How to hire a dietary manager

How to hire a dietary manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dietary manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a dietary manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dietary manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The dietary manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A dietary manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, dietary managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of dietary managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Dietary Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Dietary Manager	Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants and other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their dining experience, and they manage the business to ensure that it is profitable.	$14-28
   Food And Beverage Manager	A food and beverage manager is a professional responsible for ensuring that quality food and drinks are being served at a restaurant or hotel. Food and beverage managers are required to be excellent with customers and should have great management skills to meet the organization's labor and financial goals... Show more	$18-34
   Catering Manager	Catering managers are responsible for managing the daily catering operations and services in hotels, restaurants, and resorts. They monitor the quality of food and service provided by their outlets as well as make sure they are presented well... Show more	$17-34

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Kitchen Equipment
   • Patients
   • Dietary Services
   • Infection Control
   • Food Preparation
   • Federal Regulations
   • Food Safety
   • Good Communication
   • State Regulations
   • Meal Planning
   • OSHA
   • Food Handling
   • MDS
   • Food Preferences

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage operations and provide support to a team of 245 union employees at various elementary, middle and high school cafeterias.
   • Review records and assess the nutritional condition of at risk residents, including unplan weight changes, charting and MDS reporting.
   • Analyze diet requirement of patients and prepare nutritional balance menus accordingly.
   • Refer patients to appropriate outpatient settings for additional diet education and support.
   • Communicate effectively in medical charts, and complete MDS assessments for Medicare reimbursement with proficiency.
   • Increase student participation by overseeing and implementing marketing brands in school cafeterias.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your dietary manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A dietary manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, dietary managers' average salary in south dakota is 42% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level dietary managers earn 50% less than senior-level dietary managers.
   • Certifications. A dietary manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a dietary manager's salary.

   Average dietary manager salary

   $42,856yearly

   $20.60 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level dietary manager salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

4. Writing a dietary manager job description

   A good dietary manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a dietary manager job description:

   Dietary manager job description example

   Indrotec Staffing and Workforce Management is looking for an experienced Diet Technician to join the team at the Hennepin County Medical Center. HCMC is a Level 1 Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center in downtown Minneapolis. A Diet Technician assumes responsibility for the nutritional wellbeing of patients receiving sustenance provided by the Food and Nutrition Services Department and coordinates daily operation of tray line service. This is a long-term, contract-to-hire position. Call Indrotec today to start your career at HCMC as a Diet Technician.
   Qualified candidates will have the following skills and abilities
   
   Monitors and maintains patient orders, admissions, discharges, and transfers using various electronic systems May complete nutrition screening and calorie count calculations and communicate results as appropriate Menu correction based on special diet needs Direct tray service (checking each tray for accuracy and adherence to diet order) May prepare and deliver enteral formulas as appropriate May provide nutrition education as required Assures proper food handling and presentation Visits all ages of patients daily in assigned area for menu selection and to conduct patient satisfaction surveys Conducts test trays for quality and accuracy of trays as served to patients Answers call center phone calls and problem solving Enters accurate diet orders, admissions, discharges, and transfer of patients into diet office software system and communicates change to tray serving area Prepares menus for serving area in accordance with current diet orders Attends all required Safety Training programs and can describe his/her responsibilities related to general safety, department/service safety, specific job-related hazards Follows the Hospital Exposure Control Plans/Bloodborne and Airborne Pathogens Demonstrates respect and regard for the dignity of all patients, families, visitors, and fellow employees to ensure a professional, responsible, and courteous environment Promotes effective working relations and works effectively as part of a team, inter and intra departmentally to facilitate ability to meet goals/objectives Other duties as assigned
   Requirements
   
   Pass a criminal background check and DHS study Records of required immunizations (once hired), including the Covid-19 vaccination Required Experience/Education: Student in a current dietic program OR An approved equivalent combination of education and experience Preferred Qualifications: Completed dietic/nutrition program Over 3+ months to one year experience in hospital food service
   Schedule
   
   Rotating between 1st and mid-shift will be required 1st shift: 5:30am-2pm Mid-shift: 10:30am-7pm Up to every other weekend required Pay is based on experience, starting at $18.22/hour
   Post Date: 10.07.2022
   
   Salary: $18.22 /hr
   
   Shift: 1st
   
   Interested in this Job?
   
   You're on your way to a new career!
   
   Contact an Indrotec Consultant at 612-###-#### to schedule an interview.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right dietary manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your dietary manager job on Zippia to find and recruit dietary manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit dietary managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new dietary manager

   Once you've selected the best dietary manager candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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