Technical & Quality Director

Eurofins Scientific is an international life sciences company, which provides a unique range of analytical testing services to clients across multiple industries. The Group believes it is the world leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetics products testing and in agroscience CRO services. It is also one of the global independent market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, CDMO, advanced material sciences and for supporting clinical studies. In addition, Eurofins is one of the leading global emerging players in specialty clinical diagnostic testing.

In 2022, Eurofins generated 6.7 billion Euro proforma turnover in 900 laboratories across 61 countries, employing about 61,000 staff.

A key member of the UK Food & Water Board, leading the Technical and Quality teams that optimize skills, structure, and approach to deliver their strategies within the U.K.

As Technical and Quality Director you will be responsible for the Technical and Quality strategies and will ensure a robust service is provided to our UK Food & Water testing laboratories and their customers. Within your role you will also lead on the development of technical innovation.

MAIN DUTIES

• Member of the Eurofins UK Food & Water Testing board.
• As part of the UK Board contribute to the continually evolving 5-year strategy for the Eurofins Food and Water businesses within the UK; build strong relationships with board members to support deployment in pillars everybody is responsible for.
• Develop and implement the quality and technical strategy that will underpin the business strategy. Continually review progress and gain feedback from key stakeholders and clients.
• Ensure the quality and technical strategy links directly to business need and balances the need for maintaining current capability/security with the phasing of new solutions based on informed prioritisation of cluster level strategic projects/initiatives.
• Create and embed a culture focused on the delivery of high-quality results (integrity), work ethic and standards.
• Lead and develop the quality and technical team creating a great place to work atmosphere and a connected team that delivers seamlessly alongside operations.
• Work with the individual site teams to ensure the maintenance of regulatory accreditation within all UK food and water testing laboratories.
• Support the UK business to ensure they develop and maintain relevant accreditation e.g. UKAS as well as key customer audit standards like Mars. Attend external audits by UKAS and other bodies as required.
• Develop and implement as part of the technical strategy a focus on innovation development leading to new testing capabilities that enhance the customer experience and/or improves efficiency within the business.
• Ensure corrective actions raised during internal and external auditing are carried out effectively and properly by the site businesses and provide coaching and development to further develop team capabilities.
• Engage the quality and technical teams to deliver expertise in the use of the quality systems in the day to day running of the laboratories as well as developing new testing capabilities to maintain Eurofins technically demanding testing capabilities.
• Ensure all reasonable steps are taken to achieve accuracy, reliability and repeatability of analytical results.
• Assess key operational risks and take action to mitigate them.
• Drive the laboratories forward through continuous improvement and the measurement and management of the suite of quality KPIs.
• Ensure all work in the laboratory is performed in accordance with the methods and Standard Operating Procedures as per Eurofins’s quality system. Also ensure all areas outside of the lab such as logistics have good management of quality standards in place when collecting, handling and transporting samples.
• Responsible for engaging and training staff in the purpose and use of the quality system.
• Contribute to corporate/company-wide projects as required.
• Communicate with key stakeholders (internal and external) to achieve business objectives and to ensure clear understanding and engagement with activities within your scope.
• Support Acquisition activities reviewing risks, opportunities and identifying key quality and technical deliverables required if we proceed to purchase phase.
• Lead quality and technical integration of newly acquired or transferring businesses into the food and water scope, ensuring clear project plans are in place.
• Responsible for the quality and technical budgets. Ensure that all quality and technical activities meet or improve on budget and efficiency targets (Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)) in line with business objectives.
• Work with the commercial team to align on changes to scope or innovation to ensure these are built into commercial plans available to new or existing clients.
• To operate the Eurofins Quality systems with specific reference to retailer/manufacturer standards, reporting, contract review, complaints, and nonconformities.
• Provide data analysis and reporting service to Directors, and laboratory management.
• Ensure annual reviews, objectives and personal development plans are in place for your team.
• In close collaboration with the site teams and the commercial team, assist with the provision of a high level of internal and external customer care.
• Work and collaborate with Group and other quality and technical teams across the wider Eurofins network.
• Liaise with global quality and technical colleagues to ensure where appropriate the UK business is aligned with group strategy and/or can influence such strategy to better the capability of the Eurofins business.

Finance

• To have a basic understanding of costing and pricing strategies and assist in the preparation of commercial proposals for clients.
• To raise invoices when required and handle customer invoice queries.

People

• To partake in any developmental training as required in compliance with the company standard.
• Responsible for promoting a professional image of the Company and for always complying with the company’s Equal Opportunities and Harassment Policies, including work related events which take place outside normal working hours.
• Read and comply with company rules, procedures, agreements, and any notices displayed by the Company.

Quality

• To operate in line with Eurofins Quality systems with specific reference to retailer standards, reporting, contract review, complaints, and non-conformances.

Health and Safety

• All staff has a duty to work in accordance with the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), COSHH Regulations (1988) and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant Health, Safety and Security Regulations.

What can we offer you?

• Permanent employment;
• Flexible working hours;
• A dynamic team with flat hierarchies and opportunities for active participation;
• Personal and professional development opportunities, as well as exclusive benefits for Eurofins employees;
• Working in the hybrid model.

We support your development! Do you feel you don’t match 100% of the requirements? Don’t hesitate to apply anyway! Eurofins companies are committed to supporting your career development.

We embrace diversity! Eurofins network of companies believe in strength and innovation through diversity, being an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit discrimination against employees or applications based on gender identity and/or expression, race, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and everything else that makes employees of Eurofins companies unique.

Sustainability matters to us! We are well on our way to achieving our objective of carbon neutrality by 2025, through a combination of emission reduction and compensation initiatives. We encourage our laboratory leaders to make sustainable changes at their local level, and in addition to their initiatives we also count on our dedicated carbon reduction team to help us to achieve this goal!

Find out more in our career page: https://careers.eurofins.com/

Company description: Eurofins Scientific is an international life sciences company, providing a unique range of analytical testing services to clients across multiple industries, to make life and our environment safer, healthier and more sustainable. From the food you eat, to the water you drink, to the medicines you rely on, Eurofins laboratories work with the biggest companies in the world to ensure the products they supply are safe, their ingredients are authentic and labelling is accurate.

The Eurofins network of companies is the global leader in food, environment, pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and agroscience contract research services. It is one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, advanced material sciences and in the support of clinical studies, as well as having an emerging global presence in Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisations. It also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialised and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.

In over 35 years, Eurofins has grown from one laboratory in Nantes, France to 61,000 staff across a decentralised and entrepreneurial network of ca. 900 laboratories in 61 countries. Eurofins companies offer a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of biological substances and products.

In 2022, Eurofins generated total revenues of EUR 6.7 billion, and has been among the best performing stocks in Europe over the past 20 years.