System Director of Laboratory and Pathology in Boone, North Carolina at Appalachian Regional Healthcare System

System Director of Laboratory and Pathology

Location: Boone, North Carolina | Full-Time | Executive Leadership

Why You'll Love Working Here

As the System Director of Laboratory and Pathology at UNC Health Appalachian, you'll provide strategic leadership for laboratory and pathology services across our health system. You'll 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/vision, retirement with match, PTO, tuition reimbursement, paid parental leave, wellness incentives, leadership development opportunities, and employee discounts.

What You'll 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 and 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:
  • Bachelor's degree required.
  • Master's 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.
• Licensure/Certifications:
  • Licensed Medical Technologist in North Carolina.
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) 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

• Career Growth: Join an organization committed to leadership development, continuous learning, and professional advancement.
• Impactful Work: Lead system-wide impact — shaping the future of laboratory and pathology services across an integrated regional health system, with innovative initiatives in automation, technology, quality improvement, and operational transformation.
• 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 Appalachian
UNC Health Appalachian, the leader for healthcare in the High Country, includes three hospitals, 13 medical practices, the Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, The Rehabilitation Center, and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation. We are committed to promoting health, enhancing quality of life, and “making life better.”

About UNC Health
UNC Health is an affiliated entity of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 14 hospitals, 18 campuses, and over 500 clinics. Our mission is to improve health and well-being while supporting the education of future healthcare professionals. For more information, visit unchealth.org.

UNC Health Appalachian embraces diversity and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or other protected status. We are committed to a fair, respectful hiring process. For accommodations during the application process, please contact us.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check and drug screening.

For accommodations or additional information, contact recruitment@apprhs.org.