Director of Food Services

Director of Food Services – Full Time – Days

Join Andalusia Health as the Director of Food Services. This full‑time, day‑shift role brings strategic, operational, and clinical oversight to all Nutrition & Culinary Services functions, ensuring high‑quality, safe, cost‑effective care for patients, employees, and guests.

The Director collaborates closely with Registered Dietitian/Nutrition Services leadership to support medical nutrition therapy, patient satisfaction, and organizational goals. The Director provides strategic, operational, and clinical oversight for all Nutrition & Culinary Services functions, including food production, patient meal service, cafeteria operations, sanitation, therapeutic diet accuracy, and regulatory compliance.

• Leadership & Department Administration
  • Directs daily operations of Nutrition & Culinary Services in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
  • Develops departmental goals, policies, procedures, and performance standards.
  • Participates in strategic planning for hospital initiatives related to food service and nutrition support.
  • Prepares, manages, and monitors operational and capital budgets; manages food, supply, and labor costs within approved targets.
  • Maintains accurate records of expenditures, meal counts, inventory, and month‑end reporting for Administration.
  • Ensures appropriate staffing levels; develops and maintains work schedules within budgeted FTEs.
• Staffing, Training & Performance Management
  • Recruits, selects, and trains food service team members.
  • Provides onboarding, annual competencies, and ongoing performance feedback.
  • Conducts 90‑day and annual performance evaluations in accordance with hospital policy.
  • Conducts monthly in‑service education, departmental meetings, and ensures compliance with food safety competencies.
• Menu Management & Clinical Coordination
  • Oversees menu management processes, including diet order review, tray ticket accuracy, patient menu selections, and snack preparation.
  • Ensures use of standardized recipes and production sheets for patient, cafeteria, and catering operations.
  • Ensures therapeutic diets are accurately prepared and communicates patient concerns to the Registered Dietitian for follow‑up.
• Flow of Food, Quality, and Safety
  • Ensures quality food production that meets nutrient preservation, safety, taste, and presentation standards.
  • Monitors food temperatures, holding procedures, tray line accuracy, and timely delivery of meals.
  • Conducts weekly kitchen sanitation and safety audits; ensures regulatory compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, and state/local health codes.
  • Oversees dish room sanitation, equipment cleaning, food recalls, and proper food storage and labeling.
• Physical Plant & Equipment Oversight
  • Performs monthly inspections of kitchen facilities, equipment, and contracted services (vent hood, fire suppression, pest management, grease traps, eyewash stations).
  • Ensures temperature logs and equipment maintenance are completed per policy.
  • Reports and addresses hazardous conditions promptly.
• Regulatory Compliance & Surveys
  • Leads the department through internal and external audits and surveys, maintaining a strong presence while surveyors are on‑site.
  • Ensures readiness and compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, FDA Food Code, and applicable state regulations.
  • Develops and executes required Performance Improvement/QAPI plans, including aggregation and trending of key indicators.
• Emergency Preparedness
  • Maintains disaster readiness, including monthly inventory of emergency food and supplies.
  • Ensures adherence to organizational emergency operations policies.
• Collaboration & Customer Service
  • Collaborates closely with clinical nutrition leaders and nursing units to ensure patient satisfaction and nutrition accuracy.
  • Coordinates with other departments to support hospital initiatives, catering needs, and safety rounds.
  • Promotes a culture of customer service, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Expectations
  • Comprehensive knowledge of quantity food production, safe food handling, food safety and sanitation regulations.
  • Knowledge of therapeutic diets and nutrition for acute‑care…