About the Role
At Houston Methodist, the Director of Supply Chain is responsible for ensuring that all Houston Methodist Supply Chain needs are met in compliance with system policies and procedures and industry best practices. This position directs the organization’s overall supply chain operations, including purchasing, inventory, and distribution of products and supplies, partnering with Corporate to select vendors. The Director evaluates past performance data to forecast needs and production scheduling, develops strategic plans to improve productivity, quality, and efficiency, and ensures the highest level of customer service to hospital leadership and staff in support of hospital operations. The Director also positions the organization to meet increased expectations for performance and growth that reflect Houston Methodist’s mission and values.
Responsibilities
The Director oversees the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. The role is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, and staffing decisions such as hiring, training, and. The Director develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment, and secures training, monitoring, and operational initiatives that comply with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation, regulatory, and governmental regulations.
Essential Functions
People Essential Functions
- Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high‑level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams.
- Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention and evaluation of employees.
- Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators such as action readiness score or tier level.
- Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new‑hire feedback sessions, coaching, corrective counseling and providing recognition to achieve desired outcomes.
- Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
- Consults with entity business leaders on the alignment of products and supplies with business strategies and benefit issues. Collaborates with various stakeholders and executive leadership to gain consensus regarding long‑term supply strategy.
Service Essential Functions
- Oversees department operations, projects, schedules and activities to ensure goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
- Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer‑based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
- Meets with customer base to ensure the highest level of customer service. Develops plans to continually upgrade service level.
- Leads supply chain efforts, to include analysis and reporting on utilization. Addresses supply issues to ensure quick, equitable, courteous resolution, including any needed service recovery.
Quality/ Safety Essential Functions
- Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and revises the department safety plan and any required safety guidelines.
- Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies as required by accrediting and licensing agencies.
- Employs a proactive approach in optimizing safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving department workflow and operations, using peer‑to‑peer accountability and collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing lean principles.
- Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non‑compliance.
- Reviews, analyzes and recommends changes to programs, processes, and policies to increase Efficiency and effectiveness of Supply Chain Management within the Hospital.
- Manages product evaluations and implementations.
- Serves as Facility Administrator for various vendors.
- Provides guidance, support and education to departments that maintain official inventory outside of Supply Chain.
- Identifies inventory performance standards and ensures those standards are maintained in order to support departmental par levels.
Finance Essential Functions
- Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost‑effective manner.
- Creates department strategies to achieve financial targets and staffing needs through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency and minimizing incidental overtime.
- Provides oversight and guidance of the inventory system (PAR‑EX), ensuring charges are entered in a timely manner based on established standards.
Growth/ Innovation Essential Functions
- Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and other activities.
- Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness during major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adapts to new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
- Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
- Ensures own career discussions and development plans are maintained with management and staff.
- Serves as liaison between entity and corporate Supply Chain Management to ensure purchasing and inventory system software and hardware requirements are met.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree
- Master’s degree preferred
Experience
- Six years of healthcare supply chain experience, at least three of which must have been in a management role in a hospital supply chain setting.
- Academic medical center experience preferred
Licenses and Certifications
- Certified Materials Resource Professional (CRMP) certification preferred or equivalent
Skills and Abilities
- Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing assessments and evaluations.
- Proficient in speaking, reading and writing English at a level necessary to perform essential functions, especially regarding patient or employee safety or security.
- Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills and confidence‑building communication.
- Applies interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans, adjusting behavior to accommodate tasks and individuals.
- Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self‑direction, initiative and effective communication skills.
- Uses data from multiple sources to identify issues and develop solutions in a fact‑based manner.
- Possesses extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements and stays abreast of industry changes.
- Communicates clearly with strong written and presentation skills.
- Works effectively in a fast‑paced environment, demonstrating flexibility and adaptability.
- Leads teams, facilitates groups and builds consensus while maintaining professionalism and high performance standards.
- Manages multiple priorities under pressure with a solution‑oriented approach.
- Proficient in spreadsheet, word processing and presentation software.
- Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor.
- Handles confidential or sensitive information professionally.
- Guides and directs others toward goal setting and builds organizational trust.
Supplemental Requirements
Work Attire
- Uniform: No
- Scrubs: No
- Business professional: Yes
- Other (department approved): No
On‑Call
Employees may be required to be on‑call during emergencies such as disasters or severe weather events regardless of selection below.
Travel
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: No