Associate Director Laboratory Client Relationships

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Team Leadership: 

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of professionals in the client relations and sales departments. With weekly in field oversight. 
• Ensure team members are trained, motivated, and aligned with the department's goals. 
• Set clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, and conduct performance evaluations. 
• Foster a collaborative and results-oriented team culture. 
• Encourage the team to stay updated with the latest developments in the field to maintain expertise and to continuously grow and develop in their personal goals. 

Outreach Growth: 

• Lead the sales team in driving revenue growth by identifying, pursuing, and closing new laboratory service contracts. 
• Develop and maintain a sales pipeline, including tracking and reporting on sales metrics and performance. 
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and service agreements with clients, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and profitability targets. 
• Provide sales training and support to the sales team to enhance their effectiveness and performance.  
• Accurately forecast annual, quarterly, and monthly revenue streams for the territory, developing plans to ensure revenue growth and identifying new sales opportunities. 

Business Development: 

• Identify, develop, and maintain relationships with healthcare providers, including hospitals, clinics, physician practices, and other relevant entities. 
• Collaborate with the executive team to create and execute business development strategies that align with strategic goals and objectives. 
• Conduct market research to identify growth opportunities, market trends, and competitive analysis. 
• Analyze market conditions and adapt strategies to maximize market share and profitability. 
• Develop, implement, and manage tools to identify opportunities for client IT connectivity improvements and positioning of our services. 
• Coordinate appropriate company resources to ensure efficient and stable account management sales activity. 

Client Satisfaction and Process Improvement: 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for key clients, addressing their needs, concerns, and feedback. 
• Develop and maintain strong, long-term client relationships by ensuring exceptional service delivery and responsiveness. 
• Collaborate with clients to understand their evolving needs and develop customized solutions. 
• Oversee the resolution of client issues and concerns in a timely and satisfactory manner. Support escalations and service recovery as needed.  
• Collaborate with Client Services leadership to develop client satisfaction surveys and support process improvements based on client feedback. 
• Standardize client visit checklists to proactively address changing client needs and ensure all visits are documented using client relationship management software. 
• Monitor volume and financial data for existing accounts to identify negative trends, ensuring at-risk accounts are identified and recommending solutions to maintain a client retention rate consistent with the organization's goals. 

Strategic Planning: 

• Conduct a market analysis and recommend strategies to neutralize competitive forces in established markets. 
• Develop and execute strategic plans for the laboratory sales across the assigned region. 
• Ensure consistency and coordination of services provided across the enterprise. 
• Collaborate with marketing and client services teams to manage warm lead hand offs, and support marketing campaigns. 

Human Resources and Budgeting: 

• Direct professional Client Relationship/Account Executive activities for the existing client base and educate staff on sales and client support best practices. 
• Implement training programs to enhance product knowledge and account management skills. 
• Spend time in the field with direct reports to monitor activity, coach skills, and assist with challenging client issues. 
• Perform human resources responsibilities for staff, including interviewing and selection of new employees, promotions, staff development, performance evaluations, compensation changes, and overall employee morale. 
• Develop and recommend operating and capital budgets and control expenditures within approved budget objectives. 
• Establish and manage productivity standards for the sales staff and provide monthly results assessment reports to senior leadership. 
• Responsible for understanding and adhering to the organization's Code of Ethical Conduct and leading with our Cultural Commitments. 
• Ensure that personal actions and the actions of employees supervised comply with the policies, regulations, and laws applicable to the organization's business. 

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

License/Registration/Certification Required: None required

Education Required: ​ ​​Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration or related field.  Master’s Degree preferred.

Experience Required: Typically requires 5 years of experience in laboratory services, healthcare sales, and client relations, with a proven track record of success. Preferred experience leading teams.  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Strong leadership and team management skills. 
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. 
• Strategic thinking and the ability to develop and execute complex business plans. 
• Knowledge of healthcare industry regulations and compliance requirements. 
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or similar products. 
• Ability to manage data across multiple databases and maintain data integrity.  
• General knowledge of information systems and related hardware.  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Exposed to a normal office environment.
• Willingness to travel within the region as needed. 

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.