Lab Operations Lead
Location: Cambridge, UK
Employment Type: Permanent
Due to an Internal Promotion, We're Hiring!
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and passionate leader to join our team as Lab Operations Lead in Cambridge. Following an internal promotion, we are seeking a senior operational leader to oversee the delivery of laboratory support services across a dynamic and innovative R&D environment.
This is a strategic leadership role for an individual with a strong scientific background and proven experience leading managers and multi-disciplinary laboratory support teams. You will be responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of critical laboratory support services that enable scientific research, while driving operational excellence, innovation, digital transformation, and continuous improvement.
This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for leading managers who oversee the day-to-day delivery of laboratory support services across multiple R&D laboratory environments.
About the Role
As Lab Operations Lead, you will provide leadership and direction for laboratory support services across multiple R&D laboratories. Through your team of managers and supervisors, you will ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality operational support services, including laboratory logistics, inventory management, laboratory stores, and workplace support functions that enable scientists to focus on groundbreaking research.
You will have overall accountability for service performance, customer satisfaction, financial management, operational effectiveness, compliance, and continuous improvement initiatives. A key aspect of this role is leading and developing operational leaders, ensuring they have the capability, resources, and direction to deliver outstanding services while supporting evolving business requirements.
This position requires an experienced leader who can balance strategic thinking with operational oversight, partnering with scientific stakeholders and senior leadership to shape the future of laboratory support services through innovation, data-driven decision making, and digital transformation.
Key Responsibilities
Laboratory Operations & Service Delivery
- Lead laboratory support operations across R&D laboratories through a team of managers and supervisors.
- Ensure effective delivery of laboratory support services, stock management, inventory control, and stores operations.
- Drive consistent service delivery standards across multiple laboratory environments and operational teams.
- Support extended working patterns and evolving business requirements.
- Ensure business continuity and operational excellence across all support functions.
- Monitor service performance and proactively address operational risks and challenges.
- Manage service escalations and ensure timely resolution of operational issues.
Stakeholder & Customer Management
- Act as the primary interface between laboratory users, senior stakeholders, suppliers, and support functions.
- Lead customer meetings, governance reviews, and operational performance discussions.
- Build strong relationships with scientific, operational, and business leaders.
- Provide proactive communication and effective stakeholder management at all levels of the organisation.
- Promote a customer-focused culture and continuously improve the laboratory user experience.
- Partner with R&D leadership to understand future requirements and align service delivery strategies accordingly.
Operational & Financial Management
- Oversee operational and financial processes, including:
- Cost journaling and cost centre cross-charging activities.
- Building-related operational activities.
- Evacuation planning and return-to-building processes.
- Resource planning and allocation.
- Ensure resources are effectively managed to meet current and future business needs.
- Manage budgets, operational performance targets, and service level commitments.
- Drive accountability for performance, quality, and cost management across operational teams.
Continuous Improvement & Innovation
- Drive service performance through reporting, metrics, and data analysis.
- Identify trends, risks, and opportunities for service enhancement.
- Lead Lean initiatives and continuous improvement projects across laboratory support functions.
- Evaluate and implement new tools, technologies, and innovative service solutions.
- Champion digital transformation and AI-driven initiatives to improve productivity, efficiency, and customer experience.
- Support sustainability and operational excellence programmes.
- Foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning within the wider operations team.
Leadership & People Management
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of operational managers responsible for laboratory support service delivery.
- Build leadership capability across the management team, ensuring consistent people management practices and high levels of engagement.
- Provide strategic direction and oversight to multiple laboratory support functions and teams.
- Create a high-performing, inclusive, and engaged culture focused on collaboration and customer excellence.
- Establish clear performance expectations, objectives, and accountability measures across service delivery teams.
- Drive succession planning, talent development, and retention initiatives.
- Lead organisational change and workforce planning activities to meet current and future business requirements.
- Support recruitment and development of managers and key operational talent.
- Act as deputy for senior leadership when required.
Compliance, Safety & Wellbeing
- Ensure compliance with all health, safety, quality, and regulatory requirements.
- Promote a safe, secure, and compliant working environment.
- Support associate wellbeing, mental health, and engagement initiatives.
- Actively contribute to first aid and emergency response processes.
- Ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and laboratory best practices.
- Maintain a strong culture of safety and continuous risk management across all operational teams.
What We're Looking For
Essential Qualifications & Experience
- Degree in Life Sciences or a related scientific discipline.
- Strong laboratory background with a solid understanding of R&D and laboratory operations.
- Proven experience leading managers and/or large operational teams responsible for laboratory support services in a scientific, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or research environment.
- Demonstrated experience managing the delivery of laboratory support services, facilities operations, stores, logistics, or similar operational functions.
- Experience leading through multiple layers of an organisation and developing leaders who manage operational teams.
- Strong stakeholder management experience with the ability to influence senior scientific and operational leaders.
- Proven track record of driving operational excellence and customer-focused service delivery.
- Experience managing KPIs, service metrics, governance reviews, and operational performance across multiple teams or functions.
- Strong resource, financial, and operational planning capabilities.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills.
- Proven ability to lead change, transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Highly Desirable
- Experience implementing AI solutions to improve operational efficiency and productivity.
- Experience driving digitalisation and technology transformation programmes.
- Demonstrated success applying Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement methodologies.
- Experience supporting laboratory relocations, building transitions, or large-scale operational projects.
- Experience leading cross-functional teams within a regulated environment.
- Strong data analytics, reporting, and business insight capabilities.
- Experience managing outsourced services, vendor relationships, or service partnerships.
Why Join Us?
This is a unique opportunity to lead a critical laboratory support function within a world-class scientific environment. You will play a key role in shaping the future of laboratory operations through innovation, digitalisation, service excellence, and leadership development.
Working with a talented team of managers and operational professionals, you will help create an environment where scientists can focus on delivering breakthrough research while laboratory services operate seamlessly, safely, and efficiently.
If you are a science-focused leader with experience leading managers, driving operational excellence, and transforming laboratory support services, we would love to hear from you.
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Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
Why Avantor?
Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!
EEO Statement:
We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.
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