Nutrition Services Ambassador 1

Employer Paid Benefits - Medical, Dental, and Vision. For You & Your Family!

Schedule: 20 hrs per week

Shift: Varied shift

Wage Range: $17.19 - $26.33

Definition of Position: 

The Nutrition Services Ambassador plays a key front-line role in delivering exceptional food service and customer care to patients, staff, and visitors in a healthcare setting. This position supports the preparation, delivery, and service of meals while ensuring safety, sanitation, and adherence to individual dietary needs including allergies, intolerances, and personal preferences. Responsibilities include meal tray delivery, food and beverage preparation, cashiering, dishwashing, and ensuring a positive guest experience in the cafeteria or patient service areas. The Ambassador represents the department with professionalism, compassion, and service excellence in every interaction.

• Deliver patient and guest or daycare meals accurately and with attention to dietary restrictions, allergies, and personal preferences.
• Provide courteous and empathetic service to patients, families, visitors, daycare children, and staff.
• Communicate menu choices, take patient meal orders when applicable, and assist patients with understanding available options.
• Respond promptly to patient requests and follow up to ensure satisfaction.
• Prepare and serve beverages, snacks, and light food items following safe food handling practices.
• Set up, maintain, and restock food service areas, including patient tray lines and cafeteria stations.
• Assist in food prep and portioning tasks as directed by supervisors or cooks.
• Follow all safety, infection control, and sanitation procedures in accordance with HACCP and hospital policies.
• Maintain cleanliness of work areas including cafeteria, dish room, serving stations, and patient service equipment.
• Properly handle, store, and label food items to ensure safety and compliance with public health standards.
• Operate point-of-sale systems accurately to process payments for cafeteria customers.
• Ensure accurate cash handling and maintain a clean and welcoming retail environment.
• Utilize hospital software, tablets, or other devices to input or retrieve patient meal orders and preferences.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with kitchen staff, dietitians, nurses, and other departments regarding patient and guest needs.
• Work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment with frequent changes in task and priority.
• Assist in cross-functional duties across the kitchen, café, tray line, and dish room as needed.
• Accept direction and feedback constructively and demonstrate flexibility in responding to workload demands or schedule adjustments.
• Maintain confidentiality and always respect patient privacy.
• Demonstrate compassion, empathy, and cultural sensitivity in all interactions.
• Promote and model service excellence and uphold hospital values in daily work.
• The employee supports the hospital mission, vision, values, policies, and procedures.
• Participates in required education for DNV programs as applicable to position (reference program education curriculum).
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education

Required: High school diploma or GED preferred.

Preferred: NA         

Licenses/ certifications/ registrations

Required: Serve-Safe Certification desired. State of Oregon, Department of Health Food Handler’s License is required. A State of Oregon Department of Health issued Food Handler's License is required. (If working in Daycare, must be registered in Oregon CBR)

Preferred: NA

Experience

Required: Experience interacting with people from every socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic background, as well as excellent guest relations and communication skills and the ability to function as a member of a team.

Preferred: A thorough knowledge of a healthy diet is desired. One or more years of experience in a health care setting.

Other

• Equipment, tools, and work aids: Computer, printer, photocopier, POS system (cash register), Dish machine, coffee maker, microwave oven, mixer, meat slicer, various choppers, steamer oven, combi-oven, convection oven, grill, knives, can opener, toaster, walk-in, reach-in, carts, trays, proofer, steam tables, blender, and other equipment necessary to successfully fulfill job requirements.
• Must be able to speak and write English and demonstrate basic math skills.
• Ability to work with culturally diverse population.

Physical Requirements:

The physical and sensory functions described below are essential to the successful performance of this position. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. The position requires sufficient auditory ability to detect and respond to various sounds, including alarms and verbal communication. Clear and effective communication is essential, as is the ability to interact with patients, families, and healthcare team members. Visual acuity is necessary for observing working conditions, reading documentation and monitors, and distinguishing colors for clinical purposes, such as identifying medications, allergens, or other safety indicators. Tactile perception is also important for assessing physical characteristics such as temperature, size, shape, or texture during patient care. Motor coordination is required for reaching, grasping, handling, and performing fine motor tasks necessary for the use of food service equipment and procedures. The position also involves occasional stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling when cleaning or accessing equipment. Walking and standing are typically continuous throughout the shift. The role requires the ability to lift to 50 pounds independently and involves frequent pushing, pulling, carrying, or repositioning of objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Working Conditions:

This position is performed primarily in an indoor healthcare environment, such as a hospital, clinic, or long-term care facility, primarily in a kitchen. While the work setting is protected from outdoor weather conditions, it may be subject to variable indoor temperatures. Employees will be subject to temporary exposure to refrigerator and freezer temperatures. Tasks may involve exposure to extreme temperatures of equipment, food and water. This role involves exposure to infectious and contagious diseases, hazardous materials, cooking and medical equipment, with the expectation that all staff will follow appropriate safety protocols and utilize personal protective equipment (PPE) as required. The health care environment can be fast-paced and unpredictable, requiring the ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances, including high-pressure or emergency situations. The work setting also involves multiple simultaneous demands and varying levels of noise due to kitchen and medical equipment, staff activity, and patient needs.