Assistant Director of Food Services

Summary:

The primary purpose of your job position is to assist the Dietitian in planning, organizing, developing and directing the overall operation of the Food Services Department in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines and regulations governing our facility, and as may be directed by the Administrator, to assure that quality nutritional services are provided on a daily basis and that the Food Services Department is maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in planning, developing, organizing, implementing, evaluating, and directing the Food Services Department, its programs and activities.
• Coordinate food services and activities with other related departments (i.e., Nursing, Environmental, Activity and Social Services, etc.).
• Assist in developing and maintaining written food services policies and procedures.
• Assist in developing and maintaining written job descriptions and performance evaluations for each level of food services personnel.
• Interpret the department’s policies and procedures to employees, residents, visitors, government agencies, etc., as necessary.
• Assist the food services staff in the development and use of departmental policies, procedures, equipment, supplies, etc.
• Assume the responsibility of obtaining/maintaining/filing material safety data sheets (MSDSs) for hazardous chemicals used or stored in the Food Services Department. Ensure staff is aware of and knowledgeable of MSDSs.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing necessary forms, reports, evaluations, studies, etc., to assure control of equipment and supplies.
• Review the department’s policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc., at least annually for revisions, and make recommendations to the Dietitian and/or Administrator.
• Develop and maintain a file of tested standard recipes.
• Keep abreast of economic conditions/situations and recommend to the Dietitian and/or Administrator adjustments in food services that assure the continued ability to provide daily food services.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Dietitian and/or Administrator as necessary/required concerning the operation of the Food Services Department.
• Submit accident/incident reports to the Business Office within twenty-four (24) hours after their occurrence.
• Assume administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability of supervising the Food Services Department.
• Inspect food storage rooms, utility/janitorial closets, etc., for upkeep and supply control.
• Review and assist in developing a plan of correction for food services service deficiencies noted during survey inspections and provide a written copy of such to the Administrator.
• Process diet changes and new diets as received from nursing services.
• Assist the Infection Control Coordinator in identifying, evaluating, and classifying routine and job related food services functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Review departmental complaints and grievances from personnel and make written reports to the Dietitian and/or Administrator of action(s) taken. Follow facility’s established procedures.
• Assist in developing and implementing a food services service organization structure.
• Assist the Quality Assessment and Assurance Committee in developing and implementing appropriate plans of action to correct food services deficiencies.
• Assist in developing, implementing, and maintaining an ongoing quality assurance program for the Food Services Department.
• Assist the Discharge Planning Coordinator in planning the food services portion of the resident’s discharge plan.
• Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies.
• Interview residents or family members, as necessary, to obtain diet history.
• Participate in maintaining records of the resident’s food likes and dislikes.
• Assist in developing methods for determining quality and quantity of food served.
• Ensure that charted food services progress notes are informative and descriptive of the services provided and of the resident’s response to the service.
• Ensure that menus are maintained and filed in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Maintain an adequate liaison with families and residents as necessary.
• Maintain a reference library of written material, laws, diet manuals, food codes, etc., necessary for complying with current standards and regulations and that will provide assistance in maintaining quality food service.
• Visit residents periodically to evaluate the quality of meals served, likes and dislikes, etc.
• Involve the resident/family in planning objectives and goals for the resident.
• Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician.
• Assist in developing diet plans for individual residents.
• Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to assure they are in compliance with the physician’s orders.
• Review the food services requirements of each resident admitted to the facility, as may be required, and assist the attending physician in planning for the resident’s prescribed diet plan.
• Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning food service programs and activities.
• Ensure that residents are offered a nourishing snack at bedtime.
• Agree not to disclose assigned user ID code and password for accessing resident/facility information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Report any known or suspected unauthorized attempt to access facility’s information system.
• Assist in planning regular and special diet menus as prescribed by the attending physician.
• Assist in developing diet plans for individual residents.
• Review therapeutic and regular diet plans and menus to assure they are in compliance with the physician’s orders.
• Review the food services requirements of each resident admitted to the facility, as may be required, and assist the attending physician in planning for the resident’s prescribed diet plan.
• Meet with administration, medical and nursing staff, as well as other related departments in planning food service programs and activities.
• Ensure that residents are offered a nourishing snack at bedtime.
• Agree not to disclose assigned user ID code and password for accessing resident/facility information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Agree not to disclose resident’s protected health information and promptly report suspected or known violations of such disclosure to the Administrator.
• Report any known or suspected unauthorized attempt to access facility’s information system.
• Others as deemed necessary and appropriate, or as may be directed by the Administrator and/or Dietitian.