Summary This position is in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago Illinois. Supervisory Dietitians in this assignment serve as Chief of NFS for a complex department and have administrative and technical supervision over GS-13 level staff from both clinical nutrition and food operations and NFS administrative staff. Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities include (but are not limited to): Oversees all human resource functions for the department. Holds staff accountable for performance and conduct. Establishes performance standards and evaluate overall performance of employees Defines competency requirements, identifies developmental and training needs and takes necessary actions to ensure subordinate personnel maintain and enhance technical and leadership expertise. Develops budget and staffing requirements to manage organizational changes and ensure national directives and goals/objectives are met. Communicates and advocates with executive leadership for resources. Develops the NFS strategic plan establishing service priorities which address the goals and strategic direction of the medical center, VISN and national programs. Implements a performance improvement program to continually improve delivery of quality, safe and cost-effective food and nutrition care to all patients/residents. Establishes the department organizational structure, defining the lines of authority essential to carry out the mission of the service. Oversees the planning of new endeavours addressing patient care delivery systems and system reorganizations for new or redesigned operational space, equipment requirements, etc. Ensures adherence to the National Dietary Supplement and Subsistence Prime Vendor contracts. Implements security measures in all NFS areas to protect against theft, reduce the risk of food terrorism and maintain Veteran and staff safety. Directs resource distribution for food, supply, and labor costs, focusing on benchmarks, delegating resource management to others as appropriate. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: PD99498S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 dentification 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. 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: Supervisory Dietitian (Chief, Nutrition and Food Services), GS-14 Specialized Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of security measures within food operations to ensure patient and staff safety. (b) Knowledge of organizational structure to assess impact on program operations. (c) Skill in ensuring regulatory requirements are met. (d) Skill in leading a group of professionals to facilitate collaboration and organizational development. (e) Skill in leading managers to establish strategic goals. (f) Ability to oversee the planning of new initiatives addressing patient care delivery systems and system reorganizations. (g) Ability to lead efforts in business administration to include budgeting, contracting and purchasing. Certification: Must hold an advanced practice certification from a nationally recognized certifying body such as the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, or the National Board of Nutrition Certification. The certification must be directly related to the assignment being filled. For example, where the assignment requires diabetes management, a Board Certified-Advanced Diabetes Management or Certified Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition; Registered Dietitian Nutritionist-Advanced Practitioner; Certified Nutrition Support Clinician. Copy of Advanced Practice Certification required at time of application. 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. 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. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
