Director of Nutrition Services

Mama's Kitchen is a renowned nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California, dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and families vulnerable to malnutrition due to critical illness. Specializing in medically tailored meal production and medical nutrition therapy, Mama's Kitchen is a Food is Medicine Coalition (FIMC) Accredited entity that stands as a leader in providing high-quality nutrition services. The organization embodies core values such as dignity and respect, reliability, integrity, diversity, teamwork, and a steadfast commitment to equal employment opportunity. These values shape the way Mama's Kitchen serves its community, ensuring that every client experiences compassion, respect, and personalized care throughout their nutrition journey. The mission of Mama's Kitchen is grounded in the belief that everyone has a basic right to nutritious food, especially individuals whose health depends highly on specialized diets and tailored meals due to critical illnesses.

The Director of Nutrition Services at Mama's Kitchen is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Chief Program Officer with secondary supervision by the Senior Director of Operations. The role commands a salary range of $80,000 to $90,000 annually and involves on-site work for 40 hours per week. This position is pivotal in overseeing the nutritional integrity, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence of the Nutrition Services department. The Director serves as an expert bridge between clinical nutrition standards and food service operations to ensure that all medically tailored meals meet specific dietary guidelines, quality controls, and client health needs.

This highly strategic leadership role includes managing a team of Registered Dietitians and dietetic interns, ensuring they receive proper training, performance evaluations, and opportunities for professional growth. The Director is responsible for planning, organizing, directing, and reporting on all nutrition service activities, including coordinating closely with chefs and kitchen operations on meal production, nutrition audits, menu development, and client-centered meal plans. This position also drives community outreach through cooking demonstrations and educational presentations, positioning Mama's Kitchen as a community leader in nutrition services.

The Director of Nutrition Services leads initiatives to maintain compliance with FIMC standards and contractual obligations, conducts nutrition-related audits both of production and client records, and ensures all nutrition communications are accurate, evidence-based, and up-to-date. The role demands strong collaboration across multiple teams including culinary, operations, and program staff, while ensuring that all nutrition interventions reflect the latest peer-reviewed research and clinical guidelines. Travel within San Diego County is required to support these efforts.

Ideal candidates for the Director of Nutrition Services will hold an active Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential, possess at least a bachelor's degree (master's preferred) in nutrition or a related field, and bring a minimum of three years of relevant experience including foodservice operations, clinical nutrition, or nonprofit nutrition programs. Experience supervising teams, knowledge of medically tailored meals, therapeutic diets, HACCP standards, and a passionate commitment to the mission of Mama's Kitchen are essential. The role requires excellent communication and presentation skills, advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and SharePoint, and an ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-task environment. A valid California driver's license and the ability to lift 25 pounds are also required.

At Mama's Kitchen, the Director of Nutrition Services will be an instrumental leader contributing to a vision where no individual with a critical illness is vulnerable to malnutrition. Through leadership, innovation, and compassionate service, this role directly supports the organization's mission to provide life-sustaining nutrition while fostering a culture of reliability, integrity, and teamwork in every aspect of operation.