Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist - Elder Services of Berkshire County -

The Registered Dietitian / Nutritionist is responsible for nutrition-related needs encompassing menu review and nutrient analysis, nutrition education and counseling, food safety inspections, program support, and staff training. This position serves two agencies and requires site visits across Berkshire and Franklin Counties and the North Quabbin area. The ideal candidate is passionate about nutrition, committed to serving older adults, and skilled in both direct care and community education.

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Duties & Responsibilities

To meet the needs of the agency, responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Safety & Compliance

· Conduct food safety and sanitation inspections twice yearly at each Dining Center, Luncheon Club, and at the Home Delivered Meal (HDM) kitchens.

· Monitor certification of Choke Saver and ServSafe for each site.

· Conduct once-yearly food safety and sanitation inspection of the caterer's Boston-based kitchen to ensure compliance with state regulations; perform follow-up inspections as necessary.

· Conduct site visits and inspections for broader program compliance across service areas.

2. Menus & Nutrient Analysis

· Create, review, and/or edit monthly menus HDM and Congregate meals based on Standards and Policies for the Massachusetts Elderly Nutrition Program.

· Enter menu information into the statewide Computrition software program.

· Analyze the nutritional value of all HDM and Congregate meals using Computrition.

· Evaluate the nutritional content of therapeutic and other special meals provided by caterers.

· Support menu planning across program sites to ensure high nutritional standards are met.

· Perform nutrient analysis and maintain accurate, timely reports.

· Send monthly menus to meal sites and media.

3. Education & Community Outreach

· Prepare and submit an annual nutrition education plan to the AGE state nutritionist.

· Conduct two nutrition education programs per year at each dining center and luncheon club; all presentations must include a lesson plan and evaluation component.

· Deliver nutrition education to community members and staff at local venues throughout the Berkshire community.

· Develop and submit lesson plans, handouts, and evaluation tools.

· Write or revise and edit a monthly nutrition education column for the back of the printed HDM menu.

· Write or revise and edit newspaper articles for The Good Life and contribute articles to the Berkshire Senior newspaper.

· Serve as the agency's primary resource on nutrition-related topics.

4. Counseling & Direct Care

· Review and approve therapeutic meal requests for consumers.

· Counsel prospective consumers with life-threatening allergies.

· Conduct nutrition assessments and provide nutritional counseling through:

· Home visits

· Telehealth (video)

· Phone consultations

· Enter results into the Wellsky A&D database.

5. Training & Staff Development

· Lead ongoing trainings for staff and volunteers on nutrition-related topics.

· Support quality improvement practices within the Nutrition Department.

6. Administrative

· Attend meetings and conferences designated by the Nutrition Program Director, including the Executive Office of Aging and Independence (AGE) quarterly nutritionist group meetings.

· Prepare monthly activity reports and other reports as requested.

· Perform other related duties as assigned by the Nutrition Program Director, other supervisory staff, or a member of the management team.

Qualifications

Education & Licensure:

· Registered Dietitian (RD) credential

· Bachelor's degree in nutrition, public health nutrition, or a related field and at least 1 year of community nutrition experience; OR Associate degree in nutrition or related field and at least 2 years of community nutrition experience

· ServSafe certification

Experience & Skills:

· Familiarity with food service operations and principles of food safety/sanitation

· Experience in nutrition education and counseling

· Knowledge and experience in meeting the nutritional health needs of seniors preferred

· Strong communication skills (written, verbal, and interpersonal)

· Commitment to working with older adults and understanding aging-related needs

· Ability to work both independently and collaboratively

· Excellent organization and attention to detail

· Self-motivated with strong initiative and leadership skills

· Experience with team collaboration and relationship-building

· Familiarity with quality improvement practices

· Proficiency in Microsoft Office and database systems (e.g., Computrition, Wellsky A&D)

· Reliable transportation required

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Supervision

The Registered Dietitian / Nutritionist reports to the Nutrition Program Director.

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Essential Functions

Physical:

· Visual, speaking, auditory, and mobile capacity necessary

· Capacity to see a computer screen, read written material, and drive a car

· Capacity to hear and speak on the telephone

· Capacity to communicate verbally with consumers, caregivers, supervisors, and managers

· Capacity for fine manipulation in the frequent use of office equipment (computers, copy machines, fax machines, telephones, calculators, etc.)

· Capacity to drive in all weather to visit consumers in their homes

· Capacity to navigate uneven terrain in all weather

· Capacity to climb stairs

· Ability to sit and/or stand for extended periods of time

· Occasional reaching, grabbing, twisting of hand and wrist, and pushing and pulling of objects

· Occasional bending, squatting, and twisting to perform work functions

· Occasional capacity to lift up to 25 pounds

Mental:

· Ability to understand and/or interpret complicated program instructions and laws

· Capacity to maintain confidentiality of all documentation and client communications according to HIPAA standards

· Capacity to learn complicated computer software

· Capacity to deal rationally and calmly with varying personalities

· Capacity to work well in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment

Environmental:

· Work is split between indoor office work and traveling outdoors to meetings, trainings, and consumers' homes

· Must be able to tolerate odors and pollutants including but not limited to smoke, air fresheners, pet dander, personal odors, etc. from a variety of in-home conditions

· Must be able to tolerate by-products of office machine operation

· Must be able to tolerate heat and cold of seasonal changes and indoor temperatures