Laboratory Manager

About the role

The Laboratory Manager leads the Auckland quality-control laboratory, Laboratory Technician team, and in-process quality programme. The role ensures accurate, timely testing and release of materials and products; maintains laboratory capability, data integrity, calibration, and compliance; and partners with site teams to resolve non-conformances, strengthen process control, and improve right-first-time performance.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the Laboratory Technician team, ensuring appropriate competency, safe work practices, shift coverage, and service delivery.
• Plan laboratory resources and testing priorities to support production and timely material and product release.
• Own testing and positive release of raw materials and finished products, including review, disposition, traceability, and timely SAP transactions.
• Manage laboratory operations, including sample control, sensory, water and shelf-life testing, external services, consumables, reference standards, housekeeping, and good laboratory practices.
• Maintain equipment calibration and verification, approved test methods, specifications, sampling plans, work instructions, competency records, and complete, traceable laboratory data.
• Lead and support investigations into out-of-specification results, non-conformances, complaints, and process deviations, including containment, root cause analysis, corrective actions, effectiveness checks, and continuous improvement.
• Manage in-process quality verification, including process audits, control checks, allergen controls, and escalation of food safety, legality, quality, or product-integrity risks.
• Use trends, Statistical Process Control, and process capability data to reduce variation and improve right-first-time performance.
• Provide quality approval for new products and changes, confirming specifications, testing capability, inspection plans, release requirements, and operational readiness.
• Comply with and maintain Kerry Global Food Safety and Quality programmes, site procedures, food safety, quality, GMP, HACCP, allergen, customer, regulatory, and certification requirements.

About you

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Microbiology, Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• At least 3 years' experience leading a laboratory, quality-control, or technical team in food manufacturing environment.
• Experience in laboratory operations, product testing and release, calibration, technical records, and non-conformance management.
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMP, allergen management, risk assessment, and GFSI-benchmarked standards.
• Experience applying root cause analysis, CAPA, trend analysis, Statistical Process Control, and process capability principles.
• Proficiency in SAP quality-control, inspection, batch-status, traceability, and release processes.
• Effective people leadership, coaching, and team development.
• Strong technical judgement, analytical problem-solving, and risk-based decision-making.
• High attention to detail and commitment to data integrity, product safety, quality, and compliance.
• Clear communication, planning, prioritisation, and cross-functional influencing skills.