Site Director

Sci-Rec; Apeldoorn; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Sci-Rec is seeking a Site Director – Laboratory Testing to lead a major European laboratory facility. The role demands strong commercial acumen, deep lab knowledge, and hands-on financial management to drive profitability and service excellence.

The ideal candidate will oversee operations across environmental, food, agricultural, and related testing domains, delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, quality and customer satisfaction in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Senior operational leadership experience in a laboratory/analytical testing environment.
• Proven track record with P&L ownership and profitability improvement.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 17025 and regulatory quality systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide full operational leadership and strategic direction for the laboratory site.
• Own site-level P&L, including revenue growth, EBITDA improvement, budgeting and cost optimisation.
• Drive productivity, continuous improvement, and automation initiatives to scale operations.
• Oversee workflows, capacity planning, turnaround times and resource allocation.
• Ensure ISO 17025 accreditation and regulatory compliance; maintain high quality standards.
• Lead and develop laboratory managers and technical staff; foster a high-performance culture.
• Monitor KPIs across financials, productivity, quality and customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to support customer retention and growth.

Skills

Leadership

P&L management

ISO 17025 knowledge

Operational excellence

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Strategic thinking

Automation & digitalisation

Job description

Site Director – Laboratory Testing

Location: Europe (Site-specific location to be confirmed)

Industry: Testing, Inspection & Certification (TIC) / Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services

Position: Senior Operational Leadership

The Opportunity

We are partnering with an established and highly respected European laboratory testing organisation to appoint an experienced Site Director.

The business operates an extensive network of laboratories across Europe, delivering specialist analytical and testing services within the environmental, food, agricultural and related sectors.

The successful candidate will take full responsibility for the operational and financial performance of a key laboratory facility, driving profitability, operational efficiency, quality standards and sustainable business growth.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced laboratory leader to take ownership of a significant operation within a well-established and growing international organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide full operational leadership and strategic direction for the laboratory site, ensuring efficient and profitable performance.
• Take ownership of site-level P&L, including revenue growth, EBITDA improvement, budgeting and cost optimisation.
• Drive operational excellence, productivity improvements and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Oversee laboratory workflows, resource allocation, capacity planning and turnaround times.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 17025, regulatory requirements and internal quality standards.
• Lead, develop and motivate laboratory managers, technical specialists and operational personnel.
• Implement performance management frameworks, monitoring KPIs across financial performance, productivity, quality and customer satisfaction.
• Identify opportunities for automation, digitalisation and process optimisation to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to support customer retention, business development and revenue growth.
• Work closely with senior Group leadership to deliver strategic objectives and support the organisation's continued development.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience in a senior operational leadership position, ideally as a Site Director, Laboratory Director, General Manager or equivalent.
• Strong background within laboratory testing, TIC or analytical services, ideally spanning environmental, food, agricultural, water or chemical testing.
• Demonstrable experience managing laboratory operations, including technical teams, workflows, capacity and service delivery.
• Direct P&L responsibility, with a track record of improving profitability, operational efficiency and financial performance.
• Strong understanding of ISO 17025 accreditation, laboratory quality systems and regulatory compliance.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, develop management capabilities and build a high-performance culture.
• Experience implementing operational improvements, cost-saving initiatives and business transformation projects.
• Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to balance operational performance, customer expectations and business growth.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and problem-solving capabilities.

The Ideal Profile

We are seeking a commercially astute, results-driven leader who combines strong technical laboratory knowledge with hands-on operational and financial management experience.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a track record of leading high-performing laboratory operations, improving profitability and delivering measurable operational improvements.

An entrepreneurial mindset, strong leadership capabilities and the ability to drive continuous improvement within a fast-paced testing environment will be essential.