The Laboratory Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the laboratory, including supervising staff, managing resources, ensuring compliance with safety regulations, and overseeing experimental protocols. This role requires strong leadership, organizational skills, and a deep understanding of laboratory practices and procedures.
He / she develops sampling plans and procedures for testing product quality. The individual maintains standards and quality processes in food manufacturing operations by verifying test results and audits, for compliance with food safety regulations and requirements set by regulatory authorities.
The Laboratory Manager position develops standard operating procedures (SOPs) in line with good laboratory practices (GLPs), good manufacturing practices (GMPs), BC global guidance, regulatory requirements and guidelines in food safety management and control, such as ISO standards and the Hazards and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. The role requires an individual with excellent analytical skills and sound judgement for establishing critical guidelines, parameters and procedures within the laboratory and with other functional departments in an organization. The Lab position should work well in a team and have strong communication skills to interact effectively with others to achieve organizational objectives.
Responsibilities
Supervise and manage laboratory staff, including hiring, training, and performance evaluation
Develop inspection and testing protocols for materials, products and packaging in line with BC global and regional guidelines
Oversee daily laboratory operations, ensuring adherence to safety and quality standards
Develop and implement laboratory protocols and procedures in line with good laboratory practices, SHE and BC standards
Review lab procedures periodically to improve efficiency and productivity
Manage laboratory budgets, supplies, and inventory, ensuring availability of necessary materials
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and maintain accurate records
Coordinate with other departments and stakeholders to support innovation, compliance and project goals
Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues within the laboratory
Stay updated on industry trends and advancements in laboratory technology
Analyze possible reasons into process deviations and for product defects and quality lapses
Develop inspection and testing protocols for materials, products and packaging in line with BC and customer requirements
Ensure management of external labs through regular visits and oversight of procedures
Define & implement protocols to manage samples and analytical data flow with external labs
Qualifications
Master's degree in Chemistry, Biology, or Microbiology or equivalent
Minimum 5 years experience in managing foods or pharma laboratory
Exposure to food safety, including formal HACCP training, pathogen environmental monitoring and testing is beneficial
Exposure to or formal training in FSSC22000 or BRC is preferred
Certification in a quality management system such as ASQ preferred
Minimum local language fluency plus English (B2)
Knowledgeable in MS Office Suite, SAP Systems and other applications used in manufacturing
Strong and hand on knowledge of food analytical procedures – chemistry and microbiology
Strong knowledge of food safety systems, plant and manufacturing technologies
Proven people management skills including communication and target setting
Ability to work with complex data, statistics and draw interpretations
Ability to understand man, material, information flows and streamline the same
Acts as a servant leader
Customer focused – internal and external
Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills both upward and downward
Works well under pressure, enabling his/her/their team to thrive under all circumstances
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
Self-starter and results driven mind set and discipline to sustain results
Multitasking and time-management skills
Change manager seeking continuous improvement through people capability development
