Director of Food and Nutrition Services

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership in planning, coordinating, and directing all Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) functions, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Develops and maintains departmental policies and operational procedures that ensure safe food handling, sanitation, infection control, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Implements a system-wide customer service philosophy that focuses on value, service excellence, and patient/resident satisfaction.
• Oversees menu development and food production to ensure nutritionally sound, attractive, cost-effective meals that meet dietary requirements, physician orders, and regulatory standards.
• Conducts routine inspections of food preparation, storage, and service areas to ensure cleanliness, safety, temperature control, and proper equipment operation.
• Develops and manages annual operating and capital budgets; monitors food and labor costs; develops strategies for waste reduction and operational efficiencies.
• Establishes purchasing and inventory guidelines to ensure cost-effective procurement, proper receiving, storage, and inventory control of food and supplies.
• Ensures accurate maintenance of departmental records, production logs, temperature logs, sanitation documentation, and purchasing documentation, in accordance with regulatory and audit requirements.
• Maintains compliance with Joint Commission, OSHA, CMS, IDPH, HIPAA, and local health department requirements.
• Coordinates and leads departmental quality improvement initiatives; collects data, monitors trends, and implements corrective action plans to achieve performance goals.
• Provides ongoing leadership for staffing, including recruitment, selection, scheduling, performance evaluation, coaching, and progressive discipline.
• Ensures all staff are trained on food safety standards, emergency food supply procedures, infection prevention, and department policies.
• Collaborates with Nursing, Dietitians, Resident Care, Rehabilitation, and other interdisciplinary teams to support patient/resident clinical nutrition needs.
• Responds to customer feedback and implements service recovery processes to maintain a high level of satisfaction.
• Provides leadership and support for special functions, catering events, or emergency feeding needs.
• Participates in committees, leadership meetings, surveys, inspections, and hospital-wide improvement initiatives.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient, resident, employee and organizational information.
• Attends mandatory meetings and required trainings; participates in opportunities for personal and professional growth.
• Performs other duties as necessary or assigned.
• Complies with the Corporate Compliance Policy and all laws, regulations, and Standards of Conduct relating to the position and agrees to report any suspected violations.

 

Supervisor Responsibilities

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with hospital policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, recommending hire, training, planning, assigning, and directing work; evaluating performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; and addressing complaints and resolving problems.

 

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.

• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory skills, including the ability to coach, develop, and motivate staff; delegate effectively; provide constructive feedback; and hold employees accountable.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities with a focus on safe, efficient, and patient-centered operations.
• Ability to model professionalism, teamwork, and positive communication when working with staff, patients, residents, families, and vendors.
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work with attention to detail and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to maintain composure and sound judgment in high-volume or fast-paced situations.
• Proficient computer skills including email, scheduling, inventory or purchasing software, Microsoft Office applications, and the ability to learn new systems.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee, patient, and organizational information.

 

Education and/or Experience

• Associates degree in food service management (Bachelor’s degree prefe