Executive Director, Food and Nutrition Services

Overview

Community Focused. Care Driven.

Join Southcoast Health, where your future is as promising as the care we provide. Our commitment to each other, our patients, and our community is more than a mission - it's our way of life, and you'll be at the heart of it.

Southcoast Health is a not-for-profit, charitable, health system with multiple hospitals, clinics and facilities throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Nestled in local communities, Southcoast Health provides inclusive, ethical workplaces where our highly skilled caregivers offer world-class, comprehensive healthcare close to home.

Find out for yourself why Southcoast Health has been voted 'Best Place to Work' for 7 years in a row!

We are searching for a talented Executive Director, Food & Nutrition Services to oversee operations across Southcoast Hospitals Group 3 hospitals in New Bedford, Fall River and Wareham, MA.

A career at Southcoast Health offers you:

• A culture of well-being that embraces, respects, and celebrates the rich diversity of one another and the communities we serve
• Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits package
• Generous Earned Time Off Package
• Employee Wellbeing Program
• 403B Retirement Plan with company match
• Tuition assistance / Federal Loan Forgiveness programs
• Professional growth opportunities and customized leadership training

Southcoast Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Executive Director, Food & Nutrition Services provides strategic and operational leadership for all systemwide Food & Nutrition programs across Southcoast Hospital Group. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations - Ancillary Services, this role is responsible for developing, directing, and overseeing high quality, safe, and cost effective food and nutrition services that support patients, visitors, staff, and the broader community.

This leader will guide all areas of the Food & Nutrition portfolio—including Patient Feeding, Clinical Nutrition, Retail and Catering Services, Culinary Operations, Procurement, Vending Services, and the Dietetic Internship Program—ensuring exceptional service, regulatory compliance, and an outstanding patient and customer experience. The Executive Director maintains 24/7 accountability for operational performance of a department with a managed volume exceeding $14 million.

This role plays a key part in shaping program strategy, driving operational excellence, enhancing patient satisfaction, optimizing financial performance, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration across all sites.

• Lead Operational & Financial Performance:

  Oversee departmental budgets, monitor expenditures, and ensure all Food & Nutrition Services operate within financial targets. Optimize inventory, supplies, equipment, and vendor relationships to maximize value and maintain high-quality service.

• Drive Key Performance Outcomes:

  Utilize SHG systems and data to monitor and improve key performance indicators—including cost per volume, productivity, contract compliance, patient satisfaction, employee engagement, retail performance, and service utilization.

• Ensure High-Quality, Safe, and Compliant Operations:

  Maintain 24/7 operational and regulatory accountability for food handling, preparation, and service across all hospital sites. Ensure adequate staffing, competency validation, equipment performance, and physical space requirements to deliver safe, high-quality services.

• Foster a Collaborative, Patient Centered Culture:

  Engage staff at all levels in meeting SHG and regulatory standards. Promote teamwork across departments to deliver coordinated, patient-focused services. Model and reinforce service excellence in all interactions.

• Lead Continuous Quality Improvement:

  Apply performance improvement principles to assess, monitor, and enhance food and nutrition processes. Develop and implement improvement plans to address gaps, increase efficiency, and elevate service delivery.

• Uphold Service Excellence & Community Engagement:

  Demonstrate ownership of patient experience and support care providers as key customers. Protect patient dignity, safety, and privacy at all times. Represent SHG…