Laboratory Director OR Director of Laboratory Services

Director of Laboratory

The Director of Laboratory provides overall leadership, strategic direction, and operational management for both the clinical and anatomic pathology laboratories. This role is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance, maintaining quality standards, and overseeing daily operations while fostering a culture of safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The Director supervises laboratory staff, manages resources, and partners closely with the Laboratory Medical Director and administrative leadership to advance the laboratorys services, innovation, and patient care mission.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational oversight for clinical and pathology laboratory services, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and regulatory compliance.
• Supervise all laboratory staff, including scheduling, PTO approval, performance evaluations, and ongoing competency assessments.
• Ensure staff complete required continuing education (12 hours annually for licensed technologists, technicians, and histotechnologists).
• Maintain compliance with all state, federal, and accreditation standards (e.g., CLEP, NYSDOH, CLIA, CAP); prepare for and lead inspections, audits, and corrective actions.
• Oversee and maintain laboratory licensure for all sites.
• Direct the implementation, validation, and troubleshooting of new tests, instrumentation, and laboratory processes in collaboration with the Laboratory Medical Director.
• Maintain and update laboratory policies, procedures, and SOPs in accordance with regulatory and institutional requirements.
• Oversee proficiency testing, quality control, calibrations, instrument correlations, and corrective action plans.
• Manage all equipment maintenance schedules, service contracts, and vendor relationships; facilitate timely repairs as needed.
• Ensure required reporting systems and documentation are maintained (e.g., Health Commerce System, eCLEP, ECLRS).
• Conduct and review laboratory audits, monitor quality indicators, and ensure corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
• Prepare agendas, compile reports, and document minutes for quarterly quality and pathology meetings.
• Monitor and ensure staff safety, including exposure testing (e.g., xylene and formalin monitoring for pathology staff).
• Serve as a bench technologist as needed (1020% of time), processing tests such as microbiology, urine cytology, FISH, semen analysis, and other clinical specimens.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional development within the laboratory team.

Education & Experience

Qualifications & Skills