Laboratory Co-ordinator

Alliance Group Limited; Oamaru; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Alliance Group Limited is seeking a Laboratory Co-Ordinator at the Pukeuri plant near Oamaru to lead and coordinate laboratory operations, perform sampling, microbiological testing and reporting, and support the plant's Quality Control programme and compliance requirements. The role is hands-on and pivotal to maintaining product safety for premium red meat sold to customers in over 65 countries.

You will collaborate with production, compliance and senior management to plan testing schedules,

Qualifications

• 5 to 8 years' experience in food manufacturing, including supervisory experience
• Experience managing people in a unionised environment
• Expertise in MS Office, especially Excel
• A working knowledge of health and safety and food safety requirements
• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Lead the Laboratory team in safe working practices

Responsibilities

• Collect and oversee samples and perform testing and enumeration
• Enter, check and report data in company systems and provide timely plant results
• Complete data analysis and reporting, including annual reviews
• Liaise with production, senior management and external customers on sampling and results
• Maintain and follow the Laboratory's Quality Control programme
• Identify training needs and up-skill laboratory staff

Skills

MS Office

Excel

Communication

Attention to detail

Team leadership

Health and safety

Education

Year 13 education

Tertiary qualification in food manufacturing

Job description

Laboratory Co-Ordinator

Key selling points

• Play a hands-on role in our plant laboratory, directly supporting the food safety and compliance behind premium red meat sold to over 65 countries
• Work with production, compliance and senior management teams
• Help develop and up-skill the laboratory team

Job Summary

Join Alliance Group's Pukeuri plant as our Laboratory Co-Ordinator and take a hands-on role in implementing, leading and coordinating plant laboratory operations. You'll carry out sampling, microbiological testing and reporting, maintain the Quality Control programme, and support the plant's compliance requirements.

Job Description

About Alliance Group

We collaborate across our 6 plants and offices in New Zealand, the UK, North America and Singapore, to satisfy the palates of over 65 countries with premium grass-fed lamb, beef and venison. Alliance Group live our values and behaviours for our people and drive business performance through the enjoyment and dedication to the work we do. This looks like our people being safe and well, performing collaboratively, and focusing on sustainable solutions creating value for our farms, the enterprise, and customers, all while having a bit of fun!

Our Pukeuri Plant is located just north of Oamaru on the edge of the East Coast, and only an hour south you'll find Dunedin. The diverse township provides a perfect lifestyle for affordability and business. The plant is one of our larger plants and the community are always welcoming new people to join their whanau. With Oamaru close, there are social sports, clubs and schools offering a great opportunity to get involved and support the plant culture. The district offers fantastic fishing and hunting as well as great lakes for recreation just up the valley. Only a couple of hours drive and you can be in the mountains snow skiing in the winter. A true Ocean to Alps life style awaits.

We have an opportunity for you to become an Alliance values influencer too where you can walk the walk, talk the talk, and make a difference to our business.

About The Role

You'll work alongside the Laboratory/Compliance Manager to implement, lead and coordinate plant laboratory operations, and your day-to-day work will contribute directly to Alliance Group's compliance requirements.

What You'll Be Doing

• Collect and oversee samples from within the business and from external customers, then carry out sampling, testing, incubation and enumeration of micro samples
• Supervise and assist with entering, checking and reporting data in the company's systems, and compile and report plant results promptly to the right people
• Complete data analysis, report writing and an annual review of laboratory and testing performance
• Liaise with production supervisors, senior management and external customers on sampling requirements and results
• Follow and maintain the Laboratory's Quality Control programme, including reference cultures and documentation
• Help identify training needs and up-skill laboratory staff.
• What you'll bring
• 5 to 8 years' experience in food manufacturing, ideally in the red meat industry, including supervisory experience (preferably at least 2 years at senior supervisor level)
• Experience managing people in a unionised environment
• Expertise in MS Office, especially Excel, and intermediate computer/IT literacy
• A working knowledge of health and safety and food safety requirements
• Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with meticulous attention to detail to maintain product quality and compliance standards.
• Lead the Laboratory team in safe working practices.

Education And Qualifications

• Year 13 level school education
• Ideally a relevant tertiary qualification in food manufacturing

How You'll Show Up

• Take responsibility for your own performance and results, lead by example, and live the Alliance values and "Way We Work" behaviours
• Lead, motivate and develop others through clear expectations, regular honest feedback and coaching
• Be a health, safety and wellbeing champion and role model.
• Build strong relationships across Alliance, communicate openly.
• Embrace and lead change, prioritise what matters most, and make informed, timely decisions while being mindful of spend and managing risk