Director of Food & Nutrition Ops

UT MD Anderson Cancer Center • Houston, TX

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is a leading institution focused on cancer care, research, education, and prevention. The Director of Food & Nutrition Ops provides executive-level leadership for food and nutrition services operations, supporting patient care, retail dining, procurement, production, safety, hospitality, and financial performance. The Director of Food & Nutrition Ops serves as a key leader responsible for advancing operational excellence, regulatory compliance, workforce development, and strategic initiatives that support institutional objectives. The Director of Food & Nutrition Ops collaborates across clinical, operational, and administrative teams to deliver high-quality food and nutrition services. This role oversees strategic planning, operational leadership, regulatory readiness, financial stewardship, talent development, patient experience initiatives, and resource management while ensuring alignment with UT MD Anderson’s mission, standards, and organizational priorities. The ideal candidate will possess demonstrated leadership experience in food and nutrition services, hospitality, healthcare operations, financial management, regulatory compliance, and workforce development. Candidates should have the ability to lead large-scale operations, drive strategic initiatives, manage budgets, develop high-performing teams, and support patient-centered service excellence. Why Us? At UT MD Anderson, this leadership role directly influences patient care, hospitality services, operational performance, and organizational success. The position offers the opportunity to lead complex food and nutrition operations, mentor future leaders, drive innovation and performance improvement, and contribute to initiatives that support exceptional patient and customer experiences while advancing professional growth and organizational impact.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree Hotel, Hospitality, or Restaurant Management, Institutional Management, Food and Nutrition or related field.
• 8 years In food service, hotel, hospitality, or dietetics operations, to include five years of management experience.
• ServSafe Food Prot Mgr ServSafe Certification Accredited by the American National Standards Institute and the Conference for Food Protection (ANSI) within 30 Days
• Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.

Nice To Haves

• Master's Degree Business Administration, Restaurant and Hospitality, Food and Nutrition or related field.
• 6 years experience required with preferred degree.
• Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate and/or LEADing Self Discover programs may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience. Completion of both programs can be substituted for a maximum of two years of supervisory or management experience.
• CDM - Certified Dietary Manager The Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (ANFP) Upon Hire

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the department’s strategic plan aligned with organizational priorities, patient experience goals, and financial performance targets.
• Maintain operational expertise across people, service, quality, and financial performance to ensure metrics consistently achieve or exceed goals.
• Lead innovation in hospitality, culinary excellence, nutrition care delivery, and service models.
• Evaluate emerging trends, technologies, industry best practices, and vendor solutions to enhance operational outcomes and cost effectiveness.
• Champion patient-centered care, cultural competence, and wellness-focused dining initiatives.
• Build and sustain a culture of safety, accountability, engagement, teamwork, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Recruit, mentor, develop, and retain high-performing leaders and frontline staff while establishing succession planning strategies.
• Promote workforce well-being, recognition, professional development, and leadership pipeline development.
• Maintain compliance with regulatory and accrediting agencies including The Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and Food and Drug Administration food safety standards.
• Lead department rounding, operational audits, survey readiness activities, corrective action planning, and compliance monitoring.
• Develop and review Food & Nutrition Services operational policies to ensure compliance with regulatory, accreditation, and financial requirements.
• Manage continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and enhancement of the patient, customer, and employee experience.
• Supervise performance improvement processes and maintain operational data supporting patient satisfaction, safety, and service excellence.
• Collaborate on hazard analysis, risk mitigation strategies, emergency preparedness planning, and continuity efforts.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses of departmental activities and report findings to appropriate committees.
• Lead assigned food and nutrition operations to ensure efficiency, safety, service quality, and operational effectiveness.
• Develop, execute, and oversee operational plans, projects, initiatives, quality assessment standards, and performance improvement programs.
• Establish and monitor productivity standards, benchmarks, staffing models, and operational performance metrics.
• Drive revenue growth through retail optimization, strategic purchasing, and responsible cost stewardship.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators related to patient dining, retail dining, procurement, production, food safety, and cost control.
• Develop and manage operating and capital budgets while supporting financial planning, forecasting, personnel, equipment, and supply needs.
• Analyze operational and financial data and implement data-driven decisions that improve efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.
• Participate in and lead institutional committees, operational initiatives, vendor reviews, contract evaluations, and business review processes.
• Collaborate with sourcing and contracting teams on vendor negotiations and supplier performance management.
• Partner with nursing, physicians, infection prevention, facilities, hospitality, and operational teams to support patient care objectives.
• Monitor patient satisfaction, customer feedback, service recovery activities, and overall dining experience performance.
• Enhance dining experiences through culturally appropriate menu offerings and service excellence initiatives.
• Engage stakeholders to ensure services effectively meet the needs of patients, visitors, and staff.
• Model safe, ethical behavior through adherence to institutional standards of conduct, policies, procedures, and sound business practices.
• Respond to stakeholder requests in a timely manner while proactively communicating expectations, timelines, and deliverables.
• Utilize the HEAL model (Hear, Empathize, Address, and Learn) to effectively manage service recovery situations.
• Coordinate and manage departmental physical resources including space planning, inventory control, equipment oversight, and property maintenance.
• Support planning, coordination, relocations, renovations, and growth management initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options.
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive