Certified Dietary Manager

About the position

Harbor’s Edge is a premier 5-star, resort-style Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) located alongside the beautiful harbor in Norfolk, Virginia. Our community consists of 300 Independent Living Residential Units, a 33-bed (Medicare/private) Skilled Nursing Healthcare Unit, a 40-bed Assisted Living Unit, and 34-bed Memory Support Unit. Harbor’s Edge has been honored by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Senior Living Program as a 2025 “Best” in multiple categories, including Independent Living – Activities & Enrichment, Feels Like Home, and Food & Dining. Additionally, our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) has been recognized as a “Best” senior living community. We are seeking a highly qualified, full-time Certified Dietary Manager to lead our Dietary team in delivering excellent care for our residents. The ideal candidates will have senior living experience (e.g., long-term care, assisted living, memory support) with a passion for working with an elderly population. This position will manage the foodservice program and will meet food quality standards and safety guidelines following current applicable federal, state, and local standards, in alignment with our established policies and procedures to deliver quality dining services.

Responsibilities

• Provide nutritional screening, monitoring, and implementation of the nutrition plan of care for the residents in coordination with Health Services.
• Visit residents to complete initial nutritional assessment and screening.
• Assess residents' needs for proper nutrition and dietary requirements, record food preferences and/or allergies.
• Monitor daily food intake.
• Conduct weekly visits with residents at nutritional risk, complete all visitation documentation and submit documentation to Health Services for review and assessment.
• Attend a minimum of two meals at all levels of care daily and maintain an ongoing resident visitation schedule of at least monthly to educate regarding diet, record food preferences, and promote high quality food service.
• Audit dietary orders, compare to physicians' orders, and report any discrepancies to Health Services.
• Direct, help prepare, and serve regular meals and therapeutic diets, order food and supplies, ensuring standardized recipes and all food safety and quality control requirements are followed.
• Inspect and maintain work area and equipment to ensure sanitary condition, reporting any equipment/cleaning product needs and or malfunctions to management in a timely manner.
• Process new diet orders and changes from provider services, maintaining accurate care plans/diet cards.
• Inspect food trays for accuracy prior to delivery to the residents.
• Plan, help prepare, and serve special meals and holiday functions.
• Oversee food purchases from approved vendors, the inventory of food supply levels, as well as the production and timely service of meals.
• Develop and maintain annual departmental budget guidelines and maintain accurate monthly records of expenditures, food, supplies, and inventory.
• Participate in creation of long- and short-term goals and strategic initiatives for the department.
• Ensure that proper food storage is available and utilized, with handling of food and supplies consistently compliant with current regulatory requirements and company guidelines.
• Follow infection control and universal precautions policies and procedures to ensure a sanitary environment is always achieved.
• Demonstrate excellent supervision for department staff including hiring, training and resources, scheduling, assignments, and enforcement of regulations within the scope of Dietary Services.
• Make needed recommendations for any corrective action, promotion and/or termination requests to the Health Services Administrator.
• Provide appropriate work schedules, assignments, and dietary resources.
• Ensure appropriate staffing levels are within authorized targets.
• Effectively balance priorities based on workload, goals, and strategic initiatives.
• Recommend necessary capital equipment enhancements and/or improvements.
• Expected to report to work on time and work the fully established schedule. May be required to work beyond normal working hours, on weekends, and in other positions when necessary.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
• Certified Dietary Manager/CDM as required by federal, state, and local regulations.
• ServSafe™ certified, or ability to obtain within thirty (30) days of employment required.
• Current CPR and AED certification.
• Valid, current Virginia Driver’s License (and liability insurance) to use personal vehicle for occasional Administration business.
• At least three (3) years of progressive work experience with the elderly and dementia populations with at least two (2) years of management experience.
• Serve as a positive role model for service excellence with a strong focus on resident safety and resident satisfaction.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, attention to detail, active listening, organizational, time management, critical thinking, and multi-tasking skills.
• High self-initiative and ability to accurately deliver and follow verbal and written instructions in a timely manner.
• Skilled at working with the elderly population in a courteous and friendly manner, demonstrating patience and compassion.
• Knowledgeable regarding safety protocols and appropriate sanitation techniques.
• Experience with managing staff, budgets, and knowledge of basic business practices such as procurement, vendor management, and billing systems.
• Work independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Demonstrate keen attention to detail, observation skills, organizational and time management skills, business acumen, high self-initiative, and ability to accurately follow and deliver verbal and written directives in a timely manner.
• Adhere to deadlines and reporting requirements. Expected to operate effectively under pressure of deadlines and other stressors, consistently remaining calm, professional, reliable, and resourceful.
• Proficient in utilizing computers and various software programs (e.g., Word, Excel, tray and tracking systems, Electronic Medical Record (EMR), regulatory programs, etc.).
• May be required to work beyond normal scheduled hours, on weekends, and in other positions as needed.

Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off + Six Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer Paid - Basic Life & AD&D Insurance
• Employer Paid - Short-term and Long-term Insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan w/ Employer Contribution
• College Tuition Reimbursement
• Employer Paid - Certification Training
• Legal Resources & Identity Protection Plan