Supervisory Dietitian (Clinical Nutrition)

The New Mexico VA Healthcare Network seeks a Supervisory Dietitian (Clinical Nutrition) for the Nutrition and Food Service. The incumbent leads clinical nutrition programs, overseeing operations, providing expertise, and ensuring coordination between clinical nutrition services and overall healthcare delivery.

Include but are not limited to the following:

• The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Supervisory Dietitian, Chief, Nutrition and Food Services, who establishes objectives and department priorities.
• The incumbent is expected to complete work assignments with relative independence and minimal guidance, personally setting the deadlines for work completions.
• The incumbent assumes responsibility in work assignments in accordance with regulations and independently and resolves most conflicts
  by using considerable judgment and interpretation.
• Work is reviewed to ensure that overall objectives of the position are met.
• Provides clinical nutrition section specific leadership serving as professional and technical advisor to staff and other health care professionals.
• Has oversight over HR staffing, employee relations and labor relations in Clinical Nutrition section.
• Exercises a full range of supervisory and personnel management authorities and assumes full responsibility in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff.
• Establishes a training plan for the clinical section that is based on evidence based nutrition.
• Develops and leads clinical nutrition operations.
• Establishes strategic goals and ensure priorities align with the strategic plan of the NFS department, VISN and national programs.
• Leads performance improvement efforts within Clinical Nutrition section, acting on quality improvement data and plans.
• Identifies and prioritizes problems, sets long and short-term goals, develops action plans and analyses data to evaluate progress to improve outcomes.
• Develops and updates policies and procedures and the establishment and oversight of a system for regulatory compliance.
• Solicits support and/or negotiate with facility managers to influence decision making and garner support to ensure clinical nutrition operations are a success.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Compressed/Flexible: Position is approved for a compress schedule. This is determined by the Service Manager.
Telework: Position is approved Ad-Hoc Telework. This is determined by the Service Manager.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PD000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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.
• 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).
  • All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference.
• English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-13 do you possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) which demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Skill in written communication including policy development and standard operating procedures.
• Skill in strategic planning to develop goals, objectives and action plans.
• Skill in analyzing data to monitor progress towards improving and sustaining outcomes.
• Ability to negotiate.
• Ability to supervise subordinate staff (i.e., plan, organize, delegate, direct, control and review activities and performance)

Preferred Experience: 5-years experience as registered dietitian in hospital setting, with more than 1-year experience as a program manager in a hospital nutrition setting, and with more than 1-year experience in a leadership position in a hospital nutrition setting.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: The position requires frequent walking and standing for up to 50% of the tour. Carrying normal amount of written/reference materials is routinely done. Occasionally, duties may require the movement of audio-visual equipment, charts and arrangement of classroom areas. Some of the work is sedentary, involving research and reports. Use of computer keyboard and mouse is a frequent part of the work and happens intermittently during the day. Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs); light carrying (under 15 lbs); reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required; walking (up to 4 hours); standing (up to 2 hours); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; hearing (aid permitted).

ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.