Position Summary
The Laboratory Operations Group Leader is responsible for daily oversight of laboratory activities and people leadership to deliver high-quality laboratory outputs that meet all quality and safety requirements, and client expectations. This role combines technical expertise, team management, and process improvement to ensure smooth laboratory operations.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Development
• Accountable for training and mentoring direct reports.
• Conduct performance reviews, provide coaching and feedback.
• Accountable for fostering a positive team environment
- Maintain a low attrition rate within the team
- Identify and develop future leaders and technical experts through mentoring, coaching, and career development programs.
- Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, and inclusion that values diversity and continuous learning.
- Utilize employee incentive programs to recognize exemplary performance
• Ensure compliance with HR and organizational policies related to people management.
Operational Management
• Accountable for supervising and coordinating daily lab operations
- Plan and schedule tasks efficiently to meet client TATs.
- Ensure all preparations and processes are in place to successfully conduct testing
- Find and solve problems to prevent delays in daily lab operations
- Accountable for ensuring appropriate staffing levels, including overtime and weekend coverage.
• Responsible for all productivity metrics
- Maintain on time performance rates and proactive communication
- Maintain defect-free laboratory documentation (First-pass metrics)
• Accountable for lab and consumable inventory systems.
- Maintain effective Kanban system within department
• Implement Lean/continuous improvement initiatives to improve laboratory processes.
• Evaluate current and future equipment needs to support departmental goals and productivity (i.e. Capex)
• Support effective communication on client testing and projects
- Respond to client project inquiries with professionalism and accuracy, ensuring timely communication and resolution to support project success
- Prepare accurate and timely testing and project quotations in alignment with client requests
- Develop routine client testing quotes independently
- Collaborate with management to prepare non-routine or complex quotations
- Coordinate project timelines, deliverables, and updates to ensure client satisfaction
Quality & Compliance
• Accountable for ensuring adherence to all quality and compliance requirements within the laboratory, (e.g., GMP, GLP, ISO).
- Oversee equipment calibration and maintenance activities
- Find and solve problems to prevent quality issues in daily lab operations
- Responsible for team outputs and overall team performance
- Responsible for accuracy and timely completion of investigations
• Ensure adherence to all laboratory safety requirements.
• Responsible for all quality metrics
- Maintain a consistently low rate of operator-related error investigations within the team
- Drive timely completion of all required training across the team.