Laboratory Manager

Cogent Breeding Ltd; Lisaghmore; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 23 days + bank holidays

Matched Pension Scheme

Life Assurance (4x salary)

BUPA healthcare and Dental Plan

Long Service Awards at 5, 10, 15, 20,

Enhanced Family Leave

Job summary

Cogent Breeding Ltd in Belfast seeks a Lab Manager to lead the laboratory operations and ensure the delivery of high-quality services that support customers and breeding programmes. You will drive operational excellence, uphold quality and safety standards, and develop a high-performing team capable of meeting evolving production demands.

Working with internal stakeholders and service partners, you will optimise performance, implement continuous improvement initiatives, and foster

Qualifications

• Degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, or a related discipline.
• Proven experience in a laboratory leadership role in biologics, pharmaceuticals, clinical laboratories, animal sciences, or related production.
• Strong people leadership skills with team development experience.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of quality management systems, regulatory compliance, and health and safety.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and laboratory management systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day laboratory operations to meet production and customer requirements.
• Oversee budgets, expenses, inventory, purchasing, and supplier relationships.
• Ensure facilities, equipment, and IT systems are maintained and serviced.
• Manage lab logistics and planning to maximise efficiency.
• Identify and deliver continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing lab team.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, training, and succession planning.
• Ensure all processes comply with quality, regulatory and biosecurity protocols.
• Act as primary contact for production, quality and customer-related lab activities.
• Provide reporting on lab performance and risks.

Skills

Biology degree

Leadership experience

Prioritization

Quality systems knowledge

Analytical skills

Communication skills

LIMS proficiency

Education

Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry or related discipline

Tools

LIMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lab Manager

• Primary Location: Belfast
• Department: Lab and Stud
• Working Hours: Full time
• Type: Permanent

Main Purpose of Role

As Lab Manager, you will lead a critical operational function at Cogent Breeding, ensuring the delivery of high-quality laboratory services that support our customers, breeding programmes, and business objectives. You will be responsible for driving operational excellence, maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety, and compliance, and developing a high-performing team capable of meeting evolving production demands.

Working closely with internal stakeholders, customers, and service partners, you will play a key role in optimising laboratory performance, implementing continuous improvement initiatives, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and innovation. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands‑on leader who is passionate about developing people, improving processes, and delivering results in a fast‑paced scientific environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Laboratory Operations & Resource Management
• Leadership & People Management
• Quality, Compliance & Production
• Stakeholder Management

Laboratory Operations & Resource Management

• Lead day-to-day laboratory operations, ensuring capacity, workflows, and resources meet production and customer requirements.
• Oversee laboratory budgets, expenses, inventory, purchasing, and supplier relationships.
• Ensure facilities, infrastructure, equipment, and IT systems are maintained and operating effectively, coordinating servicing, repairs, upgrades, and preventative maintenance programmes.
• Manage laboratory logistics and operational planning to maximise efficiency, productivity, and product quality.
• Identify and deliver continuous improvement initiatives to enhance processes, quality, and operational performance.

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, motivate, and develop a skilled laboratory team, fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance culture.
• Manage workforce planning, scheduling, and resource allocation to ensure operational requirements are met.
• Set clear objectives, monitor performance, provide coaching and feedback, and support employee development.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, training, and succession planning activities in partnership with relevant business functions.
• Ensure all team members maintain the skills, knowledge, and training required to perform their roles safely and effectively.
• Lead regular team meetings to communicate business priorities, quality standards, performance outcomes, and operational updates.

Quality, Compliance & Production

• Ensure all laboratory processes comply with company procedures, quality standards, regulatory requirements, and biosecurity protocols.
• Monitor production and quality data, identifying trends and implementing corrective actions where required.
• Maintain accurate production, quality, and training records and ensure data integrity across all laboratory processes.
• Support internal and external audits, inspections, and customer visits, ensuring effective preparation and timely implementation of any actions.
• Investigate quality issues, equipment failures, and operational incidents, implementing preventative measures to drive continuous improvement.
• Act as the primary point of contact for production, quality, and customer-related laboratory activities.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with internal teams, customers, suppliers, service providers, and external partners.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure smooth delivery of operational objectives and customer commitments.
• Provide regular reporting and updates on laboratory performance, quality metrics, operational risks, and improvement initiatives.

Essential Skills and Attributes

• Degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Laboratory Sciences, Animal Sciences, or a related discipline (preferred).
• Proven experience in a laboratory leadership role within biologics, pharmaceuticals, clinical laboratories, animal sciences, or a related production environment.
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience developing teams and managing performance.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, resources, and operational demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of quality management systems, regulatory compliance, and health and safety requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision‑making skills.
• Effective communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and laboratory management systems.

Enhanced Benefits

• Annual leave entitlement starting at 23 days plus bank holiday, increasing with length of service up to 28 days plus bank holidays
• Matched Pension Scheme
• Life Assurance (4 times basic salary)
• BUPA healthcare and Dental Plan
• Long Service Awards at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 years
• Enhanced Family Leave