Supervisory Dietitians in this assignment serve as Chief of Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) for a complex department and have administrative and technical supervision over GS-13 level staff from both clinical nutrition and food operations and NFS administrative staff. They provide leadership and guidance, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, to ensure the diverse activities of the department are closely coordinated, integrating clinical nutrition and food operations.
Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD): Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements. Grade Determinations: Supervisory Dietitian (Chief, Nutrition & Food Services), GS-14 Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-14 you must possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) which demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of security measures within food operations to ensure patient and staff safety. Knowledge of organizational structure to assess impact on program operations. Skill in ensuring regulatory requirements are met. Skill in leading a group of professionals to facilitate collaboration and organizational development. Skill in leading managers to establish strategic goals. Ability to oversee the planning of new initiatives addressing patient care delivery systems and system reorganizations. Ability to lead efforts in business administration to include budgeting, contracting and purchasing. Preferred Experience: Previous supervisory experience in Nutrition and Food Service. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
The Supervisory Dietitian (Chief, Nutrition and Food Service) exercises a full range of supervisory and personnel management authorities with responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of supervisors and subordinate staff. NFS Chiefs serve as the technical advisor and subject matter expert in nutrition and food operations. They actively support, promote, and oversee the implementation of NFS initiatives at the facility level and engages other service chiefs as needed to ensure success. NFS Chiefs lead efforts to provide food-forward, Veteran-centric dining options. They delegate authority to other supervisory levels to ensure excellent outcomes. Duties for the position may include but are not limited to: Oversees all human resource functions for the department. Holds staff accountable for performance and conduct. Establishes performance standards and evaluate overall performance of employees Defines competency requirements, identifies developmental and training needs and takes necessary actions to ensure subordinate personnel maintain and enhance technical and leadership expertise. Develops budget and staffing requirements to manage organizational changes and ensure national directives and goals/objectives are met. Communicates and advocates with executive leadership for resources. Develops the NFS strategic plan establishing service priorities which address the goals and strategic direction of the medical center, VISN and national programs. Implements a performance improvement program to continually improve delivery of quality, safe and cost-effective food and nutrition care to all patients/residents. Develops and updates policies and procedures, establishes, and oversees a system for regulatory compliance. Ensures NFS compliance with accrediting bodies, standards, and action items. Establishes the department organizational structure, defining the lines of authority essential to carry out the mission of the service. Responsible for accomplishing priorities and ensuring compliance with VHA directives and medical center policy and procedures. Oversees the planning of new endeavors addressing patient care delivery systems and system reorganizations for new or redesigned operational space, equipment requirements, etc. Ensures adherence to the National Dietary Supplement and Subsistence Prime Vendor contracts. Implements security measures in all NFS areas to protect against theft, reduce the risk of food terrorism and maintain Veteran and staff safety. Ensures the dissemination of nutrition related research and quality improvement within the department and facility. Directs resource distribution for food, supply, and labor costs, focusing on benchmarks, delegating resource management to others as appropriate. May perform other related duties which are appropriate for this grade and assignment. Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday - Friday; 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.; Subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency Telework: Available; Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD99498S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized