Lab Operations Manager - Surrey

Role: Lab Operations Manager

Reporting To: Laboratory Manager

Contract Type: 6-month Full Time Contract with potential to extend

Location: All fixed labs (SURREY, CHESHIRE, WEST MIDLANDS, LONDON HEATHROW, AND GATWICK)

Hours of Work: Mon - Fri. 37.5 hours per week weekend work may be required on occasion.

Job Context

Our client offers mobile and fixed laboratory molecular diagnosis of COVID-19 through real-time RT-PCR assays based on oral and nasal swab samples. As part of this service our client provides trained individuals to undertake the collection of test swabs to a variety of organisations and individuals at testing locations throughout the UK.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, there has been a substantial increase in the number of organisations requesting our expertise. To meet rising volumes, we are recruiting for various roles within the business - this role is Lab Operations Manager.

Role Overview

This role is a key part of the lab team and will be responsible for all non-scientific elements of lab operations. This includes the coordination and outgoing and incoming samples to the lab, resolving issues (missing manifests etc), managing flow, booking in and organising deliveries and visitors. The role will be that vital link between the labs B2B and D2C customers and the scientific team - this role will ensure the scientific team are not distracted and diverted from their work by non-scientific matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Working as the key part of the scientific team at the lab as well as remotely with client operations.
• Liaising with B2B CAMS and D2C Site Managers on forecasting and communicating forecasts to the lab.
• Assist with any planning at the lab to deal with incoming samples.
• Preparing lab space for Home Testing samples and assisting with lab infrastructure coordination as required.
• Communicating with the Science Park/wider site Security and collecting samples from Royal Mail delivery room or Security office.
• Unpacking samples under supervision of the clinical team.
• Disposing or recycling packaging in the correct way.
• Logging the tests as 'In Process'.
• Ensuring lab space is kept tidy and ready to receive next batch.
• Customer point of contact at the lab for routine and short notice requests and issues.
• Other duties as designated by their line managers

Role Requirements

• Strong customer facing operations / customer service skills.
• Comfortable working at pace and with a degree of ambiguity.
• Strong interpersonal skills, builds trusted relationships quickly.
• Organised with a strong bias for action. Problem solver.
• Comfortable with using MS Office suite or able to learn quickly (Word, Outlook, Excel, PPT, Teams). Salesforce experience would be advantageous.
• Comfortable with learning new systems and processes.
• Strong team player with evidence of leadership abilities.
• Experience of customer conflict resolution.
• Excellent communication skills and an empathetic nature.Full training and PPE will be provided in advance. All employees must be prepared to undertake regular Covid testing.

Applicants must not be classified, or live with anyone classified, as belonging to any of the COVID-19 high risk groups. Full guidance on who is deemed to be high risk can be found on the NHS website

Relevant Military Experience

This role would suit an individual who has achieved NCO/SNCO level and has managed stores, operations, and people. You will probably have an operations and/or logistics background and will quite possibly have been a Company/Squadron Quartermaster or similar. You will be able to 'create order out of chaos' and run and manage an efficient, well drilled operation adhering to the Company SOPs. Your 'soft-skills' are extremely important as is your management and leadership style. You will be responsible for a team of scientists, managing them collaboratively and effectively without being over-baring and does not require a 'direct command style'. This is a fast-paced, ever changing environment and that's before all the airports get back to capacity and the sports and entertainment venues open.

BENEFITS

• A good basic salary with long-term opportunities in an exciting dynamic business with three ex-military personnel involved with the leadership and management of the company.

Ref: 13434/001_1620850574 | Published: 12th May 2021