Regional Registered Dietitian

Peaks Healthcare Consulting; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid Time Off (PTO)

401(k)

Mileage reimbursement for travel

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Peaks Healthcare Consulting is seeking a Registered Dietitian to oversee clinical nutrition and dietary department operations across Colorado and neighboring states. This hybrid role combines remote administrative tasks with on-site visits to skilled nursing facilities.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition, registered credentials, and a minimum of two years of experience. Key responsibilities include monitoring dietary compliance and ensuring high-quality resident care through individualized nutrition services.

Qualifications

• Current RD or RDN credential through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
• Active licensure required by state regulations.
• Minimum two years experience in skilled nursing or long-term care setting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee clinical nutrition services and dietary department operations.
• Conduct routine dietary audits and evaluate compliance.
• Educate dietary managers and staff on nutrition-related topics.

Skills

Knowledge of CMS regulations

Clinical documentation

Auditing skills

Leadership skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Food and Nutrition

Tools

Electronic health records

Microsoft Office applications

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly qualified and operationally strong Registered Dietitian / Regional Dietitian to provide clinical nutrition leadership and dietary department oversight for our skilled nursing and long-term care facilities across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wyoming. This position is ideally based in or near Denver, Colorado and operates in a hybrid capacity, combining remote administrative responsibilities with regular on-site facility visits. As the Regional Dietitian, you will oversee clinical nutrition services, dietary department operations, regulatory compliance, survey readiness, quality improvement initiatives, and staff education. You will collaborate closely with facility leadership teams, dietary managers, nursing departments, physicians, therapy teams, and interdisciplinary care teams to ensure residents receive individualized, clinically appropriate, and regulatory-compliant nutrition services. This role serves as a key clinical and operational resource supporting resident outcomes, dietary compliance, resident satisfaction, and organizational performance across multiple facilities.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Nutrition Oversight

• Complete, review, and oversee nutrition assessments, reassessments, care plans, and nutrition-related documentation
• Evaluate residents for nutrition risks including weight loss, wounds, pressure injuries, dehydration, dysphagia, dialysis needs, tube feeding requirements, and therapeutic diet needs
• Develop individualized nutrition interventions in collaboration with physicians, nursing, therapy, pharmacy, social services, and interdisciplinary teams
• Review resident weights, meal intake, laboratory values, supplement utilization, hydration status, and skin integrity concerns
• Recommend therapeutic diets, texture-modified diets, oral nutrition supplements, hydration interventions, fortified foods, and enteral nutrition support
• Participate in care conferences, weight-loss meetings, wound meetings, QAPI initiatives, and high-risk resident reviews
• Support accurate nutrition-related documentation and MDS input to promote quality outcomes and reimbursement accuracy

Dietary Department Oversight

• Provide leadership, guidance, and support to Dietary Managers, Food Service Directors, cooks, dietary aides, and facility leadership teams
• Evaluate dietary operations including meal service, tray accuracy, food storage, sanitation, menu compliance, and dining experiences
• Conduct routine dietary audits to assess compliance, documentation quality, operational performance, and survey readiness
• Assist facilities with dietary policies, procedures, competencies, corrective action plans, and operational improvements
• Support implementation of resident-centered dining practices, hydration programs, supplement programs, and therapeutic diet systems
• Monitor food safety practices, sanitation standards, and kitchen organization

Regulatory Compliance & Survey Readiness

• Support compliance with CMS Food and Nutrition Services requirements and applicable federal regulations
• Assist facilities in maintaining compliance with 42 CFR 483.60 and applicable state regulations
• Participate in mock surveys, dietary audits, kitchen inspections, and regulatory readiness activities
• Assist with plans of correction, allegations of compliance, and post-survey monitoring activities
• Maintain current knowledge of regulatory requirements affecting nutrition services, dietary operations, food safety, and resident care

Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement

• Participate in regional and facility QAPI initiatives related to nutrition services, weight management, wounds, hydration, resident satisfaction, and dietary operations
• Analyze trends involving weight loss, supplement utilization, dietary citations, food quality concerns, and resident grievances
• Develop and support performance improvement plans alongside facility and regional leadership
• Prepare audit summaries, compliance reports, findings, and recommendations
• Monitor corrective action plans to ensure sustained compliance and operational improvement

Education & Leadership Support

• Educate dietary managers, nursing staff, CNAs, administrators, and interdisciplinary team members on nutrition-related topics
• Provide training regarding therapeutic diets, wound nutrition, hydration management, food safety, sanitation, meal intake documentation, and resident-centered dining practices
• Support onboarding and competency development for dietary department leaders and staff
• Serve as a regional clinical resource for nutrition-related concerns and dietary department operations

Qualifications

• Current Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential through the Commission on Dietetic Registration
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Dietetics, Nutrition, Food and Nutrition, or related accredited field
• Active or eligible licensure, certification, registration, or authorization required by applicable state regulations
• Ability to obtain and maintain credentials necessary to provide nutrition services in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wyoming
• Minimum two (2) years of experience as a Registered Dietitian in skilled nursing, long-term care, rehabilitation, post-acute care, hospital, or similar healthcare setting
• Strong knowledge of CMS regulations, skilled nursing facility operations, therapeutic diets, care planning, clinical documentation, and survey readiness
• Ability to travel regularly throughout assigned service areas
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, auditing, and leadership skills
• Proficiency with electronic health records, Microsoft Office applications, and virtual communication platforms
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation

Preferred Qualifications

• Residence in or near Denver, Colorado
• Master's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Healthcare Administration, or related field
• Previous regional or multi-facility dietitian experience
• Experience supporting dietary departments within skilled nursing or long-term care settings
• Familiarity with MDS processes, PDPM, QAPI initiatives, and nutrition-related quality measures
• Experience with survey preparation, plans of correction, and compliance auditing
• ServSafe certification or advanced knowledge of food safety and sanitation standards

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 401(k)Mileage reimbursement for facility travel
• Professional development and continuing education opportunities
• Supportive and collaborative leadership environment
• Hybrid work flexibility

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic in accordance with applicable laws.

Reasonable Accommodation

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. Applicants requiring assistance should contact Human Resources.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel regularly by vehicle and/or air to assigned facilities
• Ability to walk through kitchens, dining rooms, resident care areas, and facility environments
• Ability to sit, stand, bend, and move throughout facilities for extended periods
• Ability to use computers, phones, and standard office equipment for extended periods
• Ability to lift and carry light office, audit, and training materials as needed