Job Summary
The Dining Services Director is responsible for the overall leadership, management, and operation of the community's dining and culinary services department. This position ensures residents receive nutritious, high-quality meals in a welcoming, hospitality-focused environment that supports resident choice, dignity, independence, and quality of life. Responsibilities include staffing, budgeting, menu planning, food safety, regulatory compliance, resident satisfaction, staff development, and maintaining high standards of service throughout all dining venues within the community.
The Dining Services Director works collaboratively with the Executive Director, Wellness team, Life Enrichment, and other department leaders to promote an exceptional resident experience while ensuring compliance with all applicable state, local, and company regulations.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
- Demonstrates and promotes the organization's mission, values, and service standards at all times.
- Ensures compliance with Resident Rights, HIPAA, infection control, food safety, and all RCFE regulatory requirements.
- Oversees daily operations of all dining services, including meal preparation, service delivery, sanitation, inventory management, and resident dining experiences.
- Creates a hospitality-driven dining culture that promotes resident engagement, choice, preferences, and meaningful social interaction.
- Develops, implements, and maintains menus that meet residents' nutritional needs while incorporating resident preferences and seasonal offerings.
- Collaborates with residents, families, and leadership to continuously improve dining services and resident satisfaction.
- Conducts regular resident dining meetings and actively responds to feedback and concerns.
- Ensures appropriate accommodations for special diets, food allergies, texture modifications, and physician-ordered dietary needs.
- Oversees food purchasing, vendor relationships, inventory management, cost controls, and department budgeting.
- Maintains appropriate inventory levels while minimizing waste and maximizing operational efficiency.
- Recruits, interviews, hires, trains, supervises, and develops culinary and dining services team members.
- Ensures department schedules provide adequate staffing coverage to support resident needs and service expectations.
- Conducts new employee orientation, ongoing education, performance evaluations, coaching, and corrective action when appropriate.
- Supervises dining room operations and ensures team members provide courteous, professional, and resident-centered service.
- Partners with Wellness and Care teams to support residents experiencing health changes, weight fluctuations, or nutritional concerns.
- Coordinates and supports special events, family functions, holiday celebrations, and community activities that involve food service.
- Maintains all required food safety records, temperature logs, cleaning schedules, sanitation audits, and regulatory documentation.
- Ensures compliance with local health department requirements, food handling regulations, and company policies.
- Maintains kitchen equipment and coordinates preventative maintenance and repairs as needed.
- Participates in leadership meetings, quality assurance initiatives, surveys, inspections, and other community activities.
- Assists during emergencies and community-wide response efforts as directed.
- Performs additional duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Directly supervises cooks, servers, dishwashers, dining staff, and other dining services personnel.
- Provides leadership, coaching, mentoring, and accountability to department team members.
- Promotes employee engagement, retention, professional development, and teamwork.
Work Environment
- Works in kitchen, dining room, office, storage, and resident common areas.
- Frequently interacts with residents, family members, visitors, vendors, and team members.
- Works in environments with varying temperatures, including kitchens, refrigerators, freezers, and storage areas.
- Must be able to respond to resident concerns and operational needs in a professional and timely manner.
- May be required to work weekends, holidays, special events, and extended hours as needed.
- Participates in emergency preparedness, evacuation procedures, and disaster response efforts.
Physical Requirements
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the workday.
- Ability to bend, stoop, reach, kneel, and lift as necessary to perform job duties.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
- Ability to push and pull carts, equipment, and supplies weighing up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to perform repetitive movements associated with food preparation and service.
- Ability to assist with resident evacuation during emergencies.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of senior living, hospitality, culinary operations, and resident-centered dining practices.
- Understanding of RCFE regulations, food safety standards, sanitation requirements, and infection-control practices.
- Ability to lead, motivate, and develop diverse teams.
- Excellent customer service and communication skills.
- Strong organizational, budgeting, purchasing, and inventory management abilities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to effectively interact with older adults, including residents living with dementia and other cognitive impairments.
- Proficiency with computers, email, spreadsheets, and food service management systems.
- Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused during emergencies and challenging situations.
Minimum Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent experience required.
- Associate's degree or culinary training preferred.
- Minimum three (3) years of progressive food service leadership experience, preferably in assisted living, memory care, senior living, healthcare, hospitality, or long-term care settings.
- Previous supervisory or management experience required.
- Current ServSafe Manager Certification or ability to obtain within required timeframe.
- Knowledge of food purchasing, menu development, staffing, scheduling, cost control, and inventory management.
- Successfully pass all required background clearances and meet state regulatory requirements.
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
