Manager of Lab Operations & Vendor Partnerships

About The Role

OpenLoop is looking for a Manager of Lab Operations & Vendor Partnerships to join our team remotely or at HQ in Des Moines, IA. In this role, you will be responsible for owning our end-to-end lab operational workflows, from managing vendor relationships to optimizing processes and collaborating with cross-functional teams. This person will serve as the primary point of contact for all lab-related operations, working closely with Product, Clinical, and Client teams to ensure seamless lab processes that align with our protocols and growth goals.

What You’ll Do:

• Own all lab operations end-to-end — from process development to execution and performance tracking.
• Manage relationships with external lab partners, ensuring service quality, operational alignment, and compliance with clinical protocols.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Clinical, and Operations teams to streamline lab workflows, improve efficiency, and support new initiatives.
• Drive continuous improvement across lab processes, identifying automation and optimization opportunities.
• Support new client and vendor integrations, ensuring lab capabilities align with business and clinical needs.
• Monitor and analyze lab performance metrics, addressing issues proactively and implementing corrective actions.
• Develop and scale a lab operations team as business needs grow, ensuring consistent quality and delivery standards.
• Stay current on industry regulations and best practices to maintain compliance and operational excellence.
• Other duties as assigned.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, Operations Management, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in healthcare operations, lab management, or diagnostics partnerships.
• Proven success owning and managing external lab partnerships and vendor relationships.
• Strong understanding of clinical protocols, compliance requirements, and lab workflows.
• Experienced collaborating with product and technical teams to improve processes and integrate lab operations.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and partnership management skills.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with evolving structure.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on, problem-solving mindset.