Full-time Dietary Manager

Lexington Regional Health Center•Lexington, NE

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Lexington Regional Health Center is seeking a full-time Dietary Manager to oversee the daily operations of the Dietary Department. This role ensures that patient meal service supports their plan of care and individual nutritional needs are met. The manager will plan, organize, direct, and evaluate departmental operations for safety, efficiency, and compliance. Responsibilities include inventory management, staff supervision, adherence to policies and regulations, menu planning collaboration, food safety oversight, record maintenance, scheduling, recruitment support, infection control monitoring, and maintaining a safe and clean environment. The position also involves participation in committees, performance improvement activities, and ensuring readiness for regulatory reviews. The role requires adherence to standard precautions and organizational safety practices, including TeamSTEPPS and Just Culture.

Requirements

Knowledge of food preparation, food service management, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point principles, sanitation and food safety procedures, allergen awareness, and nutrition and diet therapy for pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations.
Ability to perform routine office work.
Ability to supervise, train, and evaluate workers in food preparation and food service operations.
Ability to pay close attention to detail, including supervising food trays and temperatures, monitoring diet accuracy, ordering and processing inventory, reviewing records, and entering payroll or meal charge information.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with regard to protected health information and other sensitive information.
Ability to complete reports, records, correspondence, and other departmental documentation at a professional level.
Ability to respond appropriately to common inquiries and complaints from patients, employees, visitors, and regulatory agencies.
Ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including dietary staff, patients, visitors, providers, nurses, and other hospital personnel.
Successful completion of required education and training related to standard precautions, transmission-based precautions, food safety, sanitation, and department-specific competencies required for the role.

Nice To Haves

Completion of a Dietary Management course approved by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is preferred, or ability to obtain within two and a half (2.5) years of employment.
Two years of food service experience, including supervisory responsibilities.

Responsibilities

Ensures that patient meal service supports the patient’s plan of care and that individual nutritional needs are met in accordance with recognized dietary practices, prescribed diets, and approved menu standards.
Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates the daily operations of the Dietary Department to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant food and nutrition services.
Oversees food, supply, and equipment inventory; places orders as needed; limits waste; and manages departmental resources in a fiscally responsible manner.
Ensures dietary services staff follow departmental and hospital policies and procedures and comply with applicable laws, regulations, and accrediting standards relevant to food and nutrition services.
Collaborates with the Registered Dietitian and appropriate practitioners to support menu planning, therapeutic diet implementation, diet substitutions, nourishments, texture modifications, and patient meal services.
Oversees the operational processes for receiving, storing, preparing, holding, labeling, and serving food in a manner that supports safe meal production and service.
Maintains and oversees operational records required for daily department functions, including meal counts, production records, inventory records, temperature logs, cleaning logs, and equipment monitoring records.
Prepares and enters employees’ schedules into the electronic time and attendance system and maintains appropriate staffing to meet departmental needs.
Coordinates staff recruitment support, orientation, schedule training, and day-to-day coaching to promote consistent dietary operations.
Monitors compliance with current infection prevention and control practices applicable to dietary services and reinforces required precautions for staff, patients, and visitors within assigned areas.
Maintains the physical dietary environment, including kitchen, storage, and serving areas, to support safe operations, cleanliness, equipment access, and compliance with environmental safety expectations.
Participates in committees, performance improvement activities, audits, tracers, and survey readiness activities as assigned.
Ensures a safe, clean kitchen and dining environment and that equipment is maintained in proper working order.
Provides day-to-day work direction, task coordination, and operational support for dietary staff to ensure timely meal production and service.
Coordinates dietary services during emergencies or utility disruptions and helps maintain continuity of food and nutrition services.
Promotes safe work practices, promptly addresses identified hazards, and reports food safety, sanitation, equipment, or environmental concerns through appropriate channels.
Maintains readiness for survey or regulatory review by monitoring that departmental policies, procedures, and required documentation are current, available, and consistently implemented.
Ensures patients and visitors follow current infection control guidelines.
Participates in patient care activities that could include blood exposure and risk to bloodborne pathogens. Uses standard precautions and other required safety practices when performing assigned duties that may involve exposure to bloodborne pathogens or other occupational hazards.
Responsible for ensuring the environment meets appropriate governing body standards.
Maintains patient and staff safety through the use of patient safety tools and communication methods, including TeamSTEPPS, Just Culture, and related organizational practices.
Regular attendance at the assigned work location is required.
Performs all other duties as assigned.