Director, Nutrition Services

Valley Health System; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 89,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Zero-deductible health plan

Dental and vision insurance

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Retirement savings match

Employee wellness program

Job summary

Valley Health System’s Winchester Medical Center seeks a Director of Nutrition Services to provide strategic leadership, operational management, and regulatory compliance for nutrition and food service operations. The role drives patient-centered care, financial performance, and staff engagement across hospital services.

Responsibilities include leadership, budgeting, compliance, and program development to enhance patient satisfaction and safety within a large health system.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Service Management or equivalent; Master’s degree preferred.
• ServSafe Certification or equivalent (required or obtained within 6 months)
• 7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food and nutrition services; healthcare experience preferred.
• Demonstrated success in financial management, regulatory compliance, and team leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for Nutrition Services at Winchester Medical Center.
• Develop and implement strategic plans aligned with goals, patient experience, and outcomes.
• Lead and mentor managers and frontline staff to foster a high-performing culture.
• Oversee daily operations of food production, patient meals, retail dining and contracts.
• Manage budgets, labor, food costs, and capital expenditures; identify revenue opportunities.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Financial acumen

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Change management

Patient/customer focus

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition/Dietetics/FS Management

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

As one of the nation's Top 15 Health Systems, recognized by Premier and Modern Healthcare, Valley Health is a place where excellence, compassion, and purpose come together. This distinction reflects our commitment to exceptional patient care, clinical quality, and the caregivers who make it all possible.

Department NUTRITION SERVICES - 208052 Worker Sub Type Regular Work Shift Pay Range $42.56 - $65.98

Director of Nutrition Services

The Director of Nutrition Services is responsible for the strategic leadership, operational management, and regulatory compliance of nutrition and food service operations of Winchester Medical Center. This role ensures the delivery of high-quality, safe, patient-centered and retail nutrition services while optimizing financial performance, patient satisfaction, and employee engagement.

Essential Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Provide overall leadership and vision for Nutrition Services at Winchester Medical Center.
• Develop and implement strategic plans aligned with organizational goals, patient experience, and quality outcomes.
• Lead and mentor managers and frontline staff to foster a high-performing, service-oriented culture.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, clinical teams, and support services to integrate nutrition services across the continuum of care.

Operations Management

• Oversee daily operations of food production, patient meal service, retail dining and specialty contracts.
• Ensure efficient workflows, staffing models, and resource allocation across Winchester Medical Center.
• Monitor and improve key performance indicators (KPIs) such as patient satisfaction, meal accuracy, and service timeliness.
• Drive process improvement initiatives to enhance quality, safety, and efficiency.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage departmental budgets, including labor, food costs, and capital expenditures.
• Monitor financial performance and implement cost-control strategies while maintaining quality.
• Identify opportunities for revenue generation (e.g., retail operations, catering).

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., CMS, DNV, FDA, food safety standards).
• Maintain high standards for food safety, sanitation, infection prevention, and workplace safety.
• Lead readiness efforts for surveys, audits, and inspections.
• Implement quality assurance and performance improvement programs.

Customer Experience

• Ensure excellence in patient and guest dining experiences.
• Address and resolve complaints and service issues promptly.
• Develop programs that enhance patient satisfaction and engagement.

Talent Management

• Recruit, develop, and retain a skilled and diverse workforce.
• Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities.
• Promote a culture of accountability, inclusion, and continuous learning.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Service Management, or equivalent education such as Executive Chef training required Master’s degree preferred

Licensure / Certification

ServSafe Certification or equivalent (required or obtained within 6 months)

Experience

7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in food and nutrition services. Healthcare experience preferred Demonstrated success in financial management, regulatory compliance, and team leadership.

Qualifications

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Operational excellence
• Financial acumen
• Regulatory and compliance expertise
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Change management and process improvement
• Patient and customer-centered mindset

Benefits

In addition to a competitive salary, our most popular benefits for full-time employees include: A Zero-Deductible Health Plan Dental and vision insurance Generous Paid Time Off Tuition Assistance Retirement Savings Match A Robust Employee Assistance Program to help with many aspects of emotional wellbeing Membership to Healthy U: An Incentive-Based Wellness Program Valley Health also offers a health savings account & flexible spending account for childcare, life insurance short-term and long-term disability, and professional development. In addition, several perks come with working for the largest employer in the region, such as discounts to on-campus dining, and more.

To see the full scale of what we offer, visit valleyhealthbenefits.com.

Our Growth is Creating Great Opportunities! Our team is expanding, and we want to hire the most talented people we can. Continued success depends on it!