Food Services Director

Sunnyside Nursing and Post-Acute Care•Torrance, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a dedicated Food Services Director to lead our dietary department. In this vital leadership role, you will oversee daily clinical and dietary management, meal production, and regulatory compliance to ensure our residents receive safe, high-quality, and nutritious meals. You will lead a robust, supportive department, partnering closely with our full-time Registered Dietitian (RD) and full-time Dietary Coordinator to streamline operations, manage clinical workflows, and maintain elite standards of care. Sunnyside Nursing and Post-Acute Care provides sub-acute nursing care, rehabilitation services, skilled nursing, and long-term care.

Requirements

Proven experience in healthcare food service management (Long-Term Care, Assisted Living, or Hospital setting preferred).
Current, valid Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certification (e.g., ServSafe Manager)
Must meet California Title 22 requirements for a Dietetic Services Supervisor via one of the following pathways: Active Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) credential plus documented completion of the 6-hour California Title 22 in-service training, OR Graduate certificate from a California state-approved 90+ hour Dietetic Service Supervisor (DSS) program, OR Degree in Food and Nutrition, Dietetics, or Culinary Arts with corresponding healthcare food service leadership experience.
Strong knowledge of IDDSI standards, therapeutic diets, and state/federal healthcare regulations.
Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday, cope with mental/emotional stress, and speak and write English clearly.
Requires the ability to push, pull, move, and/or lift a minimum of 25 pounds up to a height of 5 feet and carry it for 50 feet.
Must be able to assist in resident care.

Nice To Haves

Experience with inventory systems, vendor reconciliation, and maintenance platforms (like TELS) is a plus.
Excellent leadership, communication, and team-building skills.

Responsibilities

Manage resident census updates, admissions, discharges, and dietary changes in close coordination with your staff RD, Nursing, and the Interdisciplinary Team.
Supervise trayline accuracy, meal temperatures, nourishments, and timely cart delivery.
Maintain meticulous kitchen cleanliness, deep cleaning standards, and detailed logs for food, refrigerators, freezers, and dish machines.
Act as the departmental liaison for building repairs and equipment maintenance via TELS.
Partner with the Activities and Nursing teams to design special dining events and support holistic resident care.
Lead daily shift scheduling, task assignments, staff accountability, and training to maintain peak operational efficiency.
Oversee vendor relations, inventory control (FIFO), and invoice reconciliation/credits.
Ensure 100% accuracy in physician-prescribed therapeutic diets and strict adherence to IDDSI texture/liquid consistency requirements.
Drive continuous state and federal survey readiness by actively participating in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) initiatives.