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 (Clinical Nutrition), GS-13.
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) Skill in written communication including policy development and standard operating procedures.
(b) Skill in strategic planning to develop goals, objectives and action plans.
(c) Skill in analyzing data to monitor progress towards improving and sustaining outcomes.
(d) Ability to negotiate.
(e) Ability to supervise subordinate staff (i.e., plan, organize, delegate, direct, control and review activities and performance).
Assignment. For all supervisory assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, variety and be performed by the incumbent as a major duty at least 25% of the time. The incumbent must spend 25% or more of their time providing administrative and technical supervision over Dietitians at the GS-12 level or below. Supervisory Dietitians in this Clinical Nutrition assignment report to the NFS Chief. They make decisions based on intricate and unrelated information and assumptions from inconclusive or variable data in all aspects of nutrition operations. They provide clinical nutrition section-specific leadership and exercise a full range of supervisory and personnel management authorities and responsibilities in planning, directing and assessing the work of subordinate staff. Supervisory Dietitians establish a training plan for the clinical section. They develop and lead clinical nutrition operations, establish strategic goals and ensure priorities align with the strategic plan of the NFS department, VISN and national programs. Supervisory Dietitians identify and prioritize problems, set long and short-term goals, develop action plans and analyze data to evaluate progress to improve outcomes. They are responsible for developing and updating policies and procedures and establishing and overseeing a system for regulatory compliance. Supervisory Dietitians solicit support and/or negotiate with facility managers to influence decision-making and garner support to ensure clinical nutrition operations succeed. They collaborate closely with the food operations section to enhance the Veteran's dining experience and to support the strategic goals of the food service section and NFS.
Preferred Experience: Previous management experience; advanced certifications
References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G20
Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. May be required to complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as employment conditions.