Biobank Operations Manager

Melanoma Institute Australia; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) is seeking a Biobank Operations Manager to lead the Biobank team at the Charles Perkins Centre and Poche Centre, driving day-to-day operations, quality, and data management for research biospecimens.

You will oversee specimen collection, processing, storage and dissemination, ensuring ethical and regulatory standards are met, while partnering with clinicians, researchers and trials teams to support cutting-edge cancer research.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing day-to-day operations in a laboratory, biobank, research, clinical or similarly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated people-management skills, including work allocation, performance management, conflict resolution and staff development.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust, influence others and manage difficult or competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams through change and maintain a positive and collaborative workplace culture.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritise and make sound operational decisions.
• Demonstrated stakeholder-management skills and ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing operational risks, resources and competing demands.
• Understanding of relevant quality, regulatory and ethical requirements, including GCP and clinical trial environments.
• Experience in biobanking, biospecimen management or clinical research is desirable.
• Experience with specimen tracking, laboratory information or data-management systems is desirable.
• Commitment to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity and ethical conduct.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Biobank team, including workload allocation, staff development, performance support and fostering a positive team culture.
• Oversee day-to-day Biobank operations, including specimen collection, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination across Biobank sites.
• Ensure quality, compliance and best practice, including adherence to SOPs, ethical and regulatory requirements, specimen handling, quality control and data management standards.
• Coordinate research and clinical trial support, including reviewing protocols, developing workflows and manuals, advising on specimen collection, and coordinating specimen dissemination.
• Plan and coordinate Biobank projects, including developing project plans, timelines, milestones and operational priorities.
• Monitor operational performance and manage risks, including workloads, turnaround times, backlogs, equipment, procurement and escalation of operational issues.
• Build and maintain stakeholder relationships with clinicians, clinical staff, researchers, Clinical Trials teams and external partners.
• Manage competing priorities and stakeholder requirements while ensuring Biobank objectives and service commitments are maintained.
• Drive continuous improvement, identifying and implementing opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, processes and service delivery.
• Lead or oversee operational improvement projects to strengthen Biobank capability and performance.
• Support the Head of Biospecimen Bank as required.

Skills

People management

Communication

Leadership

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Education

Postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline

Tools

Laboratory information systems

Job description

Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) pioneers advances in melanoma research and treatment that are making a difference to the lives of patients today. We are a non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and curing melanoma through innovative, world-class research, treatment and education programs. MIA is a national affiliated network of melanoma researchers and clinicians based in Sydney at the Poche Centre – the world’s largest melanoma research and treatment facility. It’s from here that our specialists pioneer new research, conduct clinical trials, develop new treatments and promote awareness of melanoma and where our clinics treat 2,000 melanoma patients each year.

The Biobank Operations Manager will operational leadership for the MIA Biobank, based at the Charles Perkins Centre, with flexibility to oversee operations at the Poche Centre as required. Working closely with the Head of Biospecimen Bank, the role will lead and support Biobank staff and ensure the efficient, high-quality delivery of biobanking activities, including the collection, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination of biological specimens for research and clinical purposes.

This role combines scientific expertise, operational management and people leadership, with a strong focus on quality, continuous improvement and stakeholder collaboration. The Biobank Operations Manager will work closely with clinicians, researchers, clinical trials teams and external partners to support research programs and ensure biobank activities meet relevant ethical, regulatory and quality standards.

Major Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Biobank team, including workload allocation, staff development, performance support and fostering a positive team culture.
• Oversee day-to-day Biobank operations, including specimen collection, processing, storage, retrieval and dissemination across Biobank sites.
• Ensure quality, compliance and best practice, including adherence to SOPs, ethical and regulatory requirements, specimen handling, quality control and data management standards.
• Coordinate research and clinical trial support, including reviewing protocols, developing workflows and manuals, advising on specimen collection, and coordinating specimen dissemination.
• Plan and coordinate Biobank projects, including developing project plans, timelines, milestones and operational priorities.
• Monitor operational performance and manage risks, including workloads, turnaround times, backlogs, equipment, procurement and escalation of operational issues.
• Build and maintain stakeholder relationships with clinicians, clinical staff, researchers, Clinical Trials teams and external partners.
• Manage competing priorities and stakeholder requirements while ensuring Biobank objectives and service commitments are maintained.
• Drive continuous improvement, identifying and implementing opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, processes and service delivery.
• Lead or oversee operational improvement projects to strengthen Biobank capability and performance.
• Support the Head of Biospecimen Bank as required.

This position will offer you a dynamic work environment, broad clinical exposure and a high paced workload. This is an outstanding opportunity to further your career and develop your skills in a globally recognised institution. You will enjoy achieving outcomes and will find great satisfaction in supporting cancer patients and being part of cutting edge research.

Selection Criteria

• Postgraduate qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing day-to-day operations in a laboratory, biobank, research, clinical or similarly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated people-management skills, including work allocation, performance management, conflict resolution and staff development.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust, influence others and manage difficult or competing priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams through change and maintain a positive and collaborative workplace culture.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritise and make sound operational decisions.
• Demonstrated stakeholder-management skills and ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing operational risks, resources and competing demands.
• Understanding of relevant quality, regulatory and ethical requirements, including GCP and clinical trial environments.
• Experience in biobanking, biospecimen management or clinical research is desirable.
• Experience with specimen tracking, laboratory information or data-management systems is desirable.
• Commitment to upholding the highest standards of scientific integrity and ethical conduct.

We pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which Melanoma Institute Australia works, and their Elders both past and present, and acknowledge the deep, continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to the land, waters, and sky.