Senior Lab Manager

Azelis; Hertford; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Azelis in Hertford, UK seeks an experienced Senior Laboratory Manager - Food & Nutrition to lead laboratory operations, oversee formulation development, sample creation, testing and product characterization, and collaborate with Sales, Product Management and Marketing on customer projects.

You will ensure high technical standards, manage health and safety, drive sustainability actions, mentor the lab team and maintain robust documentation across the product lifecycle.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field.
• Broad chemical and application knowledge in Food & Nutrition.
• Experience in laboratory management.
• Ability to influence and achieve results through others.
• Ability to liaise with people at all levels internally and externally.
• Analytical skills.
• Good knowledge of English.
• Advanced user of various IT tools.

Responsibilities

• Formulation development and optimization.
• Manage sample and prototype creation, testing and product characterization.
• Act as technical interface with principals and customers; support documentation.

Skills

Laboratory management

Leadership

Stakeholder liaison

Analytical skills

English proficiency

IT tools

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Tools

IT tools

Job description

Azelis is looking for an experienced laboratory leader with a passion for formulation and innovation. We are looking for a Senior Laboratory Manager - Food & Nutrition to lead laboratory operations and play a key role in delivering technical excellence across customer-driven projects. This role is based in Hertford, UK.

In this role, you will oversee formulation development, sample and prototype creation, testing, and product characterisation. You will be collaborating with commercial teams including Sales, Product Management, and Marketing on customer projects - bringing new concepts to life while ensuring high technical standards across all activities.

Job Purpose

The Laboratory Manager supervises the dedicated laboratory activities, formulation development, sample/prototype creation, testing and product characterization to support the commercial team (sales, product management, Principal Development Managers, etc.). You will contribute to the innovation process with technical knowledge and expertise and be responsible for appropriate knowledge documentation and record taking.

Main Accountabilities

Formulation development and optimization

• Manage and develop products in according to customer demand.
• Evaluate stability tests
• Support customers in manufacturing and scale-up to evaluate and improve formulations

Information sharing and record keeping

• Ensure accurate records are kept in line with regulatory requirements
• Act as technical interface towards principals and customers
• Contribute to best practice sharing within the technical community EMEA

Training and consulting

• Train customers and internal colleagues on products and applications
• Support marketing and sales with customer and supplier event
• Support sales with customer problem solving

Health and Safety

• Responsible for all health and safety procedures in the laboratory
• Continuously improve health and safety procedures
• Ensure all team members follow health and safety procedures
• Provide training to team members where required

Sustainability

• Translate the Group's Sustainability Strategy into concrete job-related action items and contribute actively and timely to the implementation of the sustainability KPIs
• Collaborate with marketing teams to identify consumer trends and develop innovative concepts to support ingredient promotion and commercial growth.
• Contribute significantly to the Group's innovation process.
• Take up responsibility for overarching, regional project activities.
• Act as a mentor for newcomers within the relevant lab environment.
• Lead best practices sharing within the technical community EMEA.

Experience, Skills & Education

• Bachelor's degree or master's degree in relevant field
• Broad chemical and application knowledge in Food & Nutrition;
• Experience in laboratory management;
• Ability to influence and achieve results through others;
• Ability to liaise with people at all levels both internally and externally;
• Analytical skills
• Good knowledge of English.
• Advanced user of various IT tools

Internal and external stakeholders of the role

• Internal: Sales, Business Managers, Managing Directors, regional Market Segment Directors, Product Managers, Marketing Manager and Principal Development Managers
• External: Customers and Suppliers