Director, High Level Disinfection and Sterilization

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert on High Level Disinfection (HLD), Sterilization, and Spaulding Classification standards.
• Ensure best practices and current standards are implemented for scopes, instruments, facility design, and environmental requirements across all HLD and sterilization areas.
• Develop, manage, oversee, and implement institutional HLD and sterilization processes and procedures.
• Partner with Infection Control, Environmental Health & Safety, and operational stakeholders to establish best practices.
• Support Joint Commission compliance and survey readiness activities.
• Prevent Immediate Threat to Life findings, accreditation risks, and infection transmission events.
• Determine when HLD versus sterilization is required across institutional departments.
• Provide oversight for Perioperative Services, hospital-based areas, ambulatory locations, Houston Area Locations, and Consolidated Service Center sterile processing operations.

Risk Assessment, Compliance & Safety Readiness

• Establish structures and processes that focus on safety and quality.
• Maintain responsibility for compliance with primary standards governing HLD and sterilization processes throughout the institution.
• Ensure institutional readiness for Joint Commission Standard IC.02.02.01 and EP2 requirements.
• Support risk assessment analyses in partnership with Infection Control, Facilities, Patient Safety, and Accreditation teams.
• Identify points of exposure and develop corrective action plans with Sterile Processing Departments, center leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor adherence to compliance requirements and implementation plans.
• Provide updates to Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Infection Control Committee, Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement leadership, and executive leadership regarding SPD and HLD compliance.
• Review Environmental Health & Safety data, including humidity and temperature requirements, audit findings, and corrective action plans.
• Meet regularly with SPD and center leaders to review audits, recommendations, and best practices.

Education, Training & Workforce Development

• Perform initial and ongoing education for SPD and HLD teams.
• Lead institutional HLD and sterilization training implementation and rollout activities.
• Develop written managerial and supervisory oversight processes related to HLD and sterilization.
• Ensure leadership teams possess the knowledge and training necessary to oversee HLD and sterilization operations.
• Oversee continuing education initiatives and competency assessments for affected staff.
• Conduct audits and operational rounds in partnership with Clinical Engineering, Facilities, Infection Prevention, and other key stakeholders.
• Create hiring and staffing pathways for sterile processing operations.
• Partner with Human Resources and leadership to establish formal HLD and sterilization career progression pathways.
• Support career advancement opportunities including Sterile Processing Technician, Senior Technician, Instrument Specialist, SPD Lead, and Development Specialist roles.
• Establish a Sterile Processing Department Residency Program.
• Implement initiatives that help address workforce retention challenges within sterile processing operations.

Leadership, Communication & Stewardship

• Establish clear expectations and accountability standards for departments and teams.
• Communicate complex regulatory, operational, technical, and risk-related information to frontline staff, leaders, physicians, and executive leadership.
• Apply analytical thinking to assess information, solve problems, and make sound decisions.
• Support continuous learning and practice-based improvement initiatives.
• Provide technical expertise related to HLD and sterilization operations.
• Demonstrate sound business acumen while balancing quality, safety, workforce needs, operational performance, and financial stewardship.
• Promote professionalism, service excellence, ethical conduct, and adherence to institutional policies and standards of conduct.
• Provide employee development opportunities, coaching, and ongoing feedback to employees.
• Manage operating expenses in alignment with budget expectations.
• Complete required leadership development and management curriculum requirements.