Management Dietitian Consultant

Greenlife Healthcare Staffing•Tucson, AZ

1d•$31•Onsite

About The Position

The Management Dietitian Consultant provides leadership and oversight for nutrition and dietetic services across Arizona State Veterans Homes, ensuring residents receive nutritionally appropriate, person-centered care, and that all food and nutrition services comply with federal, state, local, VA, and ADVS standards. This role combines direct clinical consultation with operational management, menu development, and quality assurance in skilled nursing facility settings.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or higher degree in nutrition or dietetics from a regionally accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent) with completion of an accredited dietetics program.
Minimum of 900 hours of supervised dietetics practice under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian or nutrition professional.
Current licensure or certification as a dietitian or nutrition professional in the State of Arizona, in accordance with 42 CFR 483.60(a).
Active registration as a Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) and ongoing maintenance through required continuing education.
Current county Food Handler’s Card and knowledge of applicable county Food Code and FDA Food Code.
Knowledge of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) process and long-term care nutrition standards.
Strong clinical nutrition assessment, care planning, and documentation skills for complex geriatric populations.
Ability to identify and solve complex problems, make sound decisions, and prioritize competing demands across multiple facilities.
Effective communication skills (read, write, listen, and speak) with residents, families, physicians, nursing, and food-service staff.
Training and facilitation skills for delivering in-service education and group instruction to clinical and non-clinical staff.
Strong organizational skills to manage inspections, reporting, menu cycles, and quality-improvement initiatives across multiple sites.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience as a dietitian or nutrition manager in a skilled nursing facility, long-term care, or similar geriatric care environment.
Experience conducting facility inspections, audits, and survey preparation for CMS, VA, or state regulatory bodies.
Demonstrated background in menu development, nutritional analysis software, and large-scale food-service operations.

Responsibilities

Assess residents’ nutritional status, complete MDS and Care Area Assessments, and develop, implement, and update individualized nutrition care plans.
Consult with physicians, nursing staff, and interdisciplinary teams to determine diet prescriptions, restrictions, and modifications based on clinical needs.
Create and implement diets and diet extensions for physician-ordered medical diets, subject to approval by the ADVS Medical Director.
Counsel residents and families on nutrition, diet modifications, food choices, and preparation to support wellness and disease management.
Review proposed menus for nutritional adequacy, balance, and regulatory compliance; recommend and coordinate adjustments with food service managers.
Provide nutritional analysis for menu cycles, including weekly summaries, ensuring meals meet required caloric and nutrient standards.
Establish, implement, and periodically update menu cycles (regular, seasonal, alternative, and special diets) for each facility, including standardized recipes tailored to facility populations.
Monitor food service operations and meal service to ensure adherence to nutritional, safety, sanitation, and quality standards, including CDC and local health codes.
Conduct unannounced monthly on-site inspections of all food-service areas (preparation, storage, coolers/freezers, dining areas, tool and chemical controls) at each home.
Prepare written inspection reports with findings, corrective recommendations, and timelines; coordinate follow-up inspections to verify correction of deficiencies.
Review temperature logs and external inspection reports (e.g., fire, safety, sanitation) to ensure ongoing compliance and timely remediation of cited issues.
Provide community-based nutrition education, counseling, and group training to residents, families, and staff.
Develop and update educational materials, including manuals, visual aids, and course outlines for nutrition and food-service topics.
Conduct quarterly food-service meetings with supervisors and cooks at each facility, including in-service training and documented minutes with action items.
Develop and recommend policies and procedures for nutrition and food-service programs that support health promotion, disease control, and regulatory compliance.
Work closely with dietary supervisors and administrators to address dietary, budget, storage, sanitation, and related operational issues.
Participate in facility Quality Assurance programs, attend monthly QA meetings, and report on nutrition and food-service findings and improvement plans.
Be present during CMS and VA surveys as required and ensure that nutrition and food-service components are survey-ready.
Provide continuous service coverage, arranging for qualified substitutes during absences, vacations, or illness to maintain uninterrupted support.
Oversee credentialing and privileging for dietitian consultants and other relevant licensed practitioners providing services under the contract.
Verify and maintain documentation of current licensure, certification, education, training, competence, and Food Handler’s credentials for assigned personnel.
Adhere to and enforce ADVS rules, including smoke-free and drug-free workplace policies, non-discrimination requirements, and facility security and safety regulations.
Sign in and present identification when on site, interact professionally with staff, and ensure referred personnel are immediately productive with minimal orientation