Lab Operations Manager

POSITION TITLE: Lab Operations Manager
DURATION: 6 months (potential for extension and/or FTE)
HYBRID (On-site 60% of the time roughly)

Job Purpose: The Research/TRD Lab Operations organization is co-located with scientists in the new Scientific Areas/TRD, working very closely on a day-to-day basis to drive operational excellence in order to ensure smooth running of the labs to maximize scientific productivity.

The Lab Operations Manager is part of a team of professionals that ensure scientists have what they need when they need it to conduct high-quality experiments to deliver the R&D project pipeline.

Key Responsibilities:
• Contribute to R&D scientific and operational strategy and R&D project objectives. Provide operational support for the implementation of Vaccine R&D projects in TRD / Scientific Areas including tracking & reporting of milestones, capacity planning, and analysis for prioritization/trade-off decisions.
• Manage and coordinate in vivo studies and EPE budget in collaboration with the Scientific Areas.
• Provide support in the generation of POs, contracts, task orders, etc. on behalf of the Scientific Areas.
• Drive Good Scientific Practices (GSP) and quality within the labs, ensuring ways of working are fit for purpose and labs are designed and setup for optimized use. Ensure that standards and processes are implemented with a high level of compliance throughout the R&D labs.
• Coordinate Lab Equipment Lifecyle Management (LCM) activities including purchase and commissioning of new equipment, periodic maintenance & calibration, moves, and decommissioning through effective partnership with internal service partners (e.g. EHS, Facilities & Engineering, Procurement, Lab Systems/Tech, Quality) as well as external service providers.
• Support scientists to ensure timely provision of lab supplies & consumables.
• Assist Lab Heads to execute on their accountabilities to ensure EHS lab compliance (risk assessments, annual MSDS update, introduction of new chemicals, training, waste management, external suppliers/service providers etc.)
• Execute Management Monitoring (MM) activities per MM Plan for Lab Operations and TRD/Scientific Area key business activities, ensuring timely issue escalation, KPI management, and annual reporting.
• Enable Risk Management processes through proactive lab-based risk identification & communication as well as coordination of risk mitigation implementation activities.
• Manage audit/inspection preparation, Deviation management including Root Cause Analysis, and Corrective Action Preventative Action (CAPA) follow-up.
• Partner with scientists to identify Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) needs, prepare individual Project Investment Proposals (PIPs) including business case analysis, and lead SMR based project execution.
• Provide support to Lab/Function Heads for managing Operating Expense (OPEX) including budgeting and spending oversight.
• Serve as Global Business Owner / Subject Matter Expert (SME) for key lab operations processes/systems (lab notebooks, document management systems, lab equipment management, inventory systems, etc.).
• Lead process improvement initiatives supporting the Vaccines R&D laboratories, participate as core member in Steering Committees as appropriate.
• Participate as Lab Operations and/or TRD/Scientific Area representative at Quality Management System (QMS) forums, Written Standards & Training (WST) boards, and other bodies as necessary.

***Minimum Level of Education Required***
- Bachelor's Degree from accredited university in Science, Engineering or Business.

Why is this level of education required:
- Understanding of scientific lab activities (in vivo and in vitro assays) is a key requirement for this role. Minimum level of problem solving, learning agility, and communication skills.

***Preferred Level of Education***
- Masters, PhD, MBA, PMP, Lean & Six-Sigma Green/Black belt certification in Science, Engineering or Business

Why is this level of education preferred:
- Deeper knowledge scientific processes, process improvement methodologies, higher-level business acumen.
- Strong Project Management experience is an asset
- Previous experience in the field of immunology or vaccinology desirable.

Minimum Level of Job-Related Experience Required: At least 2 years of work experience in a laboratory setting and/or business environment. Project management and/or a scientific background

Why is this level of experience required?
- Has practical knowledge and experience in the operations of a scientific laboratory.
- Ability to work well within a matrix environment, balance priorities, and handle multiple tasks through good planning, project execution, and organizational skills.
- Effective ability to prioritize tasks and deliver on deadlines, with high performance standards and a commitment to excellence.

Additional Information:
• Customer orientation: ability to actively listen to internal customers and pro-actively propose pragmatic solutions based on their needs
• Analytical and problem solving (trouble shooting) skills – thinks strategically, applies a creative approach to problem solving, challenges the status quo; ability to analyze current situation, evaluate pros & cons of potential options, and recommend solutions.
• Agile and distributed decision-making – using evidence and applying judgement to balance pace, rigor, and risk.
• Self-motivated, results oriented, comfortable with ambiguity.
• Delivers high quality within time commitments
• Excellent (project) planning & organizational skills and has a proven track record delivering complex programs.
• Effective time management, ability to clearly identify and manage multiple completing priorities
• Strong interpersonal skills, builds relationships and works collaboratively
• Effective influencing, negotiation, and communications skills – ability to convince
• Strong team leader: translating strategy into action - a compelling narrative, motivating others, setting objectives and delegation. Excellent people-team management skills, thrives in a matrix team environment, promotes diversity & inclusion to optimize team spirit and deliver on project objectives.
• Budgeting and forecasting, financial acumen

Knowledge and Application:
- Understand and manage highly complex laboratory operations and in vivo /in vitro study processes.
- Identify better ways of working. Lead / actively contribute to process improvement initiatives for TRD/Scientific Areas.
- Track milestones, deliverables, KPIs, deviations/CAPAs for TRD/Scientific Areas.
- Coordinate and lead audit/inspection preparation activities.

Problem Solving & Innovation:
- In lab operations, problems present themselves on a daily basis.
- The nature of the issue is often multifaceted and complex with resolution equally complex as if often involves multiple different stakeholders / solution providers. For this reason, it is critical for this role to deal professionally with complex managerial and technical issues. - --- Diplomacy and cross-cultural sensitivity are required.
- In addition, this role must manage in a rapidly evolving environment with changing priorities.
- Ability to work well within a matrix environment, balance priorities, and handle multiple tasks through successful planning, project administration, and organization skills.

Interaction:
- This role will need to collaborate with and influence stakeholders within Vaccines R&D (Lab Operations, TRD/Scientific Areas), Global R&D, with service partners (EHS, Facilities & Engineering, Procurement, Lab Systems/Tech, Quality), and external service providers managing the challenges of competing priorities across the stakeholder groups.
- Constructive interactions and effective communication skills will be required with a vast diversity of roles at different levels within GSK.