Sterile Processing Assistant Manager

Description

Job purpose Assist in the Management of Sterile Processing department operations, personnel, resources, and quality systems to ensure instruments and equipment are properly decontaminated, inspected, assembled, packaged, sterilized, stored, and available to support operational needs. Establish departmental priorities, oversee supervisors and technical staff, and drive safe, compliant, efficient, and reliable service delivery through staffing, financial stewardship, equipment planning, and continuous improvement.

Duties and responsibilities

• Manages day-to-day Sterile Processing operations across assigned shifts and service areas; establishes priorities, capacity plans, service expectations, and escalation procedures to meet operational needs
• Develop departmental goals, operating plans, policies, and standard operating procedures in alignment with organizational priorities; reviews effectiveness and updates practices through approved change-control processes.
• Oversee the complete instrument-processing workflow, including decontamination, inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization, storage, and distribution; ensures adherence to validated processes and manufacturers’ instructions for use.
• Establishes staffing plans and schedules; oversees supervisors, leads, and technicians; coordinates coverage, workload allocation, and contingency staffing to maintain service continuity.
• Leads recruitment, onboarding, training, competency assessment, coaching, and performance management for assigned staff in partnership with Human Resources; supports succession planning and leadership development.
• Overseas departmental quality systems, including accurate SOPs, sterilization records, cleaning logs, inspection records, training records, and other required documentation; ensure records are complete, reviewed, approved as required, and audit ready.
• Ensures required process monitoring, testing, documentation, and release criteria are met before instruments or equipment are made available for use; escalates failed cycles, compromised packaging, and other processing deviations.
• Leads investigation of non-conformances, processing failures, and service disruptions; coordinates containment, instrument recall or quarantine when indicated, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, and effectiveness checks.
• Ensures compliance with applicable infection prevention standards, OSHA requirements, safety procedures, waste handling regulations, accreditation requirements, organizational policies, and manufacturers’ instructions for use; partners with Quality and other relevant stakeholders.
• Defines, monitors, and report KPIs, including turnaround time, workload, processing defects, rework, inventory availability, equipment downtime, and training compliance; uses trends to prioritize improvements and communicates results to leadership.
• Develops and manages departmental operating budget proposals and approved expenditures; monitors labor, overtime, supplies, and equipment costs and recommends resource adjustments to support service and quality objectives.
• Oversees inventory planning for instruments, sterile processing supplies, cleaning reagents, PPE, and consumables; partners with Materials Management to establish stock levels, replenishment plans, and purchasing priorities.
• Oversees equipment readiness, preventive maintenance coordination, repair escalation, and service documentation for sterilizers, washers, carts, and related equipment; develops replacement and capital equipment recommendations with appropriate stakeholders.
• Coordinates the safe flow and segregation of instruments, materials, waste, and support services across assigned areas; conducts or delegates routine inspections for cleanliness, organization, safety, and readiness.
• Partners with operational leaders, instrument users, Quality, Sterility Assurance, Materials Management, and equipment service providers, as applicable, to resolve issues, anticipate demand, and improve service reliability.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives to reduce processing errors, improve turnaround time, standardize work, and strengthen staff competency without compromising safety or validated processing requirements.
• Maintains departmental readiness for audits and inspections; develops continuity plans for equipment outages, supply shortages, and demand changes, and escalates risks beyond departmental authority to the Director of Operations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job purpose Assist in the Management of Sterile Processing department operations, personnel, resources, and quality systems to ensure instruments and equipment are properly decontaminated, inspected, assembled, packaged, sterilized, stored, and available to support operational needs. Establish departmental priorities, oversee supervisors and technical staff, and drive safe, compliant, efficient, and reliable service delivery through staffing, financial stewardship, equipment planning, and continuous improvement. Duties and responsibilities

• Manages day-to-day Sterile Processing operations across assigned shifts and service areas; establishes priorities, capacity plans, service expectations, and escalation procedures to meet operational needs.

2. Develop departmental goals, operating plans, policies, and standard operating procedures in alignment with organizational priorities; reviews effectiveness and updates practices through approved change-control processes.
3. Oversee the complete instrument-processing workflow, including decontamination, inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization, storage, and distribution; ensures adherence to validated processes and manufacturers’ instructions for use.
4. Establishes staffing plans and schedules; oversees supervisors, leads, and technicians; coordinates coverage, workload allocation, and contingency staffing to maintain service continuity.
5. Leads recruitment, onboarding, training, competency assessment, coaching, and performance management for assigned staff in partnership with Human Resources; supports succession planning and leadership development.
6. Overseas departmental quality systems, including accurate SOPs, sterilization records, cleaning logs, inspection records, training records, and other required documentation; ensure records are complete, reviewed, approved as required, and audit ready.
7. Ensures required process monitoring, testing, documentation, and release criteria are met before instruments or equipment are made available for use; escalates failed cycles, compromised packaging, and other processing deviations.
8. Leads investigation of non-conformances, processing failures, and service disruptions; coordinates containment, instrument recall or quarantine when indicated, root-cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions, and effectiveness checks.
9. Ensures compliance with applicable infection prevention standards, OSHA requirements, safety procedures, waste handling regulations, accreditation requirements, organizational policies, and manufacturers’ instructions for use; partners with Quality and other relevant stakeholders.
10. Defines, monitors, and report KPIs, including turnaround time, workload, processing defects, rework, inventory availability, equipment downtime, and training compliance; uses trends to prioritize improvements and communicates results to leadership.
11. Develops and manages departmental operating budget proposals and approved expenditures; monitors labor, overtime, supplies, and equipment costs and recommends resource adjustments to support service and quality objectives.
12. Oversees inventory planning for instruments, sterile processing supplies, cleaning reagents, PPE, and consumables; partners with Materials Management to establish stock levels, replenishment plans, and purchasing priorities.
13. Oversees equipment readiness, preventive maintenance coordination, repair escalation, and service documentation for sterilizers, washers, carts, and related equipment; develops replacement and capital equipment recommendations with appropriate stakeholders.
14. Coordinates the safe flow and segregation of instruments, materials, waste, and support services across assigned areas; conducts or delegates routine inspections for cleanliness, organization, safety, and readiness.
15. Partners with operational leaders, instrument users, Quality, Sterility Assurance, Materials Management, and equipment service providers, as applicable, to resolve issues, anticipate demand, and improve service reliability.
16. Leads continuous improvement initiatives to reduce processing errors, improve turnaround time, standardize work, and strengthen staff competency without compromising safety or validated processing requirements.
17. Maintains departmental readiness for audits and inspections; develops continuity plans for equipment outages, supply shortages, and demand changes, and escalates risks beyond departmental authority to the Director of Operations.
18. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Vivex will not provide sponsorship or employment for candidates who require the 24-month STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension. Please note this is not an offer of immigration sponsorship.

Associate’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Bachelor’s degree preferred. Progressive experience in sterile processing, sterilization, or a related healthcare environment, including supervisory or management experience, is required.

Qualifications include:

• Knowledge of instrument decontamination, inspection, assembly, packaging, sterilization, storage, distribution, and manufacturers’ instructions for use.
• Knowledge of applicable infection prevention, occupational safety, quality, and accreditation requirements relevant to the department’s operations.
• Demonstrated ability to lead supervisors and technical staff, plan staffing and coverage, assess competencies, and manage competing operational priorities.
• Ability to develop budgets, monitor departmental costs, manage inventory, and coordinate equipment maintenance and capital planning.
• Strong documentation, data analysis, KPI reporting, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement skills.·
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to collaborate across departments and escalate risks effectively.·
• Strong organizational skills, sound judgment, and attention to detail in a safety-sensitive environment.
• Sterile processing certification from a recognized certifying organization preferred; any certification required by applicable law or organizational policy must be maintained. Leadership or management certification preferred.
• Working conditions:
• Work is performed in both office and sterile processing environments and includes administrative work, departmental rounds, and operational oversight.
• Processing areas may involve noise, heat, moisture, cleaning chemicals, contaminated instruments, and moving equipment; required PPE and safety procedures must be followed. Schedule flexibility, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and response to urgent operational issues, may be required based on departmental needs.
• Physical requirements:
• Ability to perform departmental rounds and operational tasks involving standing, walking, bending, reaching, and moving equipment or instrument trays. When hands-on processing support is required, tasks may involve handling loads up to 70 lbs., using appropriate lifting aids, team assistance, and safe-handling procedures. Physical demands must be confirmed against the role’s essential functions.
• Ability to work at a computer and review instruments, equipment, and processing records. Essential functions may be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Direct Reports:
• Assigned direct reports may include the following positions, based on the approved departmental structure:
• Sterile Processing Supervisor
• Sterile Processing Technician Lead
• Sterile Processing Technician

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job any time. Vivex, Biologics is an equal opportunity employer (EEO) and expressly prohibits any form of workplace discrimination and/or harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Vivex, Biologics complies with the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of a job.