What is a Dietary Manager?

Dietary managers lead the dietary department of a hospital to ensure the quality and efficiency of foodservice operations. Their primary duties are to oversee food preparation activities in the kitchen, create diets according to patients' dietary requirements and preferences, and properly allocate the budget of the dietary department.

Moreover, dietary managers also perform various administrative tasks, such as recruiting dietitians and food service crew, delegating responsibilities to staff, organizing work schedules, and overseeing inventory management. As a secondary duty, they may also provide nutrition counseling to patients and hospital employees.

One can attain the role of a dietary manager with only a high school diploma, but employers generally prefer applicants with an associate's or bachelor's degree in culinary management or food and nutrition. As a general requirement, one must have a certification from the Association of Nutrition and Food Service Professionals and completion of a Certified Dietary Manager Exam.

Experience working in a dietary department or commercial foodservice operation is also a typical requirement for this role. When it comes to soft skills, an aspiring dietary manager must be highly communicable, a great leader, and be able to work with a diverse group of people.