Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations)

Description:

Employees in this Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations), GS-13 assignment are experts in food focused nutrition and provide supervision of a complex Veteran-Centric food operation which consists of four distinct sections (Informatics, Food Service, Production and Nutrition Communications Center)

Requirements:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS .
a. Citizenshi p. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
b. Registration. 3 (1) 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.
Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential.
Grandfathering Provision . Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification, where applicable. Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, either on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial position. (2) Employees must meet the assignment-specific certification/education requirements to be placed in Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) or Dietitian (Dietetic Internship Director) assignments. (3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or registration/certification that meet all the qualification standard's basic or assignment-specific requirements must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation/assignment. (4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re- entry in the occupation.
Physical Requirements . See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
English Language Proficiency . Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations : Supervisory Dietitian (Food Operations), GS-13
( 1) Experience . One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
(2) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities . Candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of business administration practices such as budget planning, contracting and food and supply purchasing to operate a food service program successfully.
(b) Skill in written communication including policy development and standard operating procedures.
(c) Skill in strategic planning to develop goals, objectives and action plans.
(d) Skill in analyzing data to monitor progress towards improving and sustaining outcomes.
(e) Ability to supervise subordinate staff.
(f) Ability to negotiate.
(3) Assignment. For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time. The incumbent must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision over staff who are at the full performance level or above. Employees in this Supervisory Dietitian Food Operations assignment report to the NFS Chief. They supervise a complex Veteran-Centric food operation consisting of four distinct sections (Informatics, Food Service, Production and NCC). Supervisory Dietitians make decisions based on intricate and unrelated information and assumptions from inconclusive or variable data in all aspects of food operations. They provide food-operations-specific leadership and exercise a full range of supervisory and personnel management authorities and responsibilities in planning, directing and assessing the work of subordinate staff. Supervisory Dietitians establish a training plan for the food operations section. They develop and lead food operations, establish strategic goals and ensure priorities align with the strategic plan of the NFS department, VISN and national programs. Supervisory Dietitians identify and prioritize problems, set long and short term goals, develop action plans and analyze data to evaluate progress to improve outcomes. They are responsible for developing and updating policies and procedures and establishing and overseeing a system for regulatory compliance. Supervisory Dietitians manage 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. They direct staff in the management of contracts, subsistence, supply purchasing for NFS and submitting reports to the NFS Chief. Supervisory Dietitians solicit support and/or negotiate with facility managers to influence 21 decisions to support food operations section success. They collaborate closely with the clinical nutrition section to enhance the Veteran dining experience and to support the strategic goals of the clinical nutrition section and NFS.

Preferred Experience:
The Associate Chief, Nutrition and Food Services (N&FS) serves as full assistant to the Chief, N&FS, advising the chief/manager on all matters pertinent to the service. Provides direct supervision for both the Clinical Nutrition and Food Service Systems Managers, successfully integrating both sections. The Associate Chief works in cooperation with the Chief in the identification of major management initiatives as well as the provision, production and service of high-quality food and effective nutrition therapy to the Veteran population served. Shares the technical, professional, and administrative responsibility with the Chief for planning, developing, organizing, staffing, implementing, and evaluating a functionally comprehensive Nutrition program. Supports hospital mission and coordinates departmental activities with other services in the medical center, ambulatory clinics, and the local community.

Selective Placement Factor:
Incumbent serves as Associate Chief(Supervisory Dietitian) with full responsibility for administrative/clinical direction, professional management, planning, and operation of the Service to include the staff and programs of the major organizational and functional division at Baltimore, Perry Point and Loch Raven Medical Centers and 5 CBOCs. Provides direct staff assistance, and when designated is the surrogate for the Chief, Nutrition & Food Services. Incumbent is responsible for the administrative and clinical nutrition aspects, food production and service and ADP/Training and performance improvement of nutrition & food within the VAMHCS. Assists in the development of organizational plans where the nutritional care program includes a comprehensive advanced food delivery service system.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .
The full performance level of this vacancy is 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.