Director, Sterile Processing

About the Role

Provides leadership and direction to managers on the collection, decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and disinfection of instruments and equipment. Ensures consistent policies and procedures in the preparation of surgical trays and case carts. Defines sterile processing program priorities and objectives in alignment with business strategies, reviews audits of sterile processing performance, and provides guidance on the design of complex improvement strategies. Establishes standards and best practices for the management of inventory for the service area while maintaining accountability for preventing waste and reducing costs. Coordinates trainings and evaluates the efficacy of training and education programs on sterile processing activities. Provides consultation across the service area for complex issues related to sterile processing services. Champions collaboration between sterile processing and partner departments to ensure efficient, safe, and effective instrument and equipment availability. Participates in strategic coordination with executive leaders to align sterile processing practices with business goals. Monitors and enforces compliance with applicable regulations and requirements.

Responsibilities

• Prepares individuals for growth opportunities and advancement; builds internal collaborative networks for self and others.
• Solicits and acts on performance feedback; drives collaboration to set goals and provide open feedback and coaching to foster performance improvement.
• Demonstrates continuous learning; oversees the recruitment, selection, and development of talent; ensures performance management guidelines and expectations to achieve business needs.
• Stays up to date with organizational best practices, processes, benchmarks, and industry trends; shares best practices within and across teams.
• Motivates and empowers teams; maintains a highly skilled and engaged workforce by aligning resource plans with business objectives.
• Provides guidance when difficult decisions need to be made; creates opportunities for expanded scope of decision making and impact.
• Oversees the operation of multiple units within a department by identifying member and operational needs; ensures the management of work assignment completion; translates business strategy into actionable business requirements.
• Gains cross-functional support for business plans and priorities; assumes responsibility for decision making; sets standards, measures progress, and fosters resolution of escalated issues.
• Communicates goals and objectives; analyzes resources, costs, and forecasts and incorporates them into business plans; prioritizes and distributes resources.
• Removes obstacles that impact performance; guides performance and develops contingency plans accordingly; ensures teams accomplish business objectives.
• Directs sterile processing knowledge development by coordinating trainings on sterile processing techniques and procedures to ensure staff meet departmental standards; evaluates the efficacy of training and education programs; provides consultation for complex issues related to sterile processing services.
• Oversees the management of equipment inventory by establishing standards and best practices for managing inventory levels; ensures adequate supplies for the service area; prevents wasted supplies/resources and reduces costs; works with leaders to establish and review budgets, purchasing and/or approving additional supplies as needed.
• Drives the sterilization and processing of equipment by providing leadership and direction on the safe and efficient collection, decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and disinfection of instruments and equipment; ensures consistent policies and procedures in the preparation of surgical trays and case carts; defines sterile processing program priorities and objectives to align with broader business strategies; reviews audit results to assess gaps and provides guidance on corrective action plans for complex or widespread process improvement needs.
• Drives regulatory compliance by monitoring and enforcing compliance with regulations and requirements; directs regular audits and reviews results to assess compliance; guides the development and implementation of corrective action plans for issues of non-compliance; serves as a liaison between operations and leadership to address compliance issues.

Requirements

• Minimum two (2) years of experience managing operational or project budgets.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience in a leadership role with direct reports.
• Minimum six (6) years of experience in sterile processing and/or processing reusable medical/surgical equipment/instruments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration, Public Health, Health Sciences, Business, or related field AND minimum eight (8) years of experience in sterile processing, health care operations, health care administration, materials management, supply distribution, inventory control, or directly related field OR minimum eleven (11) years of experience in the same fields.
• Sterile Processing Distribution Technician Certificate required at hire OR Registered Central Service Technician Certificate required at hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Flexible Endoscope Reprocessor (CFER) OR Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER).
• Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL) OR Management in Sterile Processing (CSPM).

Skills

Core:

• Ambiguity/Uncertainty Management
• Attention to Detail
• Business Knowledge
• Communication
• Constructive Feedback
• Critical Thinking
• Cross-Group Collaboration
• Decision Making
• Dependability
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Support
• Drives Results
• Facilitation Skills
• Health Care Industry Knowledge
• Influencing Others
• Integrity
• Leadership
• Learning Agility
• Organizational Savvy
• Problem Solving
• Short- and Long-term Learning & Recall
• Strategic Thinking
• Team Building
• Teamwork
• Topic-Specific Communication

Functional:

• Audits
• Bloodborne Pathogen Knowledge
• Business Acumen
• Business Operations
• Cleaning Policies and Procedures
• Company Representation
• Compliance Management
• Consulting
• Cost Optimization
• Delegation
• Facilities Management/Operations
• Hazardous Materials and Chemicals
• Infection Control
• Instrumentation
• Internal Audit Processes
• Inventory Planning
• Maintain Files and Records
• Medical Equipment
• Medical Sanitation and Infection Control
• Medical Waste Management
• Mentoring and Coaching
• Operational Excellence
• Operations Management
• Preventative Maintenance
• Quality Assurance Process
• Resource Management
• Safety Management
• Safety and Environmental Health Knowledge
• Sterile Processing
• Systems Thinking
• Talent Management
• Vendor Management

Pay

$147,500 - $190,850 / year

Schedule

• Full-time
• 40 hours per week
• Variable shift: Monday through Sunday
• Working hours: 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM
• 20% travel required

Location

Orange Co Irvine Medical Center, Irvine, California (onsite)