Team Lead

VWR, part of Avantor; Hillsboro (OR); On-site; USD 34,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness: Medical, Dental,

Time Off: PTO and holidays

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

401(k) and stock purchase plan

Employer-provided protection coverages

Job summary

Avantor in Hillsboro, OR is seeking an on-site Operations Coordinator to manage inventory and material movements, coordinate supplier interactions, and support cross-functional teams in serving laboratory and production customers.

The role emphasizes strong communication, data analysis, and the ability to drive process improvements within a GMP-inspired environment, with a Monday–Friday schedule and potential for earlier start times.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a customer-facing environment (material handling, inventory control, customer service, or procurement)
• Strong communication skills and ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Experience in a GMP facility is strongly desired

Responsibilities

• Coordinate day-to-day inventory and material management activities, including receiving, storage, distribution, sourcing, and cycle counting
• Develop daily, weekly, and monthly operational schedules and allocate resources based on customer needs, volume and deadlines
• Serve as the on-site operational authority during supervisor absences within delegated authority
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve coverage and operational challenges
• Provide staffing, operations, process improvements, and customer-needs recommendations
• Develop reports and dashboards covering inventory, service, productivity, and safety metrics

Skills

Customer-facing experience

Microsoft Teams

MS Office/Suite

GMP facility experience

Lean Six Sigma (plus)

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

VWRCATALYST

Job description

The Opportunity:

In this role, you will report to the supervisor of site services and will work closely with the Avantor’s Lab and Production Services professionals to serve our customers by performing customized, mission-based lab work and research protocols that help return time back to science.

Hourly Rate Range: $25 - $30

Location: Hillsboro, OR

Shifts : Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm (Option to start earlier)

Benefits:

• Health and Wellness: Medical, Dental, Vision and Wellness programs (eligible for medical coverage on day 1)
• Time Off: Paid Time Off (PTO), Company paid holidays, Choice holidays etc.
• Financial Well Being: Spending Accounts: Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), commuter benefits, 401(k), tuition assistance, employee stock purchase plan discount
• Added Protection Coverage: To include critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident, legal, identity theft protection, pet, auto and home insurance.
• Recognition: Celebrate your peers and earn points to redeem on gifts and products

What we’re looking for

• Education: High school diploma or GED is required.
• Experience : 2+ years in a customer-facing environment - material handling, inventory control, customer service, or procurement
• Collaboration Tool: Microsoft Teams experience preferred
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office
• Must be able to lift 50lbs
• Previous experience working in a GMP facility is strongly desired
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• In lieu of the above, 2 years of VWRCATALYST experience
• Lean Six Sigma experience is a plus
• Industry-recognized or regional equivalent certification in safety, supply chain, hazardous-material transportation, process improvement, or project Management
• Experience with improvement project leadership, customer business reviews, supplier performance management, quality audits, and corrective actions within inventory
• 6+ years in a regulated inventory, material management, or supply chain role with progressive leadership responsibilities is a plus
• Advanced spreadsheet, presentation, and data-analysis skills
• Strong knowledge of chemical storage, labeling, Safety Data Sheets, stock rotation, and variance investigation

How you will thrive and create an impact

Avantor’s Lab and Production Services team is a crucial part of the Avantor Services group serving over 500 customers in biopharma, pharmaceutical, educational, industrial, and high-tech industries with customizable, flexible solutions and end-to-end laboratory operations support.

In this role you wil l:

Strategic Operational Coordination

• Coordinate day-to-day inventory and material management activities, including receiving, storage, distribution, sourcing, and cycle counting.
• Develop daily, weekly, and monthly operational schedules and allocate resources, tasks, and priorities based on customer needs, volume, and deadlines.
• Serve as the on-site operational authority during supervisor absences within delegated authority.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve coverage and operational challenges.
• Provide recommendations on staffing, operations, process improvements, and customer needs.

Stakeholder Management and Customer Engagement

• Build relationships with senior customer stakeholders and serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day service discussions and escalations.
• Translate customer objectives into operational priorities, anticipate service risks, and recommend solutions.
• Lead or coordinate cross-functional meetings with customer departments and suppliers.
• Contribute operational data and insights to customer business reviews, renewal discussions, and scope evaluations.
• Manage customer expectations during service disruptions, operational changes, and transitions.

Advanced Sourcing and Supply Chain Coordination

• Coordinate sourcing for complex, high-value, critical, and emergency material requirements.
• Analyze usage trends, lead times, and supplier performance to recommend inventory and sourcing strategies.
• Coordinate supplier discussions regarding pricing, delivery schedules, and service terms within delegated authority.
• Support supplier performance reviews and vendor scorecards, resolve escalated supplier issues, and identify cost and waste-reduction opportunities.
• Provide sourcing recommendations to management.

Team Leadership and Development

• Provide daily direction, coaching, performance feedback, and direct or indirect supervision where delegated.
• Coordinate onboarding, training, cross-training, and employee development activities.
• Conduct skills assessments, identify development gaps, and mentor less experienced coordinators and specialists.
• Provide documented input into performance reviews and address interpersonal or team-related issues.

Operational Reporting and Analytics

• Develop reports and dashboards covering inventory, service, productivity, attendance, training, and safety metrics.
• Analyze operational data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Prepare trend analyses, action plans, and data-driven recommendations for customer reviews, resource allocation, and process changes.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and track operational and improvement outcomes.

Inventory Control and Quality Assurance

• Coordinate cycle-count programs, physical inventories, customer validations, and inventory accuracy controls.
• Review variance investigations and monitor data integrity across inventory transactions and records.
• Coordinate responses to audit findings, customer complaints, and corrective actions.
• Ensure inventory and storage processes meet applicable quality requirements and conduct periodic storage-area reviews.

Safety, Compliance and Regulatory Coordination

• Ensure team compliance with applicable occupational health, safety, transportation, environmental, and site requirements.
• Coordinate safety training, certifications, recertifications, meetings, and briefings.
• Conduct and document safety inspections and coordinate incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Serve as liaison with customer safety and compliance contacts.
• Monitor regulatory changes and coordinate required procedural updates.

Continuous Improvement and Process Optimization

• Lead or coordinate improvement initiatives focused on measurable gains in efficiency, accuracy, cost control, and service performance.
• Apply structured improvement methods to identify waste, standardize work, and support process redesign.
• Coordinate implementation of process and technology changes across the team.
• Benchmark performance, share best practices, and contribute to procedure development.
• Measure and report improvement results

Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.

The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.

We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world.