Assistant Director Food and Nutrition Services

About the Role:

The primary purpose of the Assistant Director Food & Nutrition Services position is to plan, coordinate, direct and control food production activities for patient food services, retail operations, catering services, Bistro Café, the gift shop, and other special requests in a cost-effective, high-quality manner which enhances client satisfaction. This position also includes maintaining adequate time and attendance for all departmental staff, developing and maintaining policies and procedures, performance standards, and performance improvement programs, overseeing the hiring, orientation of staff, assuring the competency and skills of all departmental staff and maintaining competency and skills required for each position. Assists the Director Food & Nutrition Services to develop and monitor food and production labor budget for the department.

What You’ll Do:

• Services provided are patient centered; actively contributes to creating a friendly, welcoming, and safe environment; drives collaboration with leadership; organizes and monitors operations to address patient needs/complaints within 24–48 hours; displays a “can do” attitude; monitors patient satisfaction data; acts as a role model; maintains professional composure; ensures staff respect patient rights; and meets/exceeds customer service score targets.
• Assists the Director Food & Nutrition Services with menu planning for patient food services, Retail operations, catering services, and special events, and maintains sanitary, safe, and efficient operations in accordance with regulatory standards.
• Assists department management and staff along with hospital leadership in the Director’s absence, facilitates and directs department operations, assists with scheduling, and conducts bi‑monthly time/attendance reviews and disciplinary documentation.
• Assists managers with recruiting, interviewing, training, evaluations, disciplinary actions, monitors completion of competencies, and directly oversees competencies/performance evaluations of the Buyer, Manager Patient Food Services, and Manager Retail Services.
• Participates on committees; continually improves knowledge; establishes controls to minimize waste/theft; assists with retail and catering pricing; consults with the Director on special event production; prepares data for budget projections; and assists in purchases while acting as liaison to vendors, GPO, and Food Brokers.
• Encourages teamwork; applies innovative thinking; supports staff development; collaborates with leaders to promote communication; fosters open communication; organizes multiple tasks and meets deadlines; builds constructive relationships; and sets clear, aligned goals and expectations.
• Understands and adheres to University Hospital compliance standards; keeps abreast of federal, state, and hospital regulations; ensures staff are trained/evaluated on compliance; and performs other related duties as assigned.

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor Degree of Science in Food Service, Management, or related field.
• Five (5) years of processional experience related to food and nutrition services in a high-volume complex food service setting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff and build a team required.
• Certificate is required or must obtain ServSafe Food Protection Certification within first six (6) months of employment and maintained throughout employment.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• The ideal candidate demonstrates the ability to manage staff and build a team, excellent attention to detail, analytical skills, interpersonal skills, and the ability to work effectively under pressure and meet established goals, objectives, and deadlines.
• Experience working in a union environment is preferred.
• Must possess ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Equivalent experience, education, and/or training may be substituted for the degree requirement.

What We Offer

• Vacation Accrued Time
• Medical & Prescription Drug Coverage
• Dental & Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA) & Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Short- & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Pension Plan
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Professional Development

Compensation (NJ Job Transparency Law)

In compliance with New Jersey’s Pay Transparency Act, the salary range for this position is $101,243.00 - $151,861.00. 

University Hospital considers multiple factors when determining compensation, including (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s relevant work experience, education and training, key skills, internal equity, market data, and organizational needs.

About Us

University Hospital is one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers. As the principal teaching affiliate of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and the only state-certified Level 1 Trauma Center in Northern New Jersey, University Hospital is training the next generation of physicians and advancing science to discovery while taking exceptional care of patients, regardless of their financial situation.

Apply Today

We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. If you want to grow your career in healthcare while serving a vibrant community, we’d love to meet you.