Deputy Lab Quality Manager Microbiology Services

NHS BLOOD AND TRANSPLANT; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in the UK seeks an experienced Laboratory Leader to manage the Microbiology Services Laboratory. You will oversee day-to-day laboratory operations, ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and maintain quality management. The role involves leading staff, managing audits, and addressing quality incidents. Ideal candidates should possess strong leadership experience in a laboratory environment. Join a diverse team dedicated to saving and improving lives through exceptional service and innovation.

Qualifications

• Experience in overseeing laboratory operations and staff management.
• Understanding of quality management and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to investigate quality incidents and implement resolutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage laboratory staff under the direction of the Laboratory Manager.
• Establish and maintain the Quality Management System for the laboratory.
• Manage daily laboratory activities, ensuring high standards of work.
• Supervise laboratory staff to excel in practice and service delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Quality Management System

Technical expertise

Audit management

Job description

Role Overview

As an integral member of the Microbiology Services Laboratory management team, and together with the Deputy Laboratory Manager/Business continuity manager, you will be overseeing the day‑to‑day work of the laboratory staff and see to it that the highest scientific, technical and operational standards are being maintained. With overarching responsibility for the Quality Management System (QMS), you will establish and maintain the relevant processes so that we remain in line with the standards set by regulatory and accrediting agencies such as MHRA, HTA and UKAS. As the main point of contact for internal and external audits and inspections, you will handle associated auditing activities, including ensuring quality documentation is up to date. Inevitably quality incidents do occasionally happen, so you will ensure these are investigated and work in partnership with other stakeholders to resolve issues that may impact on other departments. Supporting the Laboratory Manager in their work, you will embrace the chance to step up when they are unavailable, thereby ensuring we are delivering a consistently exceptional microbiology service to both internal and external stakeholders. From assessing new techniques and processes, through to developing the skills of the laboratory staff, this is a highly varied role that will present you with new challenges and opportunities every single day.

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the Laboratory Manager, Microbiology Services Laboratory provide leadership and management of staff in the laboratory.
• Overall responsibility for the Quality Management System (QMS) for the Microbiology Services Laboratory, ensuring processes for the QMS are established, implemented and maintained.
• Manage day‑to‑day activities within the laboratory, responsible for the standard of work and deputising for the Laboratory Manager as required.
• Providing leadership and management to ensure the successful and effective operation of the laboratory by prioritising, organising and supervising the work of staff within the laboratory ensuring excellence in practice and service delivery.
• Providing theoretical and practical scientific and technical input to ensure the overall output of the laboratory is of a high quality, appropriate, relevant, consistent and reliable.
• Planning and co‑ordinating activities relating to audit & accreditation e.g. UKAS, integrated and internal audits.

Company – NHS Blood and Transplant

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary – donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need. Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference – Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we’ll save and improve more lives than ever. You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse.