Supervisory Dietitian (food Operations)

Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations)

The Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations) assignment provides expert supervision of a complex Veteran-Centric food operation which consists of four distinct sections (Informatics, Food Service, Production, Nutrition Communication Center). They are an essential part of the NFS executive leadership team. Supervisory Dietitians make decisions based on intricate and unrelated information and assumptions from inconclusive or variable data related to food operations.

Responsibilities:

• Serves as professional and technical advisor to staff and other health care professionals.
• Represents the food operations section on projects, committees and/or workgroups within the department and the facility.
• Assumes full responsibility for planning, directing, and assessing the work and competence of subordinate staff.
• Develops procedures and guidelines for food operations.
• Coordinates food service operation policies and procedures with clinical nutrition management, nursing, and other services, as applicable.
• Monitors compliance with regulatory standards, policies, and procedures.
• Participates in performance improvement efforts within the Food Service Operations section, acting on quality improvement data and plans.
• Completes internal audits of food service and food production.
• Completes routine kitchen inspections.
• Leads the action planning process to attain goals and resolve deficiencies.
• Implements the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) program ensuring that requisitioning, receipt/storage, preparation and service of food conforms to quality/quantity standards.
• Evaluates food operations to ensure proper allocation of resources.
• Devises solutions and implements action plans to resolve issues and meet service goals and objectives leading to improved patient satisfaction and quality food operations.
• Participates in an active patient test tray program including evaluation of overall tray accuracy, food safety, quality and palatability, temperature, exceptional service, and implementing similar evaluations for bulk service settings, such as dining rooms or cafeteria settings.
• Ensures menus meet nutritional and budgetary requirements.
• Assesses technological equipment innovations and reviews specifications, making recommendations for equipment purchases.
• Builds and implements contingency plans within the section, ensuring continuity of food operations during internal and external emergency situations and unusual circumstances.
• Manages emergency feeding cache and ensures menus and supplies meet facility and The Joint Commission requirements.
• Executes the training plan for the food operations section.
• Orients and trains employees related to food service and food production and appropriate policies and procedures.
• Assists with new employee onboarding in food service and food production.
• Collaborates with the clinical nutrition staff, bridging the work of the food service section with the nutritional care plans for Veterans.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:30am-6:00pm

Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: PD99520S

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements Conditions of Employment:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications:

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD) - Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
• Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements.

Grade Determinations:

• Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations), GS-12 (1) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-12 you must possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
• (2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• Knowledge of standards to assess staff compliance and implement performance improvements.
• Skill in establishing goals and objectives to coordinate activities, evaluate accomplishments and solve problems.
• Skill in applying nutritional knowledge to ensure menus meet nutrition standards.
• Ability to utilize Evidence-Based Nutrition Practice Guidelines in order to develop, implement and coordinate best practices.
• Ability to serve as a food operations expert, providing technical guidance, direction and staff development.
• Ability to supervise subordinate staff (i.e., plan, organize, delegate, direct, control and review activities and performance).
• Ability to analyze data in order to recommend allocation of resources.
• (3) Assignment. For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time.

Physical Requirements:

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.

Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

Foreign Education. To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND® and meet ACEND®'s International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam.

Creditable Experience. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with current professional dietetic practice and must have been gained post registration. This may be evidenced by one or more of the following:

• The equivalent of 1 year of active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a registered Dietitian.
• Academic course work leading to an advanced graduate degree in nutrition or a related health care field.

Additional Information: