Assistant Vice President, Laboratory Operations – Southern Region

RWJBarnabas Health; Somerville (NJ); On-site; USD 176,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

RWJBarnabas Health seeks an Assistant Vice President, Laboratory Operations – Southern Region to provide strategic and operational leadership for four hospital laboratories across RWJBarnabas Health, including Community Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center and RWJBH facilities.

You will oversee regional operations, ensure compliance with CLIA, state regs, Joint Commission and CAP accreditation, and drive standardization, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Southern Region.

Qualifications

• At least ten years of laboratory experience, including a minimum of five years in progressive management or leadership roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science, Biological Sciences, or Chemistry.
• Active American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) certification, preferably through the National Certifying Agency (NCA).
• A Master’s degree in management or laboratory science is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for four hospital laboratories across RWJBarnabas Health.
• Oversee regional laboratory operations, ensuring delivery of high-quality, patient-centered services.
• Ensure readiness to comply with CLIA, state regulations, Joint Commission, and CAP accreditation guidelines.
• Drive standardization, operational excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Southern Region.
• Monitor performance metrics, identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce variation.
• Collaborate with system and local leadership to drive performance and align priorities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop laboratory leaders; foster accountability and collaboration.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, retention, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Develop strategies positioning the laboratory service line for growth and excellence.

Job description

Job Title: Assistant Vice President

Location: RWJ - Somerset

Department Name: Lab RWJBH

Req #: 0000261215

Status: Salaried

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $175,600.00 - $237,100.00 per year

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

Assistant Vice President, Laboratory Operations – Southern Region

As the Assistant Vice President, Laboratory Operations – Southern Region, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for four hospital laboratories across RWJBarnabas Health, including Community Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton. In this leadership role, you will oversee regional laboratory operations, ensuring the consistent delivery of high-quality, patient-centered services while maintaining compliance with all applicable regulatory, accreditation, and quality standards. The AVP is responsible for ensuring ongoing readiness and adherence to federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) requirements, state regulations, Joint Commission standards, and College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation guidelines. Working collaboratively with system and local leadership, you will drive standardization, operational excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement across the Southern Region laboratory network.

As the Associate Vice President of Laboratory Operations for the Southern Region, a typical day might include the following:

• Leading laboratory operations to ensure the delivery of high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered laboratory services.

• Partnering with laboratory, hospital, and system leaders to drive performance, align operational priorities, and advance strategic initiatives across the Southern Region.

• Monitoring quality, regulatory, and accreditation readiness, ensuring compliance with CLIA regulations, state requirements, Joint Commission standards, and College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation guidelines.

• Evaluating operational and financial performance metrics, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce variation, and strengthen service delivery across the laboratory network.

• Driving standardization efforts across the service line by implementing best practices, streamlining workflows, and promoting consistency in laboratory operations.

• Collaborating with the SVP of Laboratory and cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate and implement technologies that enhance quality, productivity, and the overall patient experience.

• Leading, mentoring, and developing laboratory leaders, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and professional growth.

• Supporting workforce planning and organizational health through recruitment, retention, succession planning, and employee engagement initiatives.

• Developing strategies and action plans that position the laboratory service line for continued growth, innovation, and operational excellence across the Southern Region

This role might be a fit for you if:

• You are an experienced clinical leader equipped with advanced knowledge of complex laboratory methodologies and deep expertise in regulatory and accreditation standards.

• You are a strategic operational leader who thrives in high-volume environments, overseeing clinical operations across multiple sites.

• You are an executive-level collaborator who works alongside senior leadership and other department leaders to improve policy, procedures and implement emerging laboratory technologies.

• You are an empathetic, people-focused leader who supports staff development, handles hiring and personnel decisions, and maintains high morale while resolving complex issues under pressure.

• You are an exceptional communicator and organizer who balances meticulous attention to detail, confidentiality, and cross-departmental alignment to achieve broader hospital objectives.

To be considered for this opportunity, you must have at least ten years of laboratory experience, including a minimum of five years in progressive management or leadership roles. You hold a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science, Biological Sciences, or Chemistry and maintain active American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) certification, preferably through the National Certifying Agency (NCA). A Master’s degree in management or laboratory science is preferred.