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Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations)

Veterans Health Administration · Department of Veterans Affairs

Open to the publicPermanentFull-timeSecurity clearance required
Salary
$125,431 – $163,062/yr
Pay grade
GS 13
Openings
1
Posted
Oct 26, 2026
Closes
Closes today

Summary

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) at the Northport VA Medical Center. The Supervisory Dietitian is responsible for carrying out the strategic and business aspects of the full food service operations section. They support the NFS goals in alignment with the broader medical center mission and coordinate section activities with other services and units in the facility, clinics, and local community.



Duties

MAJOR DUTIES:
  • Provides food-operations-specific leadership, serving as professional and technical advisor to staff and other healthcare professionals.
  • Has oversight over HR Staffing, employee relations, and labor relations in Food Service Operations.
  • Exercises a full range of supervisory and personnel management authorities and responsibilities in planning, directing, and assessing work of subordinate staff.
  • Establishes a training plan for the food operations section.
  • Develops and leads food operations.
  • Establishes strategic goals and ensures priorities align with the strategic plan of the NFS department, VISN and national programs.
  • Leads the continuous quality improvement efforts in Food Service Operations.
  • Identifies and priortizes 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 establishes and oversees a system for regulatory compliance. Coordinates food service operation policies and procedures with clinical nutrition management, nursing and other services, as applicable.
  • Manages the budget and other resources, anticipating future trends and inflation, new service opportunities, recommendations for growth, efficiencies and strategic efforts are factored into resource requests and brought to the Chief.
  • Directs staff in management of contracts, subsistence, supply purchasing for NFS and submits reports to the NFS Chief.
  • Solicits support and/or negotiates with facility managers to inflluence decisions to support food operations section success.
  • Words closely with the Supervisory Dietitians to support the department, cover the work within NFS and execute the activities of the department.
  • May perform other related duties as assigned which are appropriate for this grade and assignment.
SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
  • The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Section Chief; Supervisory Dietitian (Chief of 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 completion of work. Assumes responsibility in work assignments in accordance with regulations and independently resolves most conflicts by using considerable judgement and interpretation.
  • Work is reviewed to ensure that overall objectives of the position are met.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:30pm.
Telework: (Adhoc)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PD99515S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Qualifications

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).
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: GS-13
  • One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Qualifying experience is typically but not limited to: Overseeing a food service and production operation, serving as professional and technical advisor to staff and other healthcare professionals and represent the food operations section on projects, committees and/or workgroups, providing food service systems-specific leadership and exercise a full range of supervisory and personnel management authorities and responsibilities in planning, directing and assessing the work and competence of subordinate staff.
  • Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
    • Knowledge of business administration practices such as budget planning, contracting and food and supply purchasing to operate a food service program successfully.
    • 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 supervise subordinate staff (i.e., plan, organize, delegate, direct, control and review activities and performance).
    • Ability to negotiate.

Preferred Experience: Food service management

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.

Education

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

Requirements

  • 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.

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