiththefrailandelderly.
4. 4.Previousinstitutionaldietaryserviceexperiencepreferred.
5. 5.Abilitytoreadandunderstandproceduresusedforworkassignments, instructions, recipe directions and diet order cards.
6. 6.Ability to make various computations in planning department objectives, keepingworkrecordsandschedules,preparingbudgets,orderingofsupplies and monitoring inventory control
7. 7.Numericalabilityforrecipepreparationandpropermeasuringofcleaning agents and chemicals.
8. 8.Adequate strength, endurance and coordination to meet the strenuous physicaldemandsofsuchresponsibilitiesaspreparingfooditems,carrying quantity foods, serving meals, handling soiled dishes, operating dietary equipment and cleaning assigned work areas.
9. 9.Coordinationanddexterityforpreparingfoodandoperatingdietaryequipmentsafely.
10. 10.Abilitytosafelyperformtheessentialfunctionsofthejobwithoutharmtoself or others.
11. 11.Abilitytoprioritizeduties.
12. 12.Abilitytoworkaspartofateamandleader.
13. 13.Abilitytoestablishandmaintainoptimumrapportwithresidents,family members and regulatory agencies.
14. 14.Abilitytoutilizecomputersandotherelectronicdevicesfortaskssuchas timekeeping, in-servicing and documentation.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. a. Oversees Dietary department and ensures department is meeting the highest standard attainable in accordance with State and Federal regulations.
2. b. Assists in defined food preparation, serving of meals and cleaning duties according to proper procedures, using various dietary equipment and supplies.
3. c. Attends required in-services and completes assigned on-line modules, if applicable.
4. d. Directs and oversees all resident nutritional needs planning and programs.
   • Responsible for designated nutritional aspects of resident care planning, including attending and participating in resident care conferences, to include Quarterly, Annual, and Initial Assessments, completing MDS (nutritional section), nutritional assessments, and all documentation necessary for compliance with State and Federal Regulations.
   • Contact with residents through routine and special visits; documentation of all pertinent dietary information (i.e.; diet changes, eating habits and diet order changes).
   • Coordinates dietary services with Nursing Department goals concerning individual resident nutritional needs in accordance with physician orders.
   • Oversee and delegate the updating of all resident nutritional information, as needed.
   • Oversees food preparation and serving of regular therapeutic meals on designated shifts; monitors food temperatures, portion control, palatability and attractiveness; inspects special diet trays for conformance to physician's diet orders prior to delivery.
   • Oversee and/or delegate the observation of meal service dining areas; obtains resident feedback on food quality, taste, appearance, temperature and service.
   • Responsible for obtaining approval for Capital expenditures and approval for any large equipment purchases for the department.
5. e. Follows reporting procedures for the following:
   • Observed resident concerns.
   • Observed changes in resident conditions.
   • Damaged, unsafe, malfunctioning equipment.
   • Conditions related to breeding insects, rodents, and/or other vermin.
6. f. Interviews, and hires department personnel; supervises orientation; counsels and/or disciplines employees on infractions of established rules; partners with Human Resources and/or designee to terminate employees when needed.
7. g. Conducts performance evaluations and recommends wage changes
8. h. Schedules dietary staff to maintain budgeted staff hours every two (2) weeks.
9. i. Oversee the development and maintenance of work routines.
10. j. Plans, develops and executes facility and individual resident menus in conjunction with Dietician Dietary Consultant in accordance with State and Federal regulations; implements substitutions of menu items dependent upon seasonal availability, individual preferences and principles of economy.
11. k. Oversees all department purchasing and maintains set budgets for the fiscal year.
12. l. Attends required in-services and completes assigned on-line modules.
13. m. Supplies input and/or information on a monthly basis concerning department functions, activities, needs, goals and objectives; completes annual reports.
14. n. Supervises and assists in workflow and food handling techniques of staff as needed.
15. o. Ensure equipment and work areas are clean, safe and orderly; and strict adherence to procedures regarding cleaners, hazardous materials. Ensures universal precautions and infection control, isolation, fire safety and sanitation practices and procedures are followed.
16. p. Supervise Food Preparation and Serving: Ensure food is nutritional appetizing, prepared as planned and served in a timely and pleasant manner.
17. q. Ensure appropriate meals/snacks are served to residents with special dietary needs.
18. r. Responsible for sanitation and safety procedures, practices and training of dietary department of conformance to quality standards and health regulations.
19. s. Ensure proper storage of foods and supplies.