Quality Manager - Transplant Lab, Full-Time, Days

The salary range for this position is $51.50 - $74.68 (Hourly Rate)

Placement within the salary range is dependent on several factors such as relevant work experience and internal equity. For positions represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range is guided by the rules outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section located at jobs.nm.org/benefits to learn more.

Northwestern Medicine is powered by a community of colleagues who are purpose-driven and committed to our mission to deliver world-class care. Here, you'll work alongside some of the best clinical talent in the nation leading the way in medical innovation and breakthrough research with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

We recognize where you've been, and we support where you're headed. We celebrate diverse perspectives and experiences, which fuel our commitment to equity and culture of service.

Grow your career with comprehensive training and development opportunities, mentorship programs, educational support and student loan repayment.

Create the life you envision for yourself with flexible work options, a Reimbursable Well-Being Fund and a Total Rewards package that support your physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being.

Make a difference through volunteer opportunities we offer in local communities and drive inclusive change through our workforce-led resource groups.

From discovery to delivery, come help us shape the future of medicine.

Description

The Quality Manager reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Quality Manager works with the Cell Therapy Laboratory Director and the Laboratory Manager to assure regulatory compliance of department activities. This role provides consultation to other internal and contracted external hospital departments and committees regarding regulatory requirements in the Cell Therapy Laboratory.

The Quality Manager will have experience in evaluating, implementing and maintaining quality processes. This individual must have excellent written and oral communication skills and proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision. The ideal candidate must be detail oriented and able to successfully interface directly with cross-functional teams. Individual must have the ability to develop, review and maintain metrics and perform quality audits. The position requires proficiency with MS office applications as well as internet/intranet use. The variable nature of the work performed requires demonstrated problem-solving capabilities. The individual must possess high moral and ethical standards.

Responsibilities:

• Develops and maintains a Quality Management System (QMS) relative to the technical evaluation and improvement of services in relation to physician and patient care requirements
• Documents all significant activities and recommends corrective action and improvements, as necessary.
• Facilitates compliance with all federal, state, local, JCAHO, FACT, ISO, NMDP, NCCLS, multi-disciplinary, hospital regulations, policies and procedures. Reports significant events to JCAHO, FDA and NM management and Medical Directors as required.
• Develops and maintains a current QMS Plan and current Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), guidelines, standards and records.
• Facilitate and oversight of process development, validation, process improvements, and new procedure implementation.
• Responsible for controlling new and revised documents required for the operation of the QMS pursuant to the QMS Plan.
• Plans and facilitates departmental preparations for accreditation inspections. Responsible for inspections related to quality assurance, compliance and general laboratory policy and practice.
• Maintains a robust Quality Assurance Program that addresses batch disposition, deviation, investigation and corrective action.
• Reviews and manages departmental Incident Reports, Quality Improvement Reports and Critical Incident reports.  Prepares regular reports regarding tracking and trending of quality issues, and presents the findings to appropriate management personnel.
• Ensure accurate and complete data acquisition and integrity.
• Leads and manages the day to day activities of all quality assurance personnel and ensures the efficiency and effectiveness of all on-site quality system activities
• Provides assistance to senior staff in analysis and corrective action plan development in response to incidents.
• Serves as, or works in cooperation with, the department primary Safety and Emergency Management Officer, and/or the laboratory liaison with NM Safety department.
• Orients, trains and oversees activities of the departmental Safety Officers to ensure compliance with hospital and regulatory agency requirements.
• Provides training to departmental staff on quality, compliance and safety issues.
• Develops agendas and creates meeting minutes for department and hospital quality meetings.
• Establishes ongoing quality data collection, which enables monitoring of testing systems. 
• Maintains knowledge and utilizes appropriate resources to provide consultative, educational, technical, or informational services as needed to self, staff or patients.
• Manages departmental supply recalls in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Develops and supervises departmental operation audits and communicates results to department management.
• Conducts internal audits.  Evaluates and prepares reports recommending improvements in process and workflow for laboratory sections.
• Assures that responses to audits, both internal and external, are well documented.
• Authors and revises, as needed, departmental SOPs related to compliance, quality and laboratory general policies. Reviews and documents review of laboratory and departmental SOPs for compliance with regulatory standards and internal policies.
• Reviews and approves SOPs, protocols, reports, and production batch records
• Assures that research activities performed in the department are in compliance with Hospital Research policies.
• Maintains departmental quality, accreditation and regulatory records.

Additional Functions:

• Develops and maintains a higher level of expertise in the specific areas of responsibility.
• Participates in and presents at laboratory meetings and continuing education programs.
• Participates in hospital quality and safety meetings as assigned.
• Participates in business planning meetings.

Leadership/Problem Solving:

• Assign and manage Quality Assurance Specialist tasks and daily activities.
• Adheres to Patients First Management standards on leadership, communication and visibility.
• Coordinates critical situations involving patients, staff, and visitors and consults with manager or administrator for guidance as needed (e.g., complaints, discipline, the press, etc.).
• Facilitates effective interdepartmental communication of incidents with appropriate personnel (Manager, Administrator, Medical Staff; etc.).
• Promotes philosophy and objectives of the Hospital, Division and Department.
• Identifies and communicates key issues and trends to manager.

Professional/Personal Development:

• Establishes and executes personal development objectives as part of annual objective setting process that complements current position.
• Participate in continued education activities to meet the minimum requirement from the regulatory body
• Identifies and pursues activities/development opportunities that are appropriate for position and personal development objectives, e.g., participation/leadership in relevant professional groups associations, continuing education as participant, presenter, and planner.
• Assesses and communicates staff development needs to Laboratory Director

Qualifications

Required:

• A bachelor’s degree in a laboratory science or equivalent, such as medical technology/clinical laboratory science, biology, microbiology, molecular biology, chemistry, and biochemistry
• Previous work experience in the field of cellular therapy product processing
• Knowledge of FDA, FACT, ISO, NMDP. IDOT, CMS, CLIA, JCAHO and NCCLS Standards
• Knowledge and experience with cGMP manufacturing, quality, and compliance as well as US and global cGMP requirement

Preferred:

• (ASCP) certification
• Experience with quality systems

Equal Opportunity

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.  Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. 

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-on Bonus Eligibility: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.