UNC Health Care

Director of Lab and Pathology

UNC Health Care • $125K — $150K *
Boone, NC 28607In-Person
Healthcare
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required
  • Master's degree in Healthcare or Business Administration preferred
  • 5+ years of healthcare leadership experience
  • Proven experience in laboratory operations management
  • Licensed Medical Technologist in North Carolina
  • BLS certification required upon hire

Responsibilities

  • Provide executive leadership for lab and pathology services
  • Lead operations focusing on quality, safety, and compliance
  • Collaborate with various departments to improve patient outcomes
  • Oversee laboratory accreditation and regulatory compliance
  • Manage budget, capital planning, and staffing for labs
  • Foster employee engagement and leadership development
  • Promote patient-centered laboratory operations

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Retirement plan with employer match
  • Paid time off and tuition reimbursement
  • Paid parental leave and wellness incentives
  • Leadership development opportunities and employee discounts
Full Job Description
  • System Director of Laboratory and Pathology
    Location: Boone, North Carolina | Full-Time | Executive Leadership
    As the System Director of Laboratory and Pathology at UNC Health Appalachian, youll provide strategic leadership for laboratory and pathology services across our health system. Youll partner with physicians, pathologists, executive leaders, and clinical teams to ensure exceptional patient care, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and innovation in laboratory services. This is an opportunity to lead a high-performing team while shaping the future of laboratory medicine for the High Country.
    Compensation: Competitive director salary based on education and experience.
    Schedule: Full-time leadership position. Availability to support operational needs, including occasional evenings, weekends, and emergencies.
    Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement with employer match, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, paid parental leave, wellness incentives, leadership development opportunities, and employee discounts.
    What Youll Do as the System Director of Laboratory and Pathology
    Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for laboratory and pathology services across hospitals, outpatient laboratories, physician practices, and other testing locations.
    Lead laboratory operations with responsibility for quality, safety, regulatory compliance, financial performance, workforce engagement, and operational excellence.
    Collaborate with Pathologists, Medical Directors, physicians, nursing, executive leadership, Finance, Information Technology, and other departments to standardize laboratory practices and improve patient outcomes.
    Oversee laboratory quality management, accreditation readiness, CLIA, CAP, Joint Commission, CMS, OSHA, and other regulatory requirements.
    Direct budgeting, capital planning, laboratory information systems, instrumentation, automation, staffing, productivity, and technology implementation.
    Foster a culture of accountability, employee engagement, succession planning, leadership development, and continuous improvement.
    Promote exceptional patient experiences through service excellence, quality initiatives, and patient-centered laboratory operations.
    Demonstrate the Mission, Vision, Values, and Standards of Behavior of UNC Health Appalachian while serving as a trusted organizational leader.
    Qualifications
    Education
    • Bachelors degree required.
    • Masters degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience) required.

    Experience
    • Five or more years of progressive healthcare leadership experience within a hospital or health system.
    • Demonstrated experience leading laboratory operations, including financial management, strategic planning, workforce leadership, regulatory compliance, and operational oversight across multiple clinical areas.
    • Licenses & Certifications
    • Licensed Medical Technologist in North Carolina.
    • Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association required upon hire.

    Skills & Abilities
    • Executive leadership and strategic planning
    • Financial and operational management
    • Regulatory and accreditation expertise (CLIA, CAP, CMS, Joint Commission, OSHA)
    • Talent development, coaching, and succession planning
    • Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills
    • Change management and continuous process improvement
    • Project management and organizational leadership
    • Critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving
    • Ability to build high-performing teams and drive organizational results

    Physical & Work Environment
    • Primarily office and healthcare environment with frequent travel between laboratory locations.
    • Frequent sitting, standing, walking, and computer work.
    • Occasional lifting, bending, reaching, and movement throughout laboratory and hospital environments.
    • May be exposed to laboratory specimens, bloodborne pathogens, chemicals, and hospital-related hazards.
    • May work evenings, weekends, holidays, or respond to operational emergencies as needed.

    What Sets Us Apart
    • Lead System-Wide Impact: Shape the future of laboratory and pathology services across an integrated regional health system.
    • Innovative Environment: Lead strategic initiatives involving automation, technology, quality improvement, and operational transformation.
    • Career Growth: Join an organization committed to leadership development, continuous learning, and professional advancement.
    • Community & Lifestyle: Boone offers an exceptional quality of life with year-round outdoor recreation, vibrant local culture, and one of the most desirable mountain communities in North Carolina.
    • Inclusive Culture: We value collaboration, diversity, innovation, and respect-creating an environment where leaders and team members thrive.
    • Ready to Lead Laboratory Excellence?
    • Apply today to join UNC Health Appalachian and help advance safe, high-quality laboratory services that make a lasting difference for our patients, providers, and communities.

About UNC Health Care

UNC Health Care is a not-for-profit integrated health care system owned by the state of North Carolina and based in Chapel Hill. Originally established November 1, 1998, by N.C.G.S. 116-37, UNC Health Care currently comprises UNC Hospitals and its provider network, the clinical programs of the UNC School of Medicine, and eleven affiliate hospitals and hospital systems across the state.
Learn more about UNC Health Care
Size
32,000 employees
Industry
Healthcare
Founded
1952
* Ladders Estimates

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