Chief Human Resources Officer Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center
The Company Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is one of the largest community blood centers in the United States, and the only blood provider to Houston and its surrounding communities. Originally founded in 1975 by 100 physicians from the Harris County Medical Society, The Blood Center started with 64 employees and collected 46,602 units for 80 hospitals served within 16 counties. Today, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center employs approximately 750 staff and provides voluntarily donated blood and blood components to more than 170 hospitals and healthcare institutions in the 26-county Texas Gulf Coast, Brazos Valley, and East Texas regions, including:
The Texas Medical Center, the largest medical campus in the world, with nine major hospitals
4 Level 1 Trauma Centers
Hospitals in 10 Major Health Systems
20+ Community/Rural Hospitals
92 Consultation & Reference Clients
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a 501(c)(3) Texas Non-Profit Corporation and is not affiliated with the American Red Cross.
Mission: To partner with the community to help save and sustain lives by providing a safe supply of blood, biotherapies, and related services.
Vision: To be a blood industry center-of-excellence by supporting our community with innovative blood, biotherapies and research products and services
Current services include:
Core Products
Rare Donor
Stem Cell
Research Products
Further Manufacturing Products
Clinical Trials
Consultation & Reference Services
Transfusion Testing Services
Infectious Disease Testing
Cellular and Apheresis Therapies
Quality Control Testing Services
Source Plasma
Donor Deferral, Lookback and Recall Services
Sample and Reagent Procurement
DNA Genotyping
Medical Consultation
Electronic Data Interchange for Customers
Inventory and Logistic Resource
Donor Collection Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center collects approximately 324,000 units and provides over 375,000 units of blood and blood components to patients annually through 18 neighborhood donor collection sites, two regional locations (Brazos Valley and East Texas), and conducting approximately 7,000 mobile blood drives each year.
Gulf Coast locations and facilities include:
Headquarters Bill T. Teague Donor Center Houston, TX
Southwest – West Sugar Land Donor Center Sugar Land, TX
Westchase Donor Center Houston, TX
Katy Donor Center Katy, TX
Fulshear Donor Center Fulshear, TX
South – Southeast – East Pearland Donor Center Pearland, TX
Clear Lake Donor Center Houston, TX
Pasadena Donor Center Pasadena, TX
Baytown Donor Center Baytown, TX
Northwest Cypress Donor Center Cypress, TX
Cy-Fair Donor Center Houston, TX
Champions Donor Center Houston, TX
North – Northeast Conroe Donor Center Conroe, TX
The Woodlands Donor Center The Woodlands, TX
Humble/Kingwood Donor Center Humble, TX
East Texas Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center of East Texas Nacogdoches, TX
Lufkin Donor Center Lufkin, TX
Brazos Valley
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center of Brazos Valley College Station, TX
Lab Services The Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation Processing Laboratory performs all blood typing and infectious disease testing on every unit of donated blood at The Blood Center and on blood samples sent by other donor centers and hospitals that do not have their own testing capabilities. The lab operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so all tests can be completed overnight and labelled in the morning after collection. Blood donations are generally processed and available for use between 24 and 48 hours from the time of donation.
Through the National Donor Testing Services (NDTS), the lab offers accurate and rapid detection and confirmation of a variety of infectious and viral disease markers as well as ABO/Rh and the detection of antibodies to red cell antigens. Thirteen different tests must be performed on every unit of donated blood and the lab maintains multiple testing shifts to ensure accurate and rapid detection and confirmation of a variety of infectious and viral diseases. Rigorous testing procedures performed help minimize the likelihood of transmitting infectious diseases through blood transfusions to ensure that patients have the safest blood supply available.
The Blood Center’s Consultation and Reference Laboratory serves as a compatibility testing service and provides components to more than 100 facilities. It is one of only two AABB Accredited Immunohematology Reference Laboratories in Texas.
Component Production The Component Production team utilizes state-of-the-art technology to provide a full range of the highest quality blood components necessary to meet the transfusion needs of patients in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Component Production operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Blood Center Fleet Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has a fleet of more than 100 vehicles used for a variety of purposes. The majority of those vehicles belong to the Donor Collections Department and are either donor coaches for outdoor blood drives or vans that contain mobile setups for indoor drives. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center currently has 18 donor coaches, 14 of which serve the Gulf Coast region while two serve East Texas and two serve Brazos Valley. These coaches and vans make it possible for Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center to partner with businesses, churches, schools and more to host over 7,000 blood drives every year. The majority of the Toyota RAV4s seen on Gulf Coast highways belong to the Product Management Department; they are Hospital Services vehicles and are used to transport blood products to and from more than 170 hospitals and healthcare facilities across Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's 26-county service region. Altogether, the Product Management vehicles typically travel more than one million miles each year to ensure hospitals have the products needed on their shelves.
Mobile Operations Complex The Mobile Operations Complex is an 85,000-square-foot facility about two miles south of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s Headquarters. It is home to the Donor Collections Department and serves as the launching site for more than 7,000 mobile blood drives that take place every year.
Physician Support Physicians are available to support Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center’s partners by consulting with physicians and other healthcare providers to facilitate appropriate patient care. They have a broad range of transfusion medicine experience and can offer advice and support regarding blood products and therapies. Along with the Consultation and Reference Laboratory staff, these physicians are available for consultation when patients experience unusual or less than desired responses to transfusion therapy. This team is also experienced in a variety of transfusion procedures that can help to lessen disease symptoms. The organization’s spectrum of activity and expertise enables them to provide guidance in a broad range of transfusion-related problems and issues, including:
Interpretation of immunohematology tests and recommendations regarding appropriate transfusion therapy
Management and evaluation of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAT), including collection of maternal platelets
Evaluation and management of transfusion complications such as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), delayed hemolytic reactions, allergic reactions and transfusion-transmitted diseases
Transfusion therapy/component selection
Blood administration—routine and complex
Participate in Transfusion Review Committee evaluation
Licensure/Accreditation/Memberships Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center holds licenses for blood components and establishments from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is licensed under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA). They are assessed and accredited by the AABB and the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT). The Blood Center is a member of America’s Blood Centers, South Central Association of Blood Banks, Blood Centers of America, the Texas Hospital Association, the Texas Medical Center, and the Greater Houston Partnership.
Clinical Trials The Blood Center is proud of the trials they have participated in and the companies they have assisted in the development of new and improved infectious disease testing as well as instrument development. Clinical trial participants include Abbott Laboratories, Baxter Biologics, Ortho Diagnostics, and Roche Diagnostics.
Commit for Life® Commit for Life® is a partnership between the community and Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center to save lives today, and in the future. More than 1,000 donations are needed every day to help save the lives of individuals in the Texas Gulf Coast region. This program asks the community to donate regularly, connect with the organization, and spread the word about donating blood.
The Opportunity Position: Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Location: Houston, Texas Reporting Relationship: The CHRO will report to the President and Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center. Website:https://www.giveblood.org/
Purpose of the Position Reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) will provide overall human resource leadership and guidance for a non-profit and one of the largest community blood centers in the United States within a complex, dynamic, and diverse environment.
The position is critical to developing and executing human resources initiatives, providing excellent internal customer service and consultation, driving human resources functional excellence, and championing innovation and continuous process improvement for the organization.
The CHRO will oversee a team in the areas of recruitment; compensation and benefits; employee relations/engagement; and organization development and training.
The individual will be a key member of the Executive due diligence team for future growth opportunities that include partnerships, joint ventures, mergers & acquisitions and investments in start-up and other companies in our healthcare space.
This individual will help the organization and its people adapt and thrive in an evolving healthcare industry, and will inspire the organization to deliver on its mission of partnering with the community to help save and sustain lives by providing a safe supply of blood, biotherapies, and related services.
Key Responsibilities Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (Gulf Coast) is seeking a dynamic, hands-on Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to lead the development and execution of a comprehensive people and culture strategy with a growth-oriented mindset. In this mission driven, community and patient focused organization, the CHRO will design and implement an integrated HR platform that covers all aspects of human resources, including culture, talent acquisition, talent development, performance management, total rewards, organizational design, and HR operations. Overall, the CHRO role at Gulf Coast involves strengthening the company's systems, processes, and infrastructure to support the business and people strategies to achieve near and long-term goals.
The CHRO will be responsible for the below areas:
Executive Leadership:
Lead, motivate, and develop a team of HR business partners, employee relations staff, and functional experts to design and implement best practices that enhance organizational culture, meet the needs of internal clients, and drive the achievement of Gulf Coast’s strategic goals.
Facilitate the successful implementation of strategic initiatives through thoughtful organizational design and robust change management practices.
Provide proactive, strategic guidance on all human resources and learning-related matters to the CEO and senior leadership team.
Help build a cohesive culture which drives performance, empowerment, accountability, transparency, and innovation.
Provide thought leadership, due diligence, and implementation support for future growth opportunities from a talent and people perspective.
Serve as a trusted advisor and coach to the CEO and senior leadership, and act as the liaison to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Trustees.
Talent Selection, Development & Retention:
This new leader will build functional capability for the future, creating best-in-class talent processes and HR service delivery that can scale as the company continues to grow in new areas.
Build and enhance infrastructure and programs to drive workforce improvement, elevate employee experience and engagement, and provide comprehensive learning opportunities.
Strengthen performance management systems to support leadership development and ensure continuity through effective succession planning for managers and leaders across the organization.
Focus on developing leaders who become more comfortable cascading a culture of appreciation, developing their teams and creating core standards for performance and leadership.
HR Operations and Total Rewards:
Lead and oversee the design, development, and implementation of Gulf Coast’s compensation, incentive, and benefits programs at all levels, ensuring they are competitive and aligned with the organization's compensation philosophies.
Identify and deploy technology solutions to enhance employee access to HR information, optimizing the delivery of accurate, secure, and efficient high-volume transactional services.
HIPPA Compliance:
Must remain knowledgeable of changing healthcare, technical, and administrative state and federal regulations, privacy and security policies impacting HIPAA and Protected Health Information (PHI) and serves as the Privacy and Security Officer for the organization.
Year one critical success factors The Chief Human Resources Officer will be a critical member of the executive leadership team and will be expected to assimilate into the culture and build productive relationships across the enterprise. The goal of the role is to make significant headway in the following areas:
Build a comprehensive structure to support best in class HR operating model that wholistically elevates the organization’s capabilities and processes around roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities.
Develop a top-tier proactive approach to talent acquisition to increase network of resources to support organizational talent and staffing needs.
Elevate HR from a transactional partner in the organization to a strategic partner.
The Candidate Experience and Professional Qualifications The CHRO will have a proven track record of driving functional excellence through a series of successful initiatives that enhance organizational performance, culture, and transformative change. This leader will be a strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to engage, educate, and collaborate with colleagues at all levels. They will be adept at developing and executing comprehensive action plans aligned with the long-term goals of a complex organization. Desirable attributes would include the following:
Proven ability to establish key partnerships and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
Demonstrated success in leading the design and implementation of advanced human resources programs and teams in complex, matrixed environments.
Comprehensive, business-relevant expertise across the full spectrum of HR services, delivery models, and performance metrics to drive organizational success.
Extensive experience navigating complex organizations, adapting to diverse operational and organizational models.
Proven commitment to fostering and embracing diversity in all aspects.
Strong workforce planning expertise, with a focus on program development, recruitment, cultural sensitivity, and succession planning.
Skills and Competencies
Energetic and innovative with strong ability to articulate a compelling vision, inspire others, and build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups.
Relationship driven, collaborative, and highly visible with executive leadership, the Board, community partners, donors, patients, families, and other external stakeholders.
Change maker while developing world-class teams with a strong service orientation and the ability to achieve significant, sustainable improvements across organizational boundaries.
Mission-driven with unwavering integrity, ethics, and values.
Exceptional communicator, both verbally and in writing, across diverse audiences.
Creative, innovative, and adaptable.
Resourceful, results-oriented, and resilient.
Effective, efficient, and collaborative problem-solver.
Education A Bachelor's degree is required and a Master's degree is preferred.