Manager, Laboratory Governance & Operations

Milliken & Company; Spartanburg (SC); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Milliken & Company is seeking a Manager of Laboratory Governance & Operations to own the governance system, standards, and operating mechanisms across R&D laboratories. The role focuses on safe, compliant, efficient, and innovation-ready labs, using dashboards, procedures, and data analysis to drive improvements.

The ideal candidate will possess a STEM degree and 7+ years in lab or manufacturing environments, with a proven ability to lead initiatives, implement strategies, and coordinate

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline.
• 7+ years in a lab or manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing complex safety, quality, or R&D standards.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Develop and implement strategies that meet business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain laboratory governance documents, standards, templates, SOPs, and policy materials.
• Review laboratory procedures against standards to identify gaps.
• Facilitate governance reviews, document findings, and track corrective actions.
• Create decision matrices, risk assessments, and governance documentation used by lab teams.
• Conduct compliance reviews and track remediation from audits.
• Collect evidence for internal and external audits.
• Maintain compliance records, dashboards, and audit tracking systems.
• Maintain lab operating systems, governance processes, and performance tracking tools.
• Evaluate workflows for standardization and simplification.
• Coordinate implementation of process improvements.
• Monitor adherence to SOPs and governance requirements.
• Maintain lab infrastructure inventories and capital project records.
• Analyze facility needs and prioritize improvements.
• Prepare business cases for infrastructure investments.
• Collect, validate, analyze, and report lab performance data.
• Develop dashboards and scorecards for visibility into operations.
• Identify trends and root causes behind safety, compliance, and operational issues.
• Coordinate activities across R&D, Safety, Facilities, Finance, and Quality.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in STEM

Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in STEM

Job description

POSITION TITLE

Manager, Laboratory Governance & Operations

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Manager, Laboratory Governance and Operations own the laboratory governance system, standards, and operating mechanisms that enable safe, compliant, efficient, and innovation-ready R&D laboratories. The successful candidate is a builder and problem solver who enjoys working directly in systems, data, processes, and operational issues. They are comfortable creating dashboards, writing procedures, conducting assessments, analyzing data, managing remediation plans, reviewing laboratory practices, and developing practical solutions that improve safety, compliance, and operational effectiveness. Rather than directing large teams, they achieve results through personal ownership, technical expertise, collaboration, and disciplined execution.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Governance & Standards

• Develop and maintain laboratory governance documents, standards, templates, SOPs, and policy materials.
• Review laboratory procedures and compare them against established standards to identify gaps.
• Facilitate governance reviews, document findings, and track completion of corrective actions.
• Create decision matrices, risk assessments, laboratory operating guidelines, and governance documentation used by laboratory teams.

Audit & Compliance

• Conduct compliance reviews and track remediation activities resulting from audits and inspections.
• Collect evidence required for internal and external audits.
• Analyze recurring compliance issues and recommend practical solutions.
• Maintain compliance records, dashboards, and audit tracking systems.

Laboratory Operations Excellence

• Maintain laboratory operating systems, governance processes, and performance tracking tools.
• Evaluate laboratory workflows and identify opportunities for standardization and simplification.
• Coordinate implementation of laboratory process improvements.
• Monitor adherence to SOPs and governance requirements

Infrastructure & Capital Stewardship

• Maintain laboratory infrastructure inventories, equipment lifecycle plans, and capital project records.
• Analyze laboratory facility needs and prioritize improvement opportunities.
• Prepare recommendations and supporting business cases for infrastructure investments

Data, Metrics & Reporting

• Collect, validate, analyze, and report laboratory performance data.
• Develop dashboards and scorecards that provide visibility into operational performance.
• Identify trends and root causes behind safety, compliance, and operational issues.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate activities across R&D, Safety, Facilities, Finance, and Quality functions.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on laboratory governance processes and requirements.
• Facilitate problem-solving discussions and support implementation of agreed actions.

QUALIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline (e.g., chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, biology, mechanical engineering, data science, computer science).
• 7+ years in a lab or manufacturing environment
• Proven experience in managing complex standards for safety, quality, or R&D processes.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategies that achieve business objectives.

QUALIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a scientific, engineering, or data-focused field.

#LI-AP1

Milliken is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, including but not limited to lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

To request a reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please .