Director of Dining Services

Harmony Senior Services•Laurel, MD

6d•$80,000 - $83,000

About The Position

The Dining Services Director supervises all aspects of food service for the community, including staff hiring, training, supervision, and evaluation. The role directs and assists with preparing and serving meals to residents, associates, and guests, while ensuring menus meet residents’ dietary needs and meals are prepared and served according to sanitation requirements and schedules. The Director manages food, supply, and equipment ordering and inventory; maintains quality standards while staying within budget; and oversees kitchen, dining, and storage area cleanliness and equipment upkeep. The role also ensures compliance with applicable health regulations, community standards, personnel policies, and resident confidentiality requirements. The Director learns residents’ specific requests, dietary needs, and preferences; monitors changes in diet orders or abilities; and provides customer service to residents, visitors, and staff. Additional duties include conducting food committee meetings, supporting marketing functions, and providing training for dining services and other staff as assigned.

Requirements

Possess a Food Service Manager Certificate and/or meet all regulatory requirements necessary to hold a Food Service Manager position.
Have working knowledge of ordering, storing, preparing, and serving food in a food service environment, preferably in senior care.
Be a high school graduate.
Have dining services experience with management or leadership experience.
Be ServSafe Certified.
Possess strong customer service skills and communicate effectively with residents, visitors, staff, and the management team.
Be willing and able to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays.
Have good leadership and supervisory skills.
Know and understand the nutritional needs and challenges of assisted living residents.
Be able to sit, stand, bend, and walk intermittently during the workday.
Be able to lift 50 pounds regularly, or at least eight times per shift, and carry heavy objects up to 20 feet.
Have strong organizational skills and the ability to multitask.
Maintain a neat and clean public appearance.

Responsibilities

Supervise all aspects of community food service, including hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating dining services staff.
Direct and assist with the preparation and serving of meals to residents, associates, and guests.
Maintain knowledge of departmental policies and procedures and applicable city, county, state, and federal health regulations.
Ensure proper food preparation, storage, and handling of raw food and supplies.
Prepare monthly menus that meet residents’ dietary needs, post menus in the kitchen, and ensure menus are followed.
Ensure food is prepared and served in accordance with sanitation procedures and standards.
Ensure meals are served on schedule, with no more than 14 hours between the end of the evening meal and the beginning of breakfast.
Ensure a nutritionally valuable evening snack is available to residents who want one.
Maintain copies of menus as served for at least three months.
Keep food service areas and equipment above sanitation requirements and in accordance with community standards.
Order raw food, supplies, and equipment through approved vendors and maintain accurate inventory.
Maintain food, supply, and labor quality standards within budget.
Manage the department in accordance with personnel policies.
Control food portions and observe amounts consumed.
Develop and maintain a preventive maintenance program for dining services equipment with the Maintenance Supervisor.
Attend required staff meetings and in-services.
Meet with new residents within four days of move-in and become familiar with their requests, diets, likes, and dislikes.
Monitor changes in residents’ diet orders and abilities.
Provide excellent customer service to residents, visitors, and staff, and follow confidentiality policies regarding resident information.
Recognize the dietary needs of residents living in Harmony Square, train staff to identify those needs, and ensure appropriate food offerings.
Conduct monthly food committee meetings with resident representatives.
Plan, organize, assist with, and supervise dining services activities that support marketing functions.
Plan and conduct in-service educational training for dining services staff and, as assigned, other staff members.