Job Description

Lead dining operations in a premier senior living community where hospitality and resident satisfaction come first. We are seeking an experienced Restaurant Manager to oversee healthcare dining services, including Assisted Living, Personal Care, Rehabilitation, and Memory Support. This leadership role is responsible for team supervision, scheduling, food safety, dietary compliance, resident satisfaction, and daily restaurant operations. Ideal candidates will have restaurant, healthcare dining, senior living, or food service management experience and a passion for delivering exceptional service.

Summary of Responsibilities:

The Restaurant Manager – Healthcare provides daily leadership and operational oversight for dining services in Assisted Living, Rehabilitation, Personal Care, Memory Support, and other designated healthcare areas. The position is responsible for accurate diet service, staffing, food safety, sanitation, regulatory compliance, and a hospitality-focused resident experience. The manager also coaches team members, resolves operational concerns, and ensures that dining services meet organizational policies, standards, values, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Essential Functions:

Operational Leadership and Daily Operations

• Oversee daily dining operations in all Healthcare restaurants
• Ensure consistent execution of all food production and operational standards
• Provide on-site leadership during peak service periods, evenings, weekends, and emergencies.

Leadership, Management and Workforce Accountability

• Lead, manage, and hold department staff accountable for performance, conduct, and service standards.
• Oversee staffing, scheduling, and labor deployment, adjusting staffing plans in response to census, service demands, and operational needs in the Healthcare restaurants.
• Promote a positive, team-focused work environment aligned with organizational values.
• Provide supervision, coaching, and development of team members to support high performance, engagement, retention, and professional growth.
• Complete required performance, talent and values-alignment assessments, including the People Analyzer Tools (PAT), within established timeframes, and use the results to support coaching, recognition, development, and accountability.
• Address performance concerns promptly through coaching and corrective action in accordance with organizational policies.
• Participates in recruiting, interviewing, selection, onboarding, performance evaluation, corrective action, and retention activities for assigned team members.
• Exercises independent judgment in directing daily operations, assigning work, adjusting staffing, addressing service and performance concerns, and making operational decisions within established organizational policies.
• Review and approve timekeeping and payroll information for assigned employees, including missed punches, exceptions, and other discrepancies, in accordance with established payroll deadlines and procedures.

Dining Operations and Service Execution

• Ensure physician-ordered and clinically approved diets, allergies, texture modifications, and other dietary requirements are accurately entered and maintained in applicable dining systems.
• Ensure all menus in applicable dining systems reflect approved diets, allergens, and required food consistencies.
• Ensure that physician orders and clinically authorized dietary plans are implemented accurately.
• Coordinate all communication with all Healthcare areas regarding new admissions and diet updates/concerns.
• Order and maintain approved resident nutritional supplements in accordance with established clinical direction and organizational procedures.
• Complete assigned Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) audits, document findings, implement corrective actions within the position’s authority, and escalate unresolved concerns to the appropriate leader.
• Monitor completion and accuracy of required sanitation, temperature, cleaning, and food-safety logs; address deficiencies promptly and retain documentation in accordance with organizational and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure Healthcare dining events, programs, and operational activities are accurately communicated and documented within approved organizational systems.
• Ensure all menus in the Healthcare restaurants are posted as per regulation.
• Attend Rehabilitation, Assisted Living, and Personal Care council meetings, as assigned, to gather resident feedback, communicate dining updates, and coordinate follow-up actions.
• Meet regularly with Healthcare administrators and other operational or clinical leaders to review resident needs, upcoming events, service concerns, staffing matters, and improvement opportunities.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation and communication related to dining operations, service issues, and performance.

Resident Experience and Hospitality

• Ensure a welcoming, hospitality-driven dining environment that promotes resident satisfaction.
• Maintain strong presence and engagement with residents, families, and guests.
• Monitor resident satisfaction and ensure prompt response and service recovery related to feedback and concerns.
• Evaluate trends (comment cards, informal feedback) and drive improvements.

Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure food quality, presentation, and service standards meet organizational expectations.
• Enforce Dining Services policies and procedures, including sanitation, infection control, uniform standards, and conduct expectations
• Ensure compliance with organizational Human Resource policies and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations
• Participate in and ensure team member compliance with required training, certifications, and competency standards
• Maintain compliance with resident rights, HIPAA privacy requirements, confidentiality standards, and applicable healthcare regulations.

Financial and Operational Performance

• Support budget adherence and cost control (i.e., labor, food, supplies)
• Monitor meal counts, productivity, and operational performance metrics
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce waste

Systems, Billing and Documentation

• Oversee dining systems, including POS, KDS, and other technology platforms to ensure accuracy and operational effectiveness in Healthcare Restaurants.
• Ensure accuracy of resident dining charges and support billing audit processes (i.e., PCC/Cubigo)

Special Events and Cross-Department Collaboration

• Support execution of set-ups for all special functions in Healthcare restaurants.
• Ensure events meet established standards for quality, service, and budget expectations.
• Serve as a liaison between Dining Services and other departments to support coordinated service delivery, resident needs, and operational efficiency

Continuous Improvement

• Drive process consistency and lead initiatives to improve efficiency, service delivery, workflow, and operational performance across venues
• Participate in ongoing training, leadership development, and succession planning efforts

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage multi-unit dining operations in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to make sound operational decisions independently, particularly in the absence of senior leadership
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with residents, families, staff, and leadership
• Ability to manage conflict, address concerns, and execute effective service recovery
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities
• Ability to evaluate operational data, identify trends, and implement improvements
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and regulatory requirements in a healthcare or senior living environment
• Ability to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations
• Proficiency in dining systems, including POS/KDS platforms and billing systems
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and operational reporting tools
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic, high-volume environment
• Strong attention to detail with commitment to accuracy and consistency
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment
• Ability/flexibility to work evenings, weekends, holidays, and non-traditional hours as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position oversees the Healthcare Diet Aids with indirect responsibility to Healthcare Culinary staff.

Core Values:

1. AMBASSADOR: Represents The Highlands at Wyomissing® in a positive light with integrity. Takes pride in our community.
2. COMMITMENT: Dedicated, adaptable, tolerant, dependable, focused, and passionate. Often does more than is required. Reports to work as scheduled and timely.
3. COMPASSIONATE: Is empathetic, mindful, and kind.
4. INNOVATIVE: Is curious. Identifies new methods and efficiencies.
5. RESULTS-DRIVEN: Has a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and completing work. Exerts unusual effort over time to achieve a goal. Maintains commitment to goals in the face of obstacles and frustrations.
6. TEAM ORIENTED: Works cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals.

The Highlands’ Traditions (Customer Service Expectations):

1. SAFETY: Practices safe behaviors to ensure the safety of all.
2. KINDNESS: Projects a positive image and energy. Courteous and respectful to all. Goes above and beyond to exceed customer expectations.
3. SHOW: Takes pride in self-appearance. Stays in “character” and performs the “role in the show.” Ensures work area is show-ready.
4. EFFICIENCY: Performs role with consistency and efficiency. Uses time and resources wisely.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time position in a Healthcare facility that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• Evening, weekend, holiday rotation, and work during inclement weather required to support operations.

Travel:

• Occasional local travel may be required for training, meetings, purchasing, or other business-related purposes.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Associate degree in foodservice management, hospitality, culinary arts, business, or a related field preferred.
• Two to four years of progressively responsible dining-services experience required; health care, senior living, rehabilitation, or long-term care experience preferred.
• Previous supervisory experience, including scheduling, coaching, performance management, and daily workforce deployment, required.
• ServSafe Manager certification required within 30 days of employment if not held at the time of hire.
• Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) credential required. If the employee does not hold the CDM credential, the employee must enroll in an approved program within 30 days of employment and successfully complete all program and credentialing requirements within one year.
• Certifications must be maintained in good standing throughout employment.
• Experience with financial oversight, including labor management, cost control, and operational performance metrics
• Experience with resident or customer-facing service environments requiring high levels of satisfaction and service recovery
• Prior experience utilizing POS systems, dining technology platforms, and billing systems
• Experience ensuring compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements
• Experience in healthcare, senior living, or long-term care dining services preferred
• Completion of Highlands Hearthstone Ambassador training within 30 days of employment required

Work Authorization/Security Clearances:

• Medical Screening
• Criminal History Clearance
• FBI Fingerprint Clearance (Only required if you have not lived in PA for the last 2 years)
• Immigration and Naturalization (I-9) Clearance
• Valid Pennsylvania Driver's License and acceptable MVR (if operating company vehicle)

Physical Requirements and Physical Demands:

• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to communicate effectively, including talking, hearing, and writing. Visual acuity must be sufficient to perform job duties, including reading printed materials and computer screens.
• The position requires frequent standing and walking, particularly during meal service periods and while providing operational oversight within dining areas.
• The employee may occasionally be required to perform physical activities such as sitting, climbing, bending, crouching, kneeling, reaching, pushing, and pulling as necessary to support dining operations.
• The position requires the ability to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move items weighing up to 25 pounds frequently and up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• This role requires the ability to respond to dynamic operational needs in a fast-paced environment, including providing on-the-floor support during peak service periods.

Safety Hazards and Physical Environment:

• May be exposed to blood borne pathogens
• May be exposed to toxic, caustic, chemicals, and / or detergents
• May be exposed to potential electrical shock
• May be exposed to moving mechanical parts
• May be exposed to high noise levels
• May be exposed to communicable diseases
• May be exposed to extreme conditions, (i.e. heat or cold)
• May be exposed to rare occasions during which it is necessary to interact with a resident exhibiting aggressive behavior.