VETERINARY PATHOLOGY MANAGER - 73263

Executive Service

Who we are and what we do:

The C. E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory (KAHDL) supports the mission of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture by providing veterinary diagnostic services to owners, producers, and veterinary medical practitioners. The laboratory offers diagnostic services for livestock, poultry, horses, companion, and exotic animals, with an emphasis on production animal and herd diagnostics. By providing these services to producers at low-cost, KAHDL supports food safety and food security goals while serving as a primary surveillance mechanism for the Office of the State Veterinarian.

How you make a difference in this role:

This position supervises our Veterinary Pathology section consisting of veterinary anatomic pathologists, histotechnicians, and necropsy technicians. Veterinary Pathology offers on-site necropsy services as well as histopathology on field necropsies and biopsies. During the past year, our pathologists examined over 1,000 carcasses and read out over 1,500 biopsies. The successful candidate will be able to serve as a subject matter expert in veterinary pathology, manage a diverse working unit of professionals, balance day-to-day workload with long-term goals, and work under general directions.

Key Responsibilities:

This position reports to the laboratory director and coordinates the day-to-day activities throughout the Veterinary Pathology section.

Key responsibilities of this role:

• Leads, manages, and develops a team of veterinary pathologists, histotechnicians, and necropsy technicians
• Implements the Quality Assurance and Safety programs within the Veterinary Pathology section to ensure the quality of our services, safety of employees, and containment of pathogens
• Monitors the effectiveness of existing policies and procedures; proposes and drafts revisions as necessary to improve operational efficiency, audit outcomes and effectiveness of services using matrices such as turnaround time and client satisfaction
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of state and federal reporting requirements for high-consequence veterinary diseases and serves as a key responder during outbreaks or lab-related incidents, coordinating closely with regulatory agencies during emergency response situations
• Develops and maintains equipment maintenance schedules and assists with selection of replacements and upgrades
• Communicates with clients to collect histories, report findings, and resolve submission issues
• Sets schedules for necropsy rotation for pathologists and technicians
• Makes hiring, promotion, and retention recommendations for direct reports
• Performs necropsies and reads histopathology of livestock, poultry, exotic, and companion animal species (reduced workload relative to that of the other pathologists)
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with other areas of the laboratory for the receiving/routing of specimens and ordering of ancillary diagnostics
• Promotes and leads scholarly activities in collaboration with the pathologists and supervisors of other lab sections
• Collaborates with leadership to develop strategic goals for the pathology section
• Develops and implements training programs for new staff and continuing education for current team members
• Encourages and supports staff participation in professional development and certification programs
• Ensures compliance with AAVLD, ISO, USDA, and other relevant regulatory and accreditation standards by preparing for and participating in internal and external audits and inspections
• Analyzes trends in diagnostic submissions and outcomes to inform service improvements
• Works closely with other lab sections (e.g., microbiology, molecular, toxicology etc.,) to coordinate multi-disciplinary diagnostic efforts
• Participates in cross-functional meetings to align pathology services with broader lab goals
• Develop educational materials or presentations for clients, veterinarians, or producer groups
• Represents the lab at professional meetings, conferences, or outreach events
• Identifies opportunities for innovation in diagnostic techniques, workflow efficiency, or service delivery, and leads or supports the implementation of new technologies and methodologies

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.