Sterile Processing Manager

Location: Kent Campus Hospital

Status: Full Time 80 Hours

Shift: Days

SALARY RANGE: 77,105.60 - 119,537.60 YEARLY

General Summary:

The Sterile Processing Manager provides operational and administrative leadership for the Sterile Processing department, with accountability for the safe, efficient, and compliant processing of surgical instruments, medical devices, and reusable patient care equipment. This position is responsible for department wide performance and serves as a key partner to Operating Room leadership, Nursing, Infection Prevention, Quality, Supply Chain, Surgical Services, and other clinical departments.

The Sterile Processing Manager provides leadership above the Supervisor level and is responsible for translating organizational goals into departmental strategy, establishing performance standards, developing leaders, managing resources, and ensuring regulatory and quality requirements are consistently achieved.

Department team members are authorized to have limited access to secured medication rooms to perform duties and responsibilities as defined in this job description. Any staff member requiring limited access to secured medication rooms must have a fully completed and signed Medication Security Agreement for Non-Licensed Personnel form on file and available upon request.

Responsibilities:

1. Provides overall operational leadership and direction for Sterile Processing activities across all shifts and assigned areas. Maintains accountability for decontamination, preparation and packaging, sterilization, sterile storage, case cart functions, distribution, and other assigned SPD operations.
2. Directly oversees SPD Supervisors and provides guidance, coaching, accountability, and performance management. Develops and mentors Supervisors and other emerging leaders within the department.
3. Establishes departmental goals, objectives, workflows, and performance expectations aligned with organizational priorities. Implements and maintains the standards of quality established by the hospital, including continuous development of processes that meet the needs of patients, physicians, and user departments within targeted productivity and budget parameters.
4. Ensures all processing activities are performed in accordance with manufacturer Instructions for Use (IFUs), organizational policies, infection prevention standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
5. Partners with Operating Room leadership to ensure timely, accurate, and reliable instrument and equipment availability. Works collaboratively with Perioperative leaders and other Bayhealth leaders to ensure delivery of excellent service and support to other Bayhealth departments.
6. Monitors departmental metrics, including productivity, turnaround time, quality indicators, sterilization compliance, instrument availability, errors, defects, and customer service. Assesses individual staff and shift performance by reviewing quality assurance, productivity, sets, and product usage data reports. Presents data to Director and Senior leadership clearly and with logical interpretation.
7. Develops and implements corrective action plans when departmental performance does not meet established standards. Reviews quality and safety events, identifies trends, and develops sustainable improvement strategies.
8. Leads continuous improvement initiatives designed to improve patient safety, workflow, efficiency, quality, and staff engagement. Utilizes quality audit results and variance reports to improve the quality of service, enhance processes, and produce a quality-controlled environment.
9. Maintains readiness for regulatory and accreditation surveys and ensures deficiencies are promptly addressed.
10. Collaborates with Infection Prevention, Quality, Risk Management, and clinical leadership regarding sterilization, disinfection, instrument processing, and patient safety concerns. Investigates instrument, equipment, sterilization, workflow, and service issues and ensures appropriate resolution.
11. Oversees staffing plans, scheduling, productivity, overtime, employee utilization, and departmental coverage.
12. Participates in recruitment, interviewing, selection, onboarding, competency validation, coaching, disciplinary action, and performance evaluations. Ensures staff maintain required competencies and complete education and annual training requirements.
13. Manages departmental supplies, equipment, capital needs, and operational expenses within established budgets. Evaluates equipment and technology needs and participates in capital planning and procurement processes.
14. Maintains effective relationships with vendors and evaluates vendor performance and service needs.
15. Participates in leadership meetings, multidisciplinary committees, daily operational huddles, and performance-improvement activities.
16. Promotes a culture of accountability, psychological safety, teamwork, professionalism, and patient-centered service. Provides ongoing information to Sterile Processing Department staff related to the outcome of quality improvement audits and solicits feedback and participation in the improvement process. Utilizes HRO principles and protocols to create a safe work environment and ensure patient and staff safety.
17. Ensures appropriate documentation, traceability, and record retention throughout the sterile processing lifecycle.
18. Maintains and performs accurate quality control audits on packages decontaminated, prepared, packed, sterilized, and dispensed in the department.
19. Participates in the development and implementation of departmental policies and procedures. Assists in communicating new and revised policies, procedures, and resources to Sterile Processing staff members.
20. Performs additional duties as assigned within the scope and range of job responsibilities.

Required Education, Credential(s) and Experience:

• Education: Bachelor Degree
  ; Business Administration
  ; In lieu of degree, 8+ years of experience in Sterile Processing
• Credential(s): Certified Registered Central Service Technician
  ;
• Experience:
  Required: Five plus years of Sterile Processing department working experience, including supervising or management. Working knowledge of AORN standards, OSHA guidelines, and in-depth knowledge of TJC, IAHCSMM, and AAMI Standards. Broad based and extensive technical knowledge of surgical instrumentation and OR case cart processing and extensive technical knowledge of computer instrumentation tracking, surgical scheduling and instrument bar coding processing.
  Preferred: Three years Sterile Processing Department management experience. High Reliability Safety training and experience. Lean/Six Sigma training.

Preferred Education, Credential(s) and Experience:

• Education:
• Credential(s): Certified Healthcare Leader
  Six Sigma Lean Green Belt Certified
  Certified Instrument Specialist
  Certified Endoscope Reprocessor
• Experience:

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