Position Details

Director of Dietary Services

SUMMARY

The Director of Dietary Services directs and oversees all aspects of food service for Journey Health System in the Bradford and Warren regions. This position oversees individual and group meal plans, monitors intake and acceptance of meals, snacks and supplements and ensures proper nutrition education is provided. This position oversees food service operations in a commercial kitchen for distribution of meals daily to health system clients in the Bradford and Warren areas, including cooking, plating, and delivery.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's Degree and Registered Dietician (RD) or Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN)

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here 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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

General Duties

Duties the employee performs that although important do not have as major an impact on the delivery of services to our clientele

  • Participating in weekly team meetings.
  • Interacting with client families and non-agency personnel in courtesy and professional manner.
  • Knowing and supporting the agency mission, vision and value statement.
  • Working as a member of a team including, being supportive and friendly to co-workers, keeping personal problems away from work, splitting duties equally amongst co-workers, assisting co-workers when requested and welcoming new employees giving then extra support and encouragement.
  • Attending and completing scheduled required annual training.
  • Providing an appropriate role model for staff and the individuals they serve in appearance, actions, manner of speech, etc.
  • Developing and monitoring quality initiatives in his/her department.
  • Being aware of the Agency's operating budget and function within its limits.
  • Actively participating on Agency committees when requested.
  • Ensuring that incident reports are thoroughly completed and filed in a timely manner.
  • Treating subordinates with courtesy and respect using good principles of management.
  • Managing/Running team meetings within their department.
  • Ensuring that the environment is safe for the individuals they serve including: stairways free of items, identified storage areas are locked, the unit free of clutter, spills are cleaned up as they occur, etc.
  • Following through on directives given to him/her by their supervisor or by Senior Management staff.
  • Keeping communication open between all levels of staff.
  • Interacting with the resident's in a respectful manner that is appropriate for the situation.
  • The training of new employees and on-going on-the-job-training with all staff.
  • Completing reports or other written work assigned in a timely manner.

Vital Duties

Duties the employee performs that have a major impact on the delivery of services to our clientele

  • Documentation of important information and data in a timely and professional manner
  • Direct supervision and management of the daily functions of the department. Which includes:
    • Interviewing and hiring new staff.
  • Ensuring that new employee and annual evaluations are thorough and given in a timely manner.
  • Effecting any necessary employee comments and dismissal action in conjunction with the Director of Human Resources.
  • The training of new employees and on-going on-the-job-training with all staff.
  • Scheduling staff working hours and assigning staff to areas to provide adequate coverage within the Agency's requirements without previously authorized overtime.
  • Periodic direct observation of staff performance and providing feedback to staff on their performance.
  • Overseeing the School Breakfast and Lunch Program including making sure all programs are in compliance and the required paperwork is completed.
  • Writing menus for general and specific diets including keeping a file of tested recipes suited to the requirements of the facility.
  • Working with the nursing staff to ensure all special diets are followed correctly.
  • Inspecting kitchen on a weekly basis to ensure they are clean.
  • Preparing and serving nutritious meals and snacks.
  • Working with Purchasing Director to order and obtain food supplies
  • Maintaining an inventory control system to minimize spoilage and waste
  • Planning monthly menus that are nutritional and diverse to meet the needs of our special population
  • Maintaining sanitary conditions in food preparation, storage, and in the service of foods to children and staff
  • Completing studies showing food costs in an attempt to reduce costs while keeping the meals to a high standard
  • Developing training programs for residential and dietary staff to improve their competencies in the area of cooking and meal planning
  • Keeping necessary records of kinds and amount of food purchased, meals served, inventory of food supplies on hand, menus for meals as they have been served and hours worked by employees.
  • Ensuring that all Joint Commission Standards are met in the Dietary department.
  • Ensuring that all meals meet dietary guidelines.
  • Ansul Systems Training

PROBATION EXPECTATIONS

Must demonstrate during probation competencies in the following areas:

  1. Working with/around MH/MR Clients
  2. Supervision of Staff
  3. Cooking for Groups
  4. Ordering Food
  5. Writing Menus
  6. Overseeing Breakfast and Lunch Program

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to clients that are generally a forensic population (court ordered). Employment may also require exposure to clients who have a mental health diagnosis which might include: attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, borderline personality disorder, borderline intellectual functioning, depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder. The employee is occasionally exposed to individuals who have the potential to be hiv-positive, have hepatitis or other communicable diseases. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

AGENCY EXPECTATIONS

Staff are expected to:

  1. Preserve the positive public image of the agency and its staff.
  2. Be familiar with Agency's Procedure and Personnel Manuals and function within the directives provided.
  3. Be aware of and follow state regulations.
  4. Report to administrative staff any situation that interferes with proper operation of the unit.
  5. Report to administrative staff any actions by another employee which may constitute possible emotional or physical abuse.
  6. Maintain a confidential attitude in regards information pertaining to the individuals we serve.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

This position requires participation in ongoing mandatory trainings while employed. Training requirements are detailed in the Training Matrix which is maintained by the Human Resources Department. Along with their supervisor, each staff person is responsible for reviewing the Training Matrix to determine individual training requirements and completing those requirements in a timely manner.

PHYSICAL/HEALTH ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

This position is required to have a pre-employment physical and a physical every year thereafter.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position directly supervises those assigned employees.