JOB PURPOSE:
Reporting to the Senior Director, Forensic Pathology the incumbent is responsible for providing oversight of the daily morgue operations and manages technical support staff. The role ensures effective scheduling, attendance monitoring, performance oversight, and compliance with continuity, chain-of-custody, confidentiality, and security standards. In addition, the Operations Manager is also responsible for maintaining a safe work environment, identifies equipment, supply, and staffing needs, and coordinates facility maintenance and repairs to ensure operational integrity and justice system requirements are not compromised.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Technical/Professional:
- Very good working knowledge of relevant computer systems and applications;
- Sound judgment;
- Ability to be resourceful and creative in approach to resolving issues;
- Excellent technical skills and knowledge to advise and direct staff re-appropriate autopsy, body handling, and evidence/sample collection techniques;
- Excellent technical skills and knowledge to safely operate and teach the use of autopsy related equipment, including: scalpels, forceps, scissors, syringes, bone saws, digital cameras, and ladders, and other mortuary equipment, including body transport and storage equipment;
- Fine motor skills, manual dexterity, and physical ability to dissect tissue, collect evidence/samples, operate equipment, and manipulate/lift/transfer human remains;
- Excellent computer skills to enter and track data, create documents, and troubleshoot issues;
- Excellent analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to determine appropriate actions/methods/techniques to be used to analyse work in order to ensure conformance to quality standards, and to resolve issues or problems;
- Ability to multitask, prioritize and work under pressure.
Management/Administrative:
- Reviews and revises the Office’s internal policies and procedures to ensure they are in accordance with policies, guidelines and regulations;
- Assists in ensuring the Unit’s Plan is implemented and agreed targets are achieved.
- Ensures preparation of reports within the established timelines;
- Assists with the development of Budget and Operational and Work Plans;
- Represents the Branch at meetings, conferences and other functions;
- Communicates the Branch’s policies, objectives and procedures.
- Complies with human resources (HR) practices, policies, directives and collective agreements in relation to day-to-day management of staff, recruitment, training and development, and labour relations, including creating and maintaining associated HR documents and files;
- Create staff work schedules, adjusting as necessary to fill vacancies and ensure appropriate staffing levels meet day-to-day operational requirements. Recommend and track vacation requests, Departmental and sick leave;
- Create and maintain files for equipment and supply inventory, including vendors of record. Placing orders to maintain supply levels, tracking orders, and following up as required. Advising senior management of supply chain issues and/or the need to make significant purchases (i.e. equipment replacement);
- Maintaining documentation of facility related matters, including issues that need to be addressed, repairs, maintenance, and housekeeping. Creating correspondence/reports to advise senior management;
- Maintains proper documentation and retention of case related information, ensuring confidentiality and continuity/chain-of-custody are met to support the legislative requirements of the justice system in Jamaica;
- Uses computer software (e.g. Word, Excel) for creating staff work schedules, training tracking attendance, incident reports, workload data, equipment and supply ordering, facility related information, preparation of presentations to staff and senior management, and enter/monitor data in the laboratory information management system;
Human Resources:
- Monitors and evaluates the performance of direct reports, prepares Performance Appraisals and recommends and/or initiates corrective action where necessary to improve performance and/or attaining established personal and/or organizational goals;
- Provides leadership and guidance to direct reports through effective planning, delegation, communication, training, mentoring and coaching;
- Ensures the welfare and developmental needs of staff in the Section are clearly identified and addressed, and co-ordinate welfare activities;
- Establishes and maintains a system that fosters a culture of teamwork, Employee empowerment and commitment to the Branch’s and Organization’s goals;
- Establishes and maintains a proper system of checks and balances with respect to the work of assigned staff;
- Conducts onboarding sessions assessments and makes recommendations for required training and development programmes for assigned staff and new hires;
- Performs any other related duties that may be assigned from time to time by the Senior, Director Forensic Pathology.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
- Excellent oral and written communication skills;
- Excellent planning and organizing skills;
- Strong customer and quality focus skills;
- Goal/results oriented;
- Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills;
- Teamwork and co-operative;
- Ability to use own initiative;
- Strategic Vision;
- Integrity;
- Analytical thinking;
- Excellent leadership skills;
- Change Management;
- Competent use of Technology;
- Oversight skills to monitor daily operation, equipment/supply needs, and facility related issues;
- Time management skills necessary to forward plan and meet established turnaround times;
- Collaboration with staff, senior management, ministry officials, and stakeholders;
- Conflict resolution, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills;
- Ability to work independently under minimal supervision;
- Dignity and respect in working with human remains;
- Integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Bachelors of Science Degree in (Biology, Health Sciences, Forensic Science or equivalent)
- Experience with Forensic Pathology/Mortuary operations or in a similar position;
- Training in Supervisory Management would be an asset.
- Training in Project Management would be an asset.
Special Condition Associated with the Job:
- Normal Office Settings;
- May be required to work on weekends;
- Requires daily exposure to, handling of, and contact with tissues of infants, children and adults that may be contaminated, decomposed, and/or arthropod (insect) infested.
- Requires daily exposure to the extremes of trauma in infants, children, and adults;
- Requires frequent exposure to putrid odours;
- May involve exposure to biohazardous and infectious pathogens (e.g. viruses and bacteria, including HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, COVID-19 etc.);
- Requires daily exposure to highly graphic and emotionally disturbing crime-scene information;
- May be required to work outside the normal working hours due to the exigencies of the service.
Please note that only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
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