Dietary Manager

Kenwood Village Nursing & Rehabilitation Center; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kenwood Village Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Chicago seeks a Dietetic Manager to support the Dietitian in planning, organizing, directing the dietary operation and ensuring food service quality daily.

You will supervise staff, develop dietary policies, review menus and diet plans, and participate in quality assurance, infection control, and resident discharge planning to uphold high standards of nutrition and service.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Graduation from an accredited dietetic training program.
• Must be registered as a Food Service Director in Illinois.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning, developing and directing the Dietary Department.
• Assist in developing and maintaining policies, procedures, and job descriptions.
• Review and update dietary plans and menus based on physician orders and resident needs.
• Develop and maintain standard recipes and quality assurance processes.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance and Infection Control committees to improve service.

Skills

Leadership ability

Independent decision making

Communication in English

Interpersonal skills

Education

High school diploma

Dietetic training (accredited course)

Illinois Food Service Director registration

Job description

Dietary Manager

SUMMARY:

The primary purpose of the Dietary Manager is to assist the Dietitian in planning, organizing, developing and directing the overall operation of the Dietary Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations governing our facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator and the Assistant Administrator to assure that quality nutritional services are provided on a daily basis and that the Dietary Department is maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary manner.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the Dietary Department, its programs and activities.

• Assist in developing & maintaining written job descriptions and performance evaluations for each level of dietary personnel.

• Assist the dietary staff in the development and use of departmental policies, procedures, equipment, supplies, etc.

• Review the department’s policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc., at least annually for revisions, and make recommendations to the Dietitian and/or Administrator.

• Develop and maintain a file of tested standard recipes.

• Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommend to the Administrator adjustments in food services that assure the continued ability to provide daily food services.

• Assume administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability of supervising the Dietary Department.

• Inspect food storage rooms, utility/janitorial closets, etc., for upkeep and supply control.

• Review and assist in developing a plan of correction for Dietary Department service deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide written copy of such to the Administrator.

• Process diet changes and new diets as received from Nursing Department.

• Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to Dietitian and/or Administrator of action(s) taken.

• Assist in developing and implementing Dietary Department service organization structure.

• Assist the Quality Assessment & Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct food service deficiencies & also maintain an ongoing quality assurance program for Dietary Department.

• Assist during resident discharge planning with the dietary portion of the resident’s discharge from the facility.

• Participate in facility surveys (inspections made by authorized government agencies.

• Interview residents or family members, as necessary, to obtain diet history. Participate in maintaining records of the resident’s food likes and dislikes.

• Assist in developing methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.

• Ensure that charted dietary progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident’s response to the service.

• Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established policies and procedures.

• Maintain an adequate liaison with families and residents as necessary.

• Maintain a reference library of written material, laws, diet manuals, food codes, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality food service.

• Visit residents periodically to evaluate the quality of meals served, likes/dislikes and involve the resident/family in planning objectives and goals for the resident.

• Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician and assist in developing diet plans for individual residents.

• Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to assure they are in compliance with the physician’s orders. Review the dietary requirements of each resident admitted to the facility as may be required, and assist the attending physician in planning for the resident’s prescribed diet plan.

• Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning food service programs and activities.

• Ensure that residents are offered a nourishing snack at bedtime.

• Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.

• Meet with dietary personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, solicity advice from inter-department supervisors concerning the operation of the Dietary Department, assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the methods of improvement of services.

• Attend department head meetings, etc., as scheduled or as may be called.

• Schedule and announce departmental meeting times, dates, places, etc.

• Assist in the recruitment, interviewing and selection of Dietary personnel.

• Ensure that appropriate identification documents, background/security checks, etc., are complete and are provided to the HR Director prior to or upon the employee reporting to work.

• Determine departmental staffing requirements necessary to meet the Dietary Department’s needs, and assign a sufficient number of food services personnel for each shift. Recommend to the Administrator the number and level of Dietary personnel to be employed.

• Schedule department work hours (including vacation and holiday schedules), personnel, work assignments, etc., to expedite work.

• Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to other food services personnel as deemed necessary to perform their assigned duties.

• Counsel/discipline dietary personnel as requested or as necessary.

• Terminate employment of personnel when necessary, documenting and coordinating such actions with the HR Director and/or Administrator.

• Assist in standardizing the methods in which food services tasks will be performed.

• Review and check competence of dietary personnel and make necessary adjustments/corrections as required or that may become necessary.

• Make daily rounds to assure that dietary personnel are performing required duties and to assure that appropriate food services procedures are being rendered to meet the needs of the facility.

• Assist in establishbing a food service production line, etc., to assure that meals are prepared on time.

• Monitor absenteeism to ensure that an adequate number of personnel is on duty at all times.

• Conduct departmental performance evaluations in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures.

• Assist in the development of and participate in the planning, conducting, and scheduling of timely in-service training classes that provide instructions on “how to do the job” and that ensure a well‑educated Dietary Department

• Assist in development, implementing, and maintaining an effective orientation program that orients the new employee to the department, its policies and procedures, and to his/her job position and duties.

• Assist the Safety Officer in developing safety standards for Dietary Department and monitor the department to make sure that they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.

• Ensure that dietary service work areas are maintained in a clean and sanitary manner.

• Ensure that all food storage rooms, preparation areas, etc., are maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

• Assist the Infection Control Committee in the development, implementation, and revision of food services aseptic and isolation techniques.

• Ensure that Dietary personnel follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.

• Recommend to the Administrator the equipment and supply needs of the department and make periodic rounds to check equipment and to assure that necessary equipment is available and working properly.

• Ensure that stock levels of staple/non-staple food, supplies, equipment, etc., are maintained at adequate levels at all times. Assist in the developing and monitoring adequate inventory control procedures.

• Assist in developing and implementing procedures which ensure that Dietary service supplies are used in an efficient manner to avoid waste.

• Ensure that containers of hazardous chemicals used in the department are properly labeled and stored.

• Participate in completing; coding and revising of the Resident Assessment Instrument (MDS) to ensure the resident’s dietary needs are met. Using the MDS and other authorized facility assessments, develop a written dietary plan of care that identifies the dietary problems/needs of the resident and the goals to be accomplished for each dietary problem/need identified. Review goals for modifications as necessary.

• Encourage the resident/family to participate in the development and review of the resident’s assessment and plan of care.

• Ensure that all Dietary personnel are aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in planning daily food services for the resident.

• Review nurse’s notes to determine if the care plan is being following. Discuss problem areas with the Director of Nursing.

• Ensure that the care plan identifies any special equipment and utensils the resident may need.

• Review and revise care plans and assessments as necessary, but at least quarterly.

• Provide substitute foods or similar nutritive value to residents who refused food served.

• Budgetary responsibilities include reviewing financial and budget transactions, assisting with budget development, and budgetary control.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Will be a working Manager

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Must possess, as a minimum, a high school diploma.
• Be a graduate of an accredited course in dietetic training approved by the American Dietetic Association.
• Must have, as a minimum of 5 years’ experience in a supervisory capacity in a hospital, nursing care facility, or other related medical facility.
• Must have training in cost control, food management, diet therapy, etc.
• Must be registered as a Food Service Director in the State of Illinois.
• Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel and the general public.
• Must be knowledgeable of dietary practices and procedures as well as the laws, regulations and guidelines governing dietary functions in nursing care facilities.
• Must possess leadership ability and willingness to work harmoniously with and supervise other personnel.
• Must have patience, tact, cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as be willing to handle residents based on whatever maturity level they are currently functioning.
• Must be able to read and interpret dietary cost reports, financial data, etc.
• Must be able to relate information concerning a resident’s condition.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.
• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
• Must function independently, have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with the residents, personnel and support agencies.
• Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
• Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility, which include a medical and physical examination.
• Must be able to relate to and work with ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and, at times, hostile people within the facility.
• Must be able to push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds to a minimum height of 5 feet and be able to push, pull, move, and/or carry such weight a minimum distance of 50 feet.
• May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.