Director Anatomical Services Division

Anatomical Services Health Program Director– STATE ANATOMY BOARD
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), School of Medicine - Department of Anatomical Services is currently recruiting for a Director of Anatomical Services. The Director is recognized for vast knowledge, experience, acquired skills and expertise in many subjects including anatomy, public health & bio/chemical safety, anatomical preparations, mortuary administration, etc.  

The Director provides the effective administration activities including: business and finance, office processes and laboratory activities for both Division and the Board.  The Director is responsible for fiscal and program planning, developing and implementation of   short and long range strategies and objectives, plan and devise allocation and workspace requirements including design and renovation of work areas; sets organization priorities and determines staffing needs, designs job description and performance measurements, assigns supervisory staff to manage and coordinate duties and activities, monitors and evaluates performance; determines legislative and regulatory needs, devises and implements policies, procedures, standards and best practices, including public health and safety laboratory protocols.  The Director is the responsible official to confer and respond in matters and inquiries from governmental agencies, organizations, media, individuals and the public at large in support of the mission and goals of the Division and Board.  The Division administers the program activities and operations of the State Anatomy Board, a unit of the Maryland Health Department’s Public Health Services to fulfill its State mandate.

In addition to the fulfilling the full range of challenges required for the two State educational units, the Director is accountable for all responsibilities mortuary administration and decedent affairs relating to custody and jurisdiction of more than 2500 death annually and serving as the “operations manager” combining the coordination, staff tasks and logistics of related office and laboratory use and customer service activities and business systems.

The Program Director will be appointed by the School of Medicine and approved by the Board to act as the Administrative Officer for the State Anatomy Board, under Public Health Services, Maryland Health Department. This position will be delegated the responsibility and authority to perform the all administrative tasks required in order to fulfill the Board’s mandated goals and objectives and compliant with public policy and health interests.

Benefits Information

UMB offers a generous benefits package that includes 22 vacation days, 14 floating and holidays, 15 sick days; comprehensive health insurance and retirement options; and tuition remission for employees and their dependents at any of the University System of Maryland schools.

Essential Functions

State Anatomy Board

• Responsible to plan the agenda, coordinate and convene meetings of the Maryland State Anatomy Board as required or needed.  Provide the Board with updates as circumstances warrant.
• Provide Board representation and program advocacy to Federal, State and local governmental agencies and public meetings and forums.
• Provide Public Policy positions on decedent affairs, mortuary ethics and best practices in the care and handling of decedents and State Disposition of unclaimed and decedent bodies.
• Devise, amend or develop legislative proposals and regulations to advance the Board’s policies, programs and activities with respect to public health requirements and support the public policy interests as a State entity.
• To prepare and provide position statements and fiscal notes on pending legislation.
• Devise, develop and implement the Board’s administrative, business and program operating policies and procedures consistent with Federal and State laws and regulations, Institutional requirements, and best practices standards.

Anatomical Preparations & Mortuary Administration

• Review and complete Certificates of Death on each and every unclaimed and donated decedents, provide final approve signature, and file and submit the individual Certificates of Death with the Maryland Health Department, Division of Vital Records (written and electronic).
• Issue acknowledgement letters and other correspondence to next of kin and families when decedent bodies are transported and received by the Board.
• Issue and sign Proof of Death Letters and other needed documents for opening and probating estates with the Circuit Courts – Registrar of Wills attesting to the decedent death in lieu of a Certificate of Death.
• Request verification of decedent’s Veterans status to determine qualification for Veterans burial and counsel families on Veterans status burial benefits.
• Verify, approve and authorize the cremation of decedents (donated and unclaimed), cadavers and anatomical specimens and materials under the Board’s control.
• Receive, review and determine approval status of institutional requests for human cadavers and specimens for education, clinical training and research study.
• Determine and design policies and procedures to determine suitability of decedent for tissue retrievals for research and other medical studies.
• Qualify, approve and authorize the release of anatomical and clinical cadavers and specimens for study.
• Design and Implement various anatomical preparation methods to prepare cadavers and specimens with an emphasis on biohazard safety and elimination of infectious contagious disease exposure.
• Define, identify, devise and implement all required procedures and protocols and environmental health and safety standards, best practices and other policies to assure minimal harmful and avoidable exposure to pathogenic agents.
• Review medical requests for postmortem examinations, autopsies and requests to determine cause or circumstance of death and anatomical requests for organ/tissue retrievals from donated bodies for purposes of transplant or therapy.
• Respond to inquiries and controversies from next of kin, family members, attorneys, morticians, appointed officials and others regarding the Board’s care and custody of decedents and legally authorized individuals.

Financial Administration

• Formulate and develop annual budgetary General Fund Appropriation requests for legislative approval.
• Prepare fiscal reports and financial statements of expenditures and revenue. Monitor accounts and current program activity vs. costs and revenue and determine fiscal priorities and added funding sources if needed.
• Devise, develop, analyze and review tiered fee schedules for cadaver and specimen use based on overall costs and expenses incurred for providing services incurred.
• Conduct biennial review of fee schedules and recommend for Board approval a revised service fee schedule and implement as directed by Board.
• Review and approve all invoices issued for cadaver and specimen fees charged for study use
• Review and approve all revenue reimbursements and remittances received for user fees and services and deposited to MDH Accounts Payable as the State General Fund revenue.
• Monitor frequencies of removals, transports and cremations and make quarterly impact projections.
• Determine budgetary impact of expenses vs. State appropriation.

Department Administration

• Submit RFPs and IBPs to State Department of Budget Management and attend/testify at Board of Public Works meetings as necessary to gain approval of contract and awards. Submit financial reports and justification as needed.
• Devise and develop specifications for multi-year contractual services for the cremation of decedent bodies, cadavers or anatomical specimens or materials as well as contractual services for the removal and transport of decedent bodies from residences, nursing facilities, hospitals, medical examiners or other places of death to the Anatomy Board in Baltimore City.
• Collaborate with Maryland Department of Health, public Health Services and other State, Federal and local agencies to develop statewide emergency, disaster or contingency plans involving Public Health and Safety (i.e. COOP, EBOLA, Mass Fatalities, etc.) to provide assistance and emergency services as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

  Qualifications   Education: Bachelors in a related field of expertise such as Government Administration, Business / Office Management, Mortuary and Decedent affairs, Public Health or Medical Education  or Social Science public programs, and/or Anatomical Gift Programs.

Master’s Degree preferred.

Experience: Five (5) years of experience working in an appropriate field

Supervisory: Two (2) years of direct supervision and management experience.

Licensure/Certification: License as Mortician/Funeral Director

Other:  No substitution of experience for minimum education requirement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Skills and expertise in subjects including anatomy, public health & bio/chemical safety, anatomical preparations, mortuary administration, etc.

Hiring Range: Commensurate with education and experience

If accommodations are needed for a disability, please contact Staffing & Career Services at 410-706-2606, Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm EST.  Maryland Relay can be accessed by dialing 711 (in-state) or 1-800-735-2258.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  Minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.