Nutrition Services Administrators

*Salaries have been updated to reflect the most updated negotiated contract.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: On or before October 21, 2023, you must have:

For Exam No. 26-967: two years of post-registration/certification professional administrative experience* in a food or nutrition program of which one year MUST have included supervision AND;

Either 1. have a current registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as a Registered Dietitian (RD);

Or 2. have your New York State Education Department (NYSED) certification in dietetics-nutrition AND have completed a minimum of an additional 400 hours** of supervised dietetics practice under the supervision of an RD.

For Exam No. 26-968: three years of post-registration/certification professional administrative experience* in a food or nutrition program of which one year MUST have included supervision AND;

Either 1. have a current registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as a Registered Dietitian (RD);

Or 2. have your New York State Education Department (NYSED) certification in dietetics-nutrition AND have completed a minimum of an additional 400 hours** of supervised dietetics practice under the supervision of an RD.

Substitution for No. 26-968: A master's degree in public health, public administration, health administration, health services administration, health education, community health, nutrition, or dietetics may be substituted for one year of the required professional administrative experience.*

*Qualifying experience: For the purposes of the examination, professional administrative experience is defined as duties focused on planning, coordinating, and supervising a nutrition services program that includes one or more program components: food distribution, food production, clinical dietetics, outpatient nutrition services, or quality management services in a community-based, residential, hospital, or institutional nutrition services program setting.

**The additional 400 hours required is in addition to the 800 hours of supervised dietetics practice under the supervision of an RD required for NYSED certification. On your application you must provide the name of the institution where you obtained the additional hours; the name of your supervisor; and your supervisor's qualifications.

Additional Requirements for Appointment:

1. Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: In some agencies, the names of all prospective employees will

   • be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL), maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
   • be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). You must report all convictions. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal law;

   And may

   • be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment.

   You are responsible for payment of all required fees.

2. Medicaid and Medicare: To be eligible for appointment and maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). You may be barred from appointment, or your employment may be terminated at any time if you are listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program).

Continued Employment: Continued employment as a Nutrition Services Administrator 1 or 2 is dependent on maintaining your registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as a Registered Dietitian (RD) or your New York State Education Department (NYSED) certification in dietetics-nutrition. Loss of registration or certification may result in removal from the position.

The Positions: These positions exist in the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, Office of Mental Health, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Children and Family Services, Department of Health, and Office of Addiction Services and Supports and are located statewide.

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Duties

As a Nutrition Services Administrator 1, you would organize and direct food service and clinical dietetic programs at State facilities and oversee dietetic services in community-based residential settings. You would supervise professional Dietitians and manage lower level food service staff in the preparation and distribution of meals and snacks; plan for the nutritional and dietetic needs of a specialized population by providing balanced diets that specifically address each individual's needs; provide nutrition counseling and programming related to food and nutrition; serve as a nutrition services liaison and educator for medical, clinical, administrative, residential, and program staff as well as local and voluntary agencies; assist in developing food service policies and procedures related to individual treatment and care; develop and participate in quality assurance and improvement practices related to nutrition services; and serve as an administrative and clinical liaison for the facility or community-based program.

As a Nutrition Services Administrator 2, you would perform duties similar to those of a Nutrition Services Administrator 1. However, you would be responsible for larger food, nutrition, and dietetic programs; and supervise Nutrition Services Administrators 1 and/or Dietitians, and other food and nutrition program staff.

Notes:

1. Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within an area of assignment. Appointees may need to operate a motor vehicle or have other means to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must continuously have a valid New York State driver's license to continue employment. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule. Overnight travel may be required.
2. A promotion examination will also be held for these positions. Although promotion examinations are being held, it is expected that appointments will be made as a result of the open competitive exam. If you are eligible for appointment from a promotion list, you may not be appointed in your own agency from the list resulting from this examination open to the public.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the multiple-choice test. The multiple-choice test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Administrative techniques and practices - These questions test for a knowledge of management techniques and practices used in directing or assisting in directing a program component or an organizational segment. Questions cover such areas as interpreting policies, making decisions based on the context of the position in the organization, coordinating programs or projects, communicating with employees or the public, planning employee training, and researching and evaluating areas of concern.
2. Clinical Dietetics - These questions test for knowledge of contemporary clinical dietetics and nutrition, including the identification of dietary and nutritional conditions and problems of at-risk consumer populations and the methods of treating them. Topics may include the underlying chemistry and biology of food metabolism, the potential interaction of foods with drugs, the rationale behind special therapeutic diets, and the prescription of foods and food consistencies in accordance with a person's medical conditions and preferences.
3. Ensuring effective inter/intra agency communications - These questions test for understanding of techniques for interacting effectively with individuals and agencies, to educate and inform them about topics of concern, to clarify agency programs or policies, to negotiate conflicts or resolve complaints, and to represent one's agency or program in a manner in keeping with good public relations practices. Questions may also cover interacting with the staff of one's own agency and/or that of other agencies in cooperative efforts of public outreach or service.
4. Food Service Management Principles and Practices - These questions test for knowledge of planning, implementing, and evaluating a food service program. The questions will cover areas such as estimating program needs; allocating staff, equipment, and material resources; monitoring food safety and sanitation practices; and evaluating the performance and efficiency of a food service program.
5. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
6. Supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

Test Guide: A Guide to the Written Test for the Nutrition Services Administrator 1 and 2 Series is available on the Department website at https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a multiple-choice test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

Important: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov regarding inquiries about any past due fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most multiple-choice tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the multiple-choice test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your multiple-choice test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a multiple-choice test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this multiple-choice test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S1/TB1 RKV-ctc
Issued: 8/4/23
*Amended: 8/21/23

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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