Laboratory Metals Manager

Job Description

About the role:We are recruiting for a permanent Laboratory Metals Manager. In this role, you will be responsible for leading and managing a large team of 13 analytical chemists including team leaders and technical specialist in day to day operations within our metals chemistry section, this is a key leadership role within a high-throughput laboratory, which is well equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation.The team undertake the preparation and analysis by plasma-based techniques of potable, wastewater, trade effluent and solid samples. You will take responsibility for resources including analytical instrumentation, materials and laboratory infrastructure within the agreed budget and deadlines. This carried out whilst maintaining the highest standards of quality management conforming to ISO 17025, DWTS and MCERTS and ensuring company leading health, safety and wellbeing standards.As the Laboratory Metals Manager, you will be required to drive training, staff development and building a team, who deliver constantly in a high throughput rapid turn round environment, while maintaining quality and safety at the highest levels. We are looking for an effective problem solver to contribute to the analysis of trends, spot issues before they become problems and look for opportunities to improve the process, to co-ordinate the development and validation of analytical techniques, and play a part in selecting future processes to meet changing customer demands.Key Accountabilities:

Demonstrating Leadership in Health, Safety & Wellbeing within your analytical section.

Ensure that all data generated by the section conforms to the laboratory quality management system and can apply extensive knowledge on ISO17025, DWTS and MCERTS regulation to day to day situations.

Ensure service delivery meets internal laboratory targets and customer requirements in terms of quality, speed, reliability and flexibility.

Manage and control finances (Opex & Capex) for the team, maximising efficiency and productivity.

People management within the analytical section, including recruitment, defining purpose, goals and responsibilities, performance management and effective communication of laboratory and corporate strategy.

Improve the engagement levels of staff to increase both productivity and job satisfaction.

To be successful, you will have the following skills and experience:

Previous experience in laboratory management of large teams within a fast-paced environment.

Degree or equivalent in a related discipline.

A member of the RSC (MRSC) and be eligible for CSci/ CChem status.

Excellent working knowledge of ISO 17025.

Fully competent at using the appropriate Company IT systems and Office software.

Strong decision-making skills, in a risk-based environment.

Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

Excellent relationship management and leadership skills.

Ability to work under pressure and effectively prioritise conflicting requirements.

Experience in effectively managing workloads to meet deadlines and turnaround times.

What’s in it for youThis is a key leadership role within a high-throughput laboratory, which is well equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation. This particular team are passionate about maintaining the quality of drinking water, protecting the environment and providing an excellent service to customers. The role is to co-ordinate, through others, the efficient processing of sample arrival, with many results critical to public health, the section generates over 400,000 test results per year.Required to drive training, staff development and building a team, who deliver constantly in a high throughput rapid turn round environment, while maintaining quality and safety at the highest levels. We are looking for an effective problem solver to contribute to the analysis of trends, spot issues before they become problems and look for opportunities to improve the process, to co-ordinate the development and validation of analytical techniques, and play a part in selecting future processes to meet changing customer demands.Our competitive salary package includes an excellent contributory pension, 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service and a wider benefits scheme. This includes an annual pay review, season ticket loans, voucher scheme giving you money off in major retail outlets, loyalty awards for continuous service plus much more, including our referral scheme, where you can receive £750 for helping someone get a permanent position within the company.We’re also proud to be here for our local community, offering everyone two days paid volunteer to leave a year, as well as proudly supporting a lot of local events and charities.About us: Thames Water is the largest water and waste-water services company in the UK. We provide the essential service at the heart of daily life, health and enjoyment to 15 million customers across London and the Thames Valley and we are going through a period of exciting change. On a typical day, we supply 2.6 billion litres of top quality drinking water and our 350 sewage treatment works treat more than 4.2bn litres of waste-water. Our 85,000 miles of water mains and sewers would wrap around the world three-and-a-half times.We are focusing like never before on delivering brilliant services and providing our customers with a great experience. We are in the process of transforming our business in order to achieve this. To help us succeed, we need a range of new skills and capabilities and will be recruiting for these in the coming months. We are on the lookout for talented people across our entire regions who are interested in helping us to become the best water and waste-water company in the UK.Thames Water is an equal opportunity, Disability Confident, and Stonewall diversity champion employer, welcoming applications from all walks of life to join our diverse team. We’re also leading the way with our award-winning mental health and wellbeing strategy.