Food Services Manager

Description

About LIFE Pittsburgh

LIFE Pittsburgh is a community-based alternative to nursing home care and assisted living. Through the PACE model, we help frail older adults remain safely and meaningfully in their homes by coordinating care across Day Health Centers, in-home support, transportation, meals, therapies, and medical services.

Food service is part of the care model, not only a meal operation. It supports nutrition, health, comfort, social connection, and the ability of Participants to remain in the community. Every support service role contributes to Participant dignity, independence, safety, and access to care. We believe phenomenal care can only come from phenomenal people, and that conviction guides how we hire, develop, and support every member of our team 

What We Offer

Rich Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, and Vision

401(k) with Company Match, vested immediately.

Life Insurance

Want to further your education? We offer Tuition Reimbursement!

Paid Time Off – Grows every pay period and rolls over into new year!

Job Summary:   

The Food Services Manager leads food service, kitchen operations, and dining support across all LIFE Pittsburgh centers. The role ensures meals are safe, appropriate, timely, appealing, and served in accordance with food safety requirements, diet orders, and LIFE Pittsburgh's PACE philosophy of care.

The manager leads dietary staff, coordinates with Center Administrators and the interdisciplinary team, maintains reliable kitchen and dining operations, and ensures therapeutic and texture-modified diets are executed as ordered. The manager leads with clear standards, visible support, staff accountability, and respect for Participant choice, dignity, and safety.

Scope boundary. This role manages food service delivery: menu production, cooking, serving, sanitation, and food safety. Clinical nutrition, therapeutic diet orders, and nutritional care planning are the responsibility of the Registered Dietitian, who reports through the Director of PACE Services and the interdisciplinary team. This position does not supervise or direct the Registered Dietitian. It coordinates with the Registered Dietitian the same as with any other interdisciplinary team member and executes the diet orders and nutrition plans they provide.

Essential Functions:

Kitchen, Dining, and Meal Service Operations

• Oversee daily food service and kitchen operations across assigned LIFE Pittsburgh centers.
• Ensure meal preparation, service, storage, sanitation, labeling, temperatures, and documentation meet LIFE Pittsburgh standards and applicable food safety requirements.
• Support reliable center dining, take-home meals, grocery shopping support, and other meal-related service workflows as assigned.
• Monitor meal quality, timeliness, portioning, presentation, and Participant feedback, then follow through on needed corrections.
• Work with center leadership so dining operations support Participant dignity, safe access to meals, and appropriate assistance during meal service.

Diet Order Execution and Care Coordination

• Ensure meals are prepared and served in accordance with Participant diet orders, therapeutic diets, texture modifications, allergies, and service notes as specified by the Registered Dietitian and clinical team.
• Ensure dietary staff understand and follow Participant-specific meal instructions, diet orders, service notes, and escalation pathways.
• Coordinate with the interdisciplinary team, Nursing, Rehabilitation, Center Administrators, and the Registered Dietitian when eating, swallowing, hydration, appetite, or meal tolerance concerns are observed or reported, and escalate promptly.
• Reinforce that dining and meal service protect Participant safety, dignity, privacy, preferences, and independence whenever possible.

Menu Production, Food Purchasing, and Resource Stewardship

• Collaborate in menu planning led by the Registered Dietitian, contributing product, purchasing, and operational knowledge, and maintain the resulting production and cycle menus and recipes so they support operational reliability, food safety, and responsible resource use. Nutritional adequacy and therapeutic diet specifications are owned and approved by the Registered Dietitian.
• Coordinate food purchasing, inventory controls, vendor communication, and supply planning to support reliable meal service and minimize waste.
• Monitor food cost, supply use, staffing needs, and budget performance. Provide variance explanations and recommended corrective action when needed.
• Identify opportunities to improve quality