Laboratory Manager

Job Summary:

The Laboratory Manager reports to the Vice President of Laboratory Operations and works in close collaboration with the Laboratory Medical Director to provide overall operational leadership for daily laboratory activities. This role is responsible for the supervision of testing personnel, oversight of analytical processes, and the accurate, timely reporting of laboratory results.

The Laboratory Manager ensures the consistent and compliant performance of all laboratory procedures in accordance with applicable regulatory, accreditation, and quality standards. Key responsibilities include staff leadership and development, regulatory readiness, continuous improvement of laboratory services, adoption and implementation of new and existing testing methodologies, and the cultivation of a high-performing technical team. The Laboratory Manager also maintains a safe, efficient, and quality-driven laboratory environment that supports operational excellence, patient safety, and organizational growth.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership for the laboratory, including staffing oversight, scheduling, workload distribution, and workflow optimization to support accurate and timely test reporting.
• Direct and maintain a comprehensive quality management system, including quality control, calibrations, linearity, maintenance/downtime logs, department specific metrics, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Ensure ongoing compliance with all applicable regulatory and accreditation requirements, including CLIA, CAP, OSHA, while maintaining continuous inspection readiness.
• Lead, mentor, and develop laboratory personnel through coaching, competency assessments, performance management, and continuing education.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex testing issues, technical troubleshooting, and nonconformance resolution, in collaboration with the Laboratory Operations Leadership and/or Medical Director as appropriate.
• Oversee laboratory inventory management, including supplies, reagents, and consumables, to ensure uninterrupted operations and cost-effective procurement.
• Direct the maintenance, calibration, and performance verification of laboratory instruments and equipment; address equipment issues promptly to minimize downtime and operational risk.
• Maintain accurate and complete laboratory records, including test results, quality documentation, maintenance logs, and personnel records, in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and reports to evaluate laboratory quality, productivity, turnaround time, and operational efficiency.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement opportunities for process improvement, automation, and adoption of new testing methodologies to support growth and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders, toxicology, molecular, processing, operations, IT/LIS, quality, and leadership teams, to support laboratory initiatives and organizational objectives.
• Promote and enforce a culture of safety, quality, and accountability across all laboratory operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in medical technology, medical laboratory science, or a related field required, (Master's degree preferred).
• Certification as a Medical Technologist (MT) or Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) is required.
• Meet qualifications to be Technical Supervisor of Clincal Department, preferred
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a medical laboratory in high complexity testing with 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of laboratory regulations and standards (CLIA, CAP, etc.).
• Proficiency in laboratory information systems (LIS) and quality management software.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to sit, stand, and move around the laboratory
• Ability to work at a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs
• Must have steady hands and the ability to pipette
• Exposure to various chemicals and compounds approved for clinical laboratory
• Commitment to maintaining patient confidentiality and ethical standards.