Manager Clinical Laboratory

Job Summary: 

The clinical laboratory manager oversees the laboratory’s day-to-day operations, ensuring efficient, accurate, and timely delivery of diagnostic results. Responsible for safety and compliance standards, effective management of staff, inventory, and policies and procedures.

Essential Functions:

Operations, regulatory, safety, personnel

• Maintains MLS certification and competencies to provide bench coverage as required.
• Plans and coordinates all laboratory schedules and lab activities.
• Responsible for the clinical laboratory and outpatient services day-to-day operations
• Supervise laboratory personnel, develop and enforce policies and procedures.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable federal, state, C.A.P., and C.M.S. regulatory requirements.
• Promotes a culture of safety by ensuring compliance with safety standards and disaster planning.
• Overall responsible for the upkeep of inventory and test utilization.
• Responsible for setting up MLS/MLT interviews, participates interviewing MLS/MLT candidates, and coordinates with the Director of Laboratory Services and department coordinators to select the candidate for hire.
• Reviews proficiency testing results, plans and assigns the corrective action for required responses to C.A.P., and submits results/responses to the C.A.P. website
• In the absence of the Director of Laboratory Services, assumes additional responsibilities as assigned
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Personnel Leadership:

• Provides leadership, role modeling, and mentoring to staff with a strong focus on employee morale and retention.
• Conducts routine meetings with laboratory coordinators and holds one-on-one meetings with personnel as needed.
• Assists the Director of Laboratory Services by ensuring personnel records are complete and filed, including orientation/training records, evaluations, competencies, transcripts and diplomas.
• Coordinates personnel conflict resolutions, completes performance improvement plans, provides corrective action as required, participates in the hiring and termination process in collaboration with Human Resources and the Director of Laboratory Services.
• Assists the Director of Laboratory Services with coordinating the department’s quality assurance and performance improvement plans with personnel.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Financial Management:

• Ensures accurate and efficient inventory management through oversight of the lab coordinators
• Assists with capital planning, including obtaining vendor quote requests and PO requests 
• Collaborates with Materials Management and vendors to identify cost-savings opportunities and strategically plan new and/or replacement supplies, tests, and kits while maintaining high standards of patient care.
• Supports financial operations by assisting with patient billing, processing patient charge adjustments, and completing payroll duties.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Effective Communication & Problem Solving:

• In the absence of the Director of Laboratory Services, attends appropriate meetings
• Participates with interdepartmental conflict resolution, collaborates with department leaders to improve processes, and utilizes the event reporting system to conduct trend analysis and implement plans for improvement.
• Completes tasks or projects assigned by the Director of Laboratory Services, Laboratory Medical Director, or CNO/COO
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

Minimum Education

Required: Bachelor’s degree in chemical, biological, clinical/medical laboratory science, or medical technology BUT if Bachelor's is not a BA of Lab Science, must have an Associates in Lab Science. 

              Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science

Minimum Work Experience

Required: 5 years working in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory as a certified MLS (Generalist)

Preferred: 3 years working in a Clinical/Medical Laboratory as a certified MLS Supervisor, plus 5 years working as a certified MLS (Generalist)

Required Licenses: Certified  – ASCP^cm or AMT^cm

Functional Demands:

Working Conditions:

    Handling, and exposure to, blood and bodily fluid patient samples that could contain infectious disease. Frequent stressful situations and interruptions. Must be able to adhere to wearing Personal Protective Equipment, including non-latex, lab coats, safety glasses, as needed. Must be on site at the SJH campus to fulfill the responsibilities of this role. 

Physical Requirements: 

• Long Shift Requirements: May be required to come in earlier or stay later than regular shift.
• Stand/Walk/Sit: >80% of the time sitting, intermittent standing and walking. >80% of time at computer.
• Lifting/Handling: May lift and move objects weighing ~10–50 pounds.
• Reaching: Intermittent reaching with hands and arms to operate equipment, handle specimens, and access supplies.
• Pushing/Pulling: May push or pull heavy lab equipment, carts, supplies during validations, maintenance, or relocation.
• Fine Motor Skills: Near-visual acuity to read detailed instructions, examine specimens, and operate lab instruments.
• Manual Dexterity and Keyboarding: >80% Operating standard office equipment and keyboards for data entry, report review, and system management.
• Posture & Movement: May stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl to access equipment or specimens.
• Communication: Regular talking and hearing to interact with staff, patients, and other departments.
• Environmental Exposure: Work indoors, confined spaces, outdoor exposure is dependent on weather/temperature conditions
• Safety Equipment: Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling hazardous materials.

Direct Reports: Lab Coordinators, MLS/MLT, and CLAs

Reports to: Director of Laboratory Services

Internal and External Contacts: All hospital personnel, co-workers, patients and their families and friends, general public, health care providers, community agencies, vendors, and transferring facilities.

Leadership Capabilities:

Building effective teams

1. Allocates resources necessary to reach goals
2. Creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team; creates a feeling of belonging
3. Defines success in terms of the whole team

Strategic Thinking

1. Anticipates future consequences and trends accurately
2. Develop strategic plans with a solid analysis of potential risks and rewards

Industry Acumen

1. Knows how the healthcare industry works; understands financial models for successfully running a hospital 
2. Pay attention to current and possible future policies, practices, trends, developments in healthcare and how these could affect the organization

Planning

1. Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects and sets goals 
2. Breaks down work into the process steps and develops personnel to address schedules and tasks 
3. Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks

Managerial Courage

1. Takes unpopular stands if necessary 
2. Encourages direct and tough debate but isn't afraid to end it and move on. 
3. Says what needs to be said without holding back

Communicating Vision

1. Sets focus and contributes to organizational vision 
2. Communicates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose sharable by everyone. 
3. Talks about possibilities beyond today