Assistant Director of Laboratory

Navajo Preference Employment Act : In accordance with Navajo Nation and federal law, TCRHCC has implemented an Affirmative Action Plan pursuant to the Navajo Preference in Employment Act.  Pursuant to this Plan and corresponding TCRHCC Policy, applicants who meet the necessary qualifications for this position and (1) are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, or San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe will be given preference in hiring and employment for this position, (2) are legally married to enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, or San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe and meet residency requirements will be given secondary preference, and (3) are enrolled members of other federally-recognized American Indian Tribes will be given tertiary preference. Overview:

POSITION SUMMARY

The Assistant Director of Laboratory Services serves as a member of the TCRHCC Laboratory Leadership Team and is responsible for the on-site leadership, supervision, regulatory compliance, quality management, personnel oversight, and daily operations of the Echo Cliffs Health Center Laboratory. Reporting directly to the Director of Laboratory Services, the Assistant Director of Laboratory Services functions as the designated general supervisor for Echo Cliffs and serves as the primary laboratory leader at the facility.

Working collaboratively with the Director of Laboratory Services, Laboratory Leadership Team, Medical Director, section leaders, and organizational leadership, the Assistant Director ensures the delivery of high-quality laboratory services that support safe and effective patient care. The position is responsible for maintaining compliance with all applicable regulatory, accreditation, and organizational requirements including CLIA regulations and personnel standards, applicable CMS laboratory requirements, The Joint Commission standards, OSHA regulations, HIPAA requirements, CDC guidelines, manufacturer requirements, and TCRHCC policies and procedures. The laboratory performs waived, moderate-complexity, and/or high-complexity testing as authorized under its CLIA certificate.

The Assistant Director exercises sound judgment and leadership in managing day-to-day laboratory operations, staffing, quality systems, regulatory compliance, and survey readiness while maintaining close communication and collaboration with the TCRHCC Laboratory Leadership Team. As the designated laboratory leader for Echo Cliffs Health Center, this position is critical to ensuring operational continuity, regulatory compliance, accreditation readiness, quality patient care, and alignment with the strategic goals, mission, and vision of TCRHCC.

Qualifications:

NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science, Clinical Laboratory Science, Chemical Science, Biological Science, or related laboratory science field.

License/Certification:

Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS/MT) certification from a nationally recognized certification agency. Certification must remain active, unexpired, and in good standing throughout employment.

Experience:

Three (3) years of progressive leadership experience as a Lead Medical Laboratory Scientist/Medical Technologist in a moderate- or high-complexity clinical laboratory, including responsibility for quality assurance, personnel oversight, regulatory compliance, and operational decision-making; OR one (1) year of experience as a Laboratory Supervisor or Laboratory Manager.

Other Skills and Abilities:

A record of satisfactory performance in all prior and current employment as evidenced by positive employment references from previous and current employers. A successful interview exhibiting leadership skills and knowledge of laboratory functions. All employment references must address and indicate success in each one of the following areas:

• Demonstrated knowledge of CLIA regulations, personnel requirements, quality systems, proficiency testing requirements, and laboratory accreditation standards.
• Knowledge of applicable CMS laboratory requirements, The Joint Commission standards, OSHA regulations, HIPAA requirements, and CDC laboratory safety guidelines.
• Demonstrated ability to function as the primary laboratory leader at a remote healthcare facility while maintaining effective collaboration with centralized laboratory leadership.
• Positive working relationships with others.
• Possession of high ethical standards and no history of significant professional complaints.
• Reliable and dependable attendance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong computer skills including laboratory information systems, reporting applications, Microsoft Office products, and statistical analysis tools.
• Ability to respond appropriately and professionally in stressful situations.
• Advanced technical laboratory knowledge and ability to operate, troubleshoot, maintain, and evaluate complex laboratory instrumentation.
• Experience with project management, implementation of new equipment, testing methodologies, workflow improvements, and process optimization.
• Strong emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, supervisory, coaching, and personnel development skills.
• Ability to independently prioritize operational, staffing, regulatory, financial, and patient-care responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience preparing for accreditation surveys, regulatory inspections, competency programs, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Successful completion of all background checks, fingerprint clearance requirements, reference checks, physical examinations, and employment screening requirements established by TCRHCC.

 

MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EFFORT

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical:

Requires dexterous skill and the ability to effectively handle needles, laboratory instruments, and equipment. Must be able to perform prolonged grasping, fine manipulation, and computer keyboard use.

Must be able to sit for prolonged periods and occasionally stand, walk, drive, bend, climb, kneel, crouch, twist, maintain balance, and reach. May be required to lift, push, or pull up to 100 pounds with appropriate assistance when necessary.

Must have adequate near vision, distance vision, color discrimination, depth perception, hearing, and communication abilities necessary to perform laboratory duties safely and effectively.

Mental:

Must possess sound analytical judgment, attention to detail, technical competence, and the ability to work under pressure. Must be capable of prioritizing multiple responsibilities, adapting to changing circumstances, managing interruptions, and effectively communicating in stressful situations.

Must be able to maintain concentration, exercise independent judgment, manage conflict appropriately, demonstrate patience and flexibility, and function effectively in a fast-paced healthcare environment.

Environmental:

Work involves exposure to chemicals, bloodborne pathogens, infectious materials, biological hazards, and laboratory equipment. May be exposed to infectious diseases, moving equipment, loud noises, chemical agents, dust, fumes, gases, temperature extremes, and other occupational hazards consistent with laboratory operations.

Responsibilities:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Laboratory Leadership and Site Management

1. Serves as a member of the TCRHCC Laboratory Leadership Team and participates in leadership meetings, strategic planning, quality initiatives, operational improvement projects, and regulatory readiness activities.
2. Serves as the designated site supervisor and primary laboratory leader for Echo Cliffs Health Center.
3. Exercises delegated authority from the Director of Laboratory Services for day-to-day laboratory operations, personnel supervision, quality management activities, and regulatory compliance responsibilities.
4. Provides direct supervision, coaching, mentoring, scheduling, performance evaluations, and operational oversight for laboratory personnel assigned to the Echo Cliffs laboratory.
5. Functions as the primary laboratory resource for providers, nursing staff, administration, patients, community stakeholders, and regulatory representatives at Echo Cliffs.
6. Collaborates closely with the Director of Laboratory Services and TCRHCC laboratory leadership to ensure operational consistency, standardization, and alignment across laboratory locations.
7. Collaborates with the Echo Cliffs Program Director, and leadership team to give updates on laboratory processes that will impact operations of the site. Supports Echo cliffs leadership team with needed oversight to daily operations.
8. Implements laboratory goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and initiatives established by TCRHCC Laboratory Leadership.
9. Communicates operational, staffing, quality, safety, compliance, and patient care concerns to the Director of Laboratory Services and participates in the development and implementation of corrective actions.

Regulatory Compliance and Accreditation

1. Maintains continuous compliance with CLIA regulations (42 CFR Part 493), applicable CMS laboratory requirements, The Joint Commission standards, OSHA regulations, HIPAA requirements, CDC laboratory safety guidance, manufacturer requirements, and TCRHCC policies and procedures.
2. Serves as the Echo Cliffs laboratory lead for regulatory readiness, inspections, accreditation activities, quality management, competency assessment programs, proficiency testing, and corrective action implementation.
3. Coordinates laboratory preparation for inspections, surveys, audits, proficiency testing events, and accreditation reviews.
4. Develops, implements, and monitors corrective action plans resulting from inspections, audits, occurrences, customer complaints, quality events, competency deficiencies, or proficiency testing failures.
5. Participates in regulatory agency surveys and assists in maintaining laboratory accreditation and certification requirements.
6. Maintains all laboratory records, personnel records, quality documentation, and regulatory files required by governing agencies and accreditation organizations.

Quality Management

1. Ensures compliance with established policies and procedures for specimen collection, handling, processing, testing, reporting, and retention of patient records.
2. Performs and documents corrective actions whenever testing systems are not within established performance criteria.
3. Reviews and monitors quality control, calibration, instrument maintenance, and quality assurance activities.
4. Coordinates and assigns proficiency testing to laboratory personnel ensuring compliance with requirements.
5. Collaborates with the Laboratory Quality Assurance Coordinator to maintain regulated and non-regulated proficiency testing programs.
6. Ensures critical and significant test results are communicated, documented, and monitored in accordance with established policies and regulatory requirements.
7. Oversees monitoring and trending of quality indicators, including:
   • Turnaround times
   • Proficiency testing performance
   • Specimen rejection rates
   • Corrected reports
   • Critical result reporting
   • Competency completion
   • Customer service indicators
8. Develops, implements, and leads performance improvement projects and prepares quality and performance reports as required.
9. Actively participates in accreditation maintenance activities, including environment of care, document control, competency assessment, quality assurance, and performance improvement programs.

Laboratory Operations

1. Maintains inventory control systems to ensure uninterrupted laboratory services and appropriate utilization of laboratory resources.
2. Coordinates instrument validation, verification studies, preventive maintenance programs, troubleshooting processes, and implementation of new laboratory technologies.
3. Ensures all new instruments, methodologies, reference ranges, and test systems are appropriately validated or verified, documented, and approved prior to implementation in accordance with CLIA requirements and organizational policies.
4. Collaborates with laboratory leadership to evaluate, modify, and implement new testing methodologies and operational improvements.
5. Assesses staffing needs and assists with budget development, productivity monitoring, and resource planning activities.
6. Maintains effective working relationships with medical staff, nursing staff, ancillary departments, and external service providers regarding laboratory services and clinical consultation.
7. Coordinates communication and interdisciplinary activities that improve laboratory operations and patient care.

Personnel Management

1. Ensures laboratory personnel meet qualification standards and maintain required certifications, training, competency assessments, and continuing education in accordance with regulatory requirements.
2. Participates in recruitment, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, retention initiatives, employee development, and succession planning activities.
3. Reviews employee attendance, timekeeping, leave requests, and performance expectations.
4. Coordinates laboratory training activities for laboratory personnel, non-laboratory personnel, students, and affiliated educational programs.
5. Ensuring initial, six-month, annual, and ongoing competency assessments are completed and documented in accordance with CLIA and accreditation requirements.
6. Promotes employee engagement, professional growth, accountability, and a culture of quality and safety.

Point-of-Care Testing and Reference Laboratory Oversight

1. Collaborates with Point-of-Care Testing leadership to ensure compliance with competency, quality control, proficiency testing, and regulatory requirements for waived and provider-performed testing.
2. Collaborates with the Reference Laboratory Coordinator to ensure timely receipt and review of referred test results and annual assessment of reference laboratory performance.
3. Assists in ensuring laboratory oversight of ancillary testing sites in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Safety and Infection Prevention

1. Ensures compliance with laboratory safety programs, exposure control plans, infection prevention standards, and hazardous materials requirements.
2. Ensures staff appropriately utilize personal protective equipment in accordance with organizational, OSHA, and CDC requirements.
3. Ensures completion of required training related to biological hazards, chemical safety, infection prevention, and decontamination procedures.
4. Maintains a safe laboratory environment for patients, visitors, employees, and external customers.

Other Duties

1. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.