Laboratory Manager

Short Intro and About the Job

Nutricia Liverpool are seeking applications for the role of Laboratory Manager, reporting to the Head of Quality and Food Safety.

In this role you will be responsible for leading and developing all laboratory operations across Nutricia Liverpool, ensuring the delivery of safe, compliant, accurate and timely analytical services that support product release, process control, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

The role is critical in a high-risk Specialized Nutrition manufacturing context, requiring strong leadership, sound risk-based decision-making and the ability to deliver transformation while maintaining day-to-day testing performance.

You will provide strategic and operational leadership across Chemistry, Microbiology, IN PROCESS CONTROL, Sensory, Method Development and Laboratory Administration / Sample Management.

The position safeguards product integrity and consumer safety by ensuring reliable, timely and data-driven laboratory results in line with Danone standards, regulatory expectations and site requirements.

You will also be accountable for building a high-performing laboratory organisation, strengthening capability, improving workflows and driving a culture of quality, scientific rigour and continuous improvement.

In return we offer a competitive salary and Danone UK benefits package.

About You

Key Competencies required:

• Strong leadership, team motivation and interpersonal skills
• Strategic thinking, project management and prioritisation
• Structured problem-solving and analytical mindset
• Risk-based decision-making and ability to manage complexity
• Effective communication and stakeholder management
• Change leadership, continuous improvement mindset and ability to simplify processes
• Ability to work under pressure while maintaining compliance and product safety standards

Qualifications, Experience and Skills required:

• Degree in Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Science, Life Sciences or related scientific discipline; advanced degree preferred
• Significant experience in laboratory operations within food, nutrition, pharmaceutical or highly regulated manufacturing environments
• Proven experience leading laboratory teams, ideally through Team Leaders or technical specialists
• Strong understanding of analytical chemistry, microbiology, IN PROCESS CONTROL, sensory and laboratory administration / sample management processes
• Knowledge of ISO 17025 principles, method validation / verification, equipment governance and laboratory QMS requirements
• Experience with LIMS, digital laboratory tools, data integrity and analytical performance management
• Experience delivering continuous improvement, transformation, audit readiness and capability development programmes

About Us, We offer and What's next

Current role context:

• The role operates within a Specialized Nutrition manufacturing environment with heightened quality, food safety and regulatory expectations.
• The Liverpool laboratories are undergoing transformation to strengthen compliance, capability, resilience, digital maturity and analytical performance.
• Key priorities include ISO 17025 alignment, analytical method enhancement, laboratory workflow improvement, digitalisation, IN PROCESS CONTROL deployment and continuous improvement in analytical reliability.
• The role will provide leadership across multiple laboratory areas and will be critical to product release, process control, audit readiness and business continuity.
• Strong collaboration with Operations, QFS, Engineering, Supply Chain and Global AE is essential to support the plant quality strategy and protect consumers and patients.

Your key achievements in 1-3 years:

• Establish a stable, high-performing laboratory organisation covering Chemistry, Microbiology, In process control, Sensory, Method Development and Lab Administration.
• Deliver the Liverpool laboratory roadmap, including ISO 17025 alignment, analytical method improvements, laboratory modernisation and digital maturity.
• Strengthen analytical performance to meet Danone AE requirements and improve right-first-time, TAT and audit readiness.
• Implement digital and automated solutions that improve efficiency, data integrity, reliability and visibility of laboratory performance.
• Build a robust succession and capability model with strong technical depth, cross-training and reduced dependency on single experts.
• Embed a continuous improvement culture that delivers measurable productivity, compliance and service improvements