Assistant Nutrition Services Manager

The Assistant Manager of Nutrition Services plays a key leadership role in delivering exceptional dining experiences that support patient healing and overall hospital operations. Working in partnership with Nutrition Services leadership, this position oversees the daily operations of patient meal services, retail dining, and catering, ensuring high-quality service, operational efficiency, and an outstanding customer experience.

This leader is responsible for coaching and developing team members, managing daily staffing and workflow, and promoting a culture of accountability, collaboration, and service excellence. The Assistant Manager helps ensure compliance with food safety, sanitation, regulatory, and quality standards while supporting departmental goals related to patient satisfaction, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.

Success in this role requires a hands-on leader who is passionate about developing people, improving processes, and creating a welcoming environment where patients, visitors, and team members receive exceptional service every day.

Essential Functions

• Supervises daily Food and Nutrition Services operations, including patient meal service, retail dining, catering, and food production activities.

• Ensures all service areas are appropriately staffed and operational to support quality service and customer satisfaction.

• Monitors productivity, staffing levels, and workflow to promote operational efficiency and minimize overtime and agency utilization.

• Oversees food production and service standards, ensuring compliance with recipes, quality expectations, portion control, and presentation requirements.

• Monitors temperature logs, sanitation records, cleaning schedules, and food safety practices to ensure regulatory compliance.

• Maintains compliance with food safety regulations, infection prevention standards, workplace safety requirements, and departmental policies.

• Coordinates employee schedules and staffing assignments to meet operational needs.

• Provides onboarding, training, coaching, mentoring, and ongoing development opportunities for team members.

• Conducts performance evaluations and provides performance feedback, recognition, and corrective action as appropriate.

• Supports employee engagement initiatives through team meetings, recognition programs, communication, and diversity awareness activities.

• Trains staff on inspection readiness, sanitation standards, emergency procedures, equipment operation, safe lifting techniques, and body mechanics.

• Communicates operational updates, expectations, audit results, and department information through verbal and written communication.

• Collaborates with leadership to identify opportunities for quality improvement, cost containment, and operational efficiency.

• Monitors and minimizes food substitutions while ensuring patient, retail, and catering service expectations are met.

• Supports departmental projects, initiatives, and organizational goals.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.

• Ability to train, coach, and develop employees in culinary techniques, food production, and food service operations.

• Knowledge of culinary principles, food preparation methods, and production systems.

• Ability to create, test, scale, modify, read, and follow recipes accurately.

• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, HACCP principles, and regulatory compliance standards.

• Ability to supervise, motivate, and manage staff in a fast-paced food service environment.

• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting operational deadlines.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to analyze operational data and implement process improvements.

• Knowledge of food inventory management, purchasing principles, and waste reduction strategies.

• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to promote collaboration, teamwork, and a positive work environment.

• Mathematical skills necessary for food production, inventory control, recipe scaling, and operational reporting.

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and business needs.

Education

• Associate Degree preferred.

• Bachelor's Degree preferred.

Field of Study

• Culinary Arts preferred.

• Nutrition, Food and Nutrition Services, Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.

Work Experience

• Two years of food service leadership experience required.

• Five years of food service management experience preferred.

• Five years of food service, culinary, hospitality, or related experience required.

• Experience with food service software applications, including CBORD or similar systems, preferred.

• Food and Nutrition Services leadership experience in a healthcare environment is preferred. Availability to work varying shifts, weekends, holidays, and special events based on departmental needs may be required.