Supervisory Dietitian (Chief, Nutrition and Food Services)

Department of Veterans Affairs•Birmingham, AL

36d•Onsite

About The Position

The Chief of Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) is the director of the department at Birmingham VAMC, who has the responsibility for managing and supervising all phase of NFS operations including the provision of quality food production, service and effective nutrition therapy to the Veteran population served. The Chief also serves as a member of the senior leadership team, providing advice for integrated care programs for diverse Veteran population with multiple diagnoses and other needs. Duties include but are not limited to: Establishes organizational structure and guidelines, performance standards, reporting requirements and defines the lines of authority and supervisory controls necessary and essential in carrying out the mission of the service. Oversees the coordination of policy and procedure for nutrition care of Veterans in the continuum of care and In a multidisciplinary model. Assures all policies and procedures are in compliance with VA manuals, Central office Guidelines, NFS program guides,, VISN guides, professional guidelines and Joist Commission standards. Assures the menu planning, subsistence purchases, production and delivery of safe, high quality, nutritionally adequate meals. Provides final approval of food standards and menu cycle. Facilitates the development of service priorities, which address the goals and objectives of the medical center, healthcare system and VISN. Coordinates service activities to accomplish identified priorities an i ensure compliance with VHA directives and medical center policy/procedures to provide customer satisfaction. Directs the technical, professional and administrative functions of the service through the Assistant Chief, NFS and Food Service System Management Dietitian. This requires the coordination and integration of technological advances and administrative change within the service. Develops and administers a budget management program that provides for the effective utilization of available financial resources, adequate monetary controls and budget estimates based on accurate and applicable data. Plans and justifies an annual budget for subsistence, supplies and personnel costs. Benchmarks against other VA facilities offering similar services as well as private sector to assure cost effect services. Communicates with and advises Fiscal regarding the status of NFS resource management. Assures that performance improvement program is in compliance with applicable standards, established OSHA, HACCP, VHA, JC and other reviewing agencies. Provides leadership to NFS, which consists of professional and non-professional staff. Provides direction and presents conclusions and recommendations to staff at department meetings. Directs personnel management program for the service by making decisions on personnel actions Including selection, promotions, reassignments, retention and recommendations for adverse actions. Reviews cases, documents and takes disciplinary action for employees with poor performance or conduct. Promotes positive labor-management relations by hearing employee grievances and complaints that are not resolved at a lower supervisory level. Responds to EEO complaints and unfair labor practice charges. Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, capabilities of the employee, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirement of the assignment. Maintains position descriptions or functional statements. Delegates responsibility and authority to subordinate supervisors and holds them responsible for the performance of their sections. Guides subordinate supervisors on problem solving, decision making delegation, change management, confrontation management performance improvement management and labor-management relations. Assures the professional staff is competent to perform their assigned duties and that they remain abreast of advanced technologies and changes in nutrition therapy. Assures that the staff is confident in their areas of expertise to serve as the nutrition expert for other healthcare professionals. Assures that new information/nutritional advancements are incorporated into daily practices and procedures which ensure continued improvement in services provided. Provides input to medical center and healthcare system long and short range planning and assists in the development and implementation of a policy which reflects the goals of the agency and VISN. Serves as a recognized expert in nutrition and food service to provide authoritative advice and coordination of nutrition care programs that may encompass multiple medical centers. Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customer (veterans, their representatives, visitor, and all VA staff) according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

Responsibilities

Establishes organizational structure and guidelines, performance standards, reporting requirements and defines the lines of authority and supervisory controls necessary and essential in carrying out the mission of the service.
Oversees the coordination of policy and procedure for nutrition care of Veterans in the continuum of care and In a multidisciplinary model. Assures all policies and procedures are in compliance with VA manuals, Central office Guidelines, NFS program guides,, VISN guides, professional guidelines and Joist Commission standards.
Assures the menu planning, subsistence purchases, production and delivery of safe, high quality, nutritionally adequate meals. Provides final approval of food standards and menu cycle.
Facilitates the development of service priorities, which address the goals and objectives of the medical center, healthcare system and VISN. Coordinates service activities to accomplish identified priorities an i ensure compliance with VHA directives and medical center policy/procedures to provide customer satisfaction.
Directs the technical, professional and administrative functions of the service through the Assistant Chief, NFS and Food Service System Management Dietitian. This requires the coordination and integration of technological advances and administrative change within the service.
Develops and administers a budget management program that provides for the effective utilization of available financial resources, adequate monetary controls and budget estimates based on accurate and applicable data. Plans and justifies an annual budget for subsistence, supplies and personnel costs. Benchmarks against other VA facilities offering similar services as well as private sector to assure cost effect services. Communicates with and advises Fiscal regarding the status of NFS resource management.
Assures that performance improvement program is in compliance with applicable standards, established OSHA, HACCP, VHA, JC and other reviewing agencies.
Provides leadership to NFS, which consists of professional and non-professional staff. Provides direction and presents conclusions and recommendations to staff at department meetings.
Directs personnel management program for the service by making decisions on personnel actions Including selection, promotions, reassignments, retention and recommendations for adverse actions. Reviews cases, documents and takes disciplinary action for employees with poor performance or conduct.
Promotes positive labor-management relations by hearing employee grievances and complaints that are not resolved at a lower supervisory level. Responds to EEO complaints and unfair labor practice charges.
Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, capabilities of the employee, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirement of the assignment. Maintains position descriptions or functional statements.
Delegates responsibility and authority to subordinate supervisors and holds them responsible for the performance of their sections. Guides subordinate supervisors on problem solving, decision making delegation, change management, confrontation management performance improvement management and labor-management relations.
Assures the professional staff is competent to perform their assigned duties and that they remain abreast of advanced technologies and changes in nutrition therapy. Assures that the staff is confident in their areas of expertise to serve as the nutrition expert for other healthcare professionals.
Assures that new information/nutritional advancements are incorporated into daily practices and procedures which ensure continued improvement in services provided.
Provides input to medical center and healthcare system long and short range planning and assists in the development and implementation of a policy which reflects the goals of the agency and VISN.
Serves as a recognized expert in nutrition and food service to provide authoritative advice and coordination of nutrition care programs that may encompass multiple medical centers.
Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions. Consistently communicates and treats customer (veterans, their representatives, visitor, and all VA staff) according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.