JOB TITLE: DIETARY MANAGEMENT SERVICES SPECIALIST

JOB CODE: 81570

DEFINITION: This is professional, administrative, and consultative work in the development, implementation, and coordination of statewide food service, dietary, and nutritional care programs in the central office of a commonwealth agency.

An employee in this job is responsible for developing, implementing, administering, and evaluating statewide programs and services involving food service, dietetics, and/or nutritional care. Work involves analyzing and evaluating agency food service, dietary, and nutritional care programs; developing, recommending, and implementing solutions and recommendations for program changes; reviewing, revising, developing, and implementing policies and procedures; and conducting audits of food service operations to ensure compliance with regulations and standards. Work also includes conducting research to assess cost containment efforts, determining programmatic needs, and providing consultation and technical assistance to program office administrative staff and food service management staff on dietary matters. Work is performed with considerable independence under the direction of an administrative supervisor and is reviewed through reports, conferences, and results attained.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.):

• Develops, implements, administers, and evaluates statewide food service, dietary, and nutritional care programs.

• Develops, recommends, and implements applicable policies and procedures.

• Provides direction regarding food service operations including dietary services, nutritional care programs, food service/dietary automated systems applications, equipment and supplies, staff scheduling and utilization, food purchases, quality, preparation and storage, and meal service.

• Conducts on-site audits of food service operations, dietary services, and nutritional care programs and operations to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.

• Consults with program administrators regarding requirements to maintain eligibility for federal and state funds.

• Plans, develops, implements, monitors, and updates the agency master menu and designs and directs the implementation of individual therapeutic diets based on medical requirements.

• Develops, implements, and maintains food service and/or dietary automated systems applications.

• Works with regulatory agency officials to ensure appropriate nutritional care.

• Utilizes food service management automated systems data to monitor facility food service programs to ensure that maximum nutrition is provided with a minimum cost.

• Coordinates the review of equipment purchase requests within the department and maintains a current list of active food service equipment vendors.

• Plans, implements, and conducts statewide educational conferences and workshops by preparing instructional materials, coordinating arrangements, and delivering presentations.

• Evaluates the need for specialized food service systems, services, and equipment and prepares related specifications.

• Analyzes expenditure data and prepares fiscal spreadsheets and annual cost reports to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of food service operations, dietary services, and nutritional care programs and operations in order to promote cost reduction.

• Prepares recommendations for acceptance or rejection of contracts or delivered materials and reviews, interprets, analyzes, and monitors vendors' contracts and specifications to ensure compliance.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of food service management, dietetics, and nutrition.

• Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of food service operation management and administration.

• Knowledge of the methods, materials, and equipment used in food service and dietary operations.

• Knowledge of statistical, fiscal, and personnel principles and practices related to food service operations.

• Knowledge of the standards and requirements involved in evaluating the quality and/or efficiency of foods, dietary equipment and services, staff, and kitchen design.

• Knowledge of special dietary requirements in order to ensure accuracy and quality of menu items.

• Ability to interpret policies and procedures related to the overall operation of a facility food service system.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: (NOTE: These are expected of an employee performing the work of this job at the full performance level. These may not be used for merit system examination or evaluation purposes and are not position-specific performance standards.):

• Knowledge of departmental policies and procedures related to food service and dietary and nutritional care programs and operations.

• Ability to review, revise, and write policy related to food service and dietary and nutritional care programs and operations.

• Ability to develop and revise food service, dietary, and nutritional care programs and operations plans.

• Ability to monitor and evaluate food service and dietary and nutritional care programs and operations for effectiveness.

• Ability to interpret physician therapeutic diet orders and render clinical decisions to meet appropriate therapeutic diet needs.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities):

• Three years of dietary experience in an institutional food service operation, food catering service, restaurant, or a similar large-scale food production operation, and a bachelor’s degree in food science, nutrition, dietetics, food service, culinary arts, or a related field;

or

• An equivalent combination of experience and training which includes three years of dietary experience in an institutional food service operation, food catering service, restaurant, or a similar large-scale food production operation.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

• An employee in this job is required to possess an active certification as a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association.