At Houston Methodist, the CMP Business Representative position is responsible for providing support to the Comparative Medicine department and ensuring that all research animals are ordered in compliance with Federal regulations and departmental policies by assuring congruence with approved animal study protocol, funding agency and departmental policies and procedures. This position utilizes budgetary skills to efficiently order supplies, uniforms and needed materials and reconciles financials and pays invoices. The CMP Business Representative position assist with preparing monthly customer invoices of charges for supplies and services to ensure department cost recovery. With exceptional customer service, this position collaborates with the Supply Chain and Accounts Payable departments.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Works closely with Supply Chain Management department to place supply orders, PO requests, and to resolve PO issues.

• Interacts with Accounts Payable department to follow up on supplier invoice payments and to resolve invoice issues.

• Uses excellent communication skills (verbal, nonverbal, written) to facilitate providing the highest quality service during every customer encounter Partners with order end-users to get order information, providing order status and resolve order issues.

• Promotes a positive workplace environment and contributes to a team-focused unit to achieve optimal departmental employee engagement results/scores.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Independently interacts with suppliers to place orders, check order status and resolve order issues.

• Places animal orders, animal diet and special diet orders for the department and PI groups, ensuring compliance with the investigator's animal use protocol, grant, and federal animal research regulations.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Tracks PI-allowed animal balances by entering new Animal Use Protocols (AUP), and AUP updates into LAMBS software and by maintaining the animal usage spreadsheet to be in compliant with animal use regulations. Processes animal transfer requests from PI groups.

• Checks delivered diet and supply orders to confirm delivery, accuracy and quality.

• Maintains electronic, physical and off-site files for the business office to be compliant with department and institutional guidelines.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Processes supply orders for the department and study specific orders for PI groups.

• Performs monthly billing activities for the department by entering invoice information into our LAMBS software. Orders and maintains inventory of office supplies.

• Enters department requisitions and non-PO vouchers into MARS. Safeguards prompt vendor invoice payments.

• Maintains and provides analysis of various spreadsheets for blanket PO and supplier invoice reconciliations.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Researches areas for cost saving for the department.

• Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Associates degree or higher

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Three years in a business office setting of which one year is in a research environment

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Strong customer service skills and communication

• Ability to work in a team-oriented environment with collaborating skills

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist Research Institute was formed in 2004 to rapidly and efficiently translate discoveries made in the laboratory and the clinic into new diagnostics, therapies, and treatments. The research institute was created to provide the infrastructure and support for these endeavors, and to house the technology and resources needed to make innovative breakthroughs in important areas of human disease. A 540,000 square foot building dedicated to research, the research institute houses over 1,500 staff and trainees, 284 principal investigators and has more than 570 ongoing clinical trials.