Quality Laboratory Leader

Please Note: The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

Job Title: Quality Laboratory Leader

Location: Port Sunlight Factories (Site based)

Work-Level: 1S

JOB PURPOSE

Unilever Port Sunlight is a large manufacturing site located on the Wirral in the Northwest of England.  The site has 3 Homecare factories, 1 Personal Care factory and Sulphonation Plant that are responsible for the Global supply of multiple key household products to the markets.

The main job purpose is to ensure the safety of our consumers and customers through producing top quality products and ensuring the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficiency, including legislative requirements.  

The post holder will be responsible for leading a team of Quality Analysts. They will be responsible for monitoring sustained levels of compliance and continuous improvement programmes across all Factories, Sulphonation Plant and Make Plants, developing and implementing laboratory policies, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to support product development and innovation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Safety Compliance: Maintain a safe working environment by upholding health and safety protocols and creating a safety culture
• Lead a team of Quality Analysts and undertake all line manager responsibilities, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture, to deliver against masterplan
• Drive net productivity per year to deliver efficient processes
• Provide governance to the Sulphonation and Make Plant teams in quality compliance processes.  Engage directly with manufacturing plants to ensure seamless integration of lab processes with production. Provide hands-on support and troubleshooting in plant settings
• Manage daily laboratory operations, including scheduling, resource allocation, and equipment maintenance, ensuring regular calibration of machines in all areas 
• Ensure all recording and testing meets the required standards and are carried out rigorously.  Address any issues that may arise from testing
• Compliance governance in quality processes.  Ensure all laboratory activities comply with industry standards and regulatory requirements.  Actively participate in audits and implement action plans
• Innovation and Development: Collaborate with R&D teams to develop new products and improve existing formulations
• Drive digitisation of systems and processes to ensure fit for future labs
• Budget Management: Oversee the laboratory budget, ensuring cost-effective use of resources
• Data Management: Ensure accurate and timely recording and reporting of laboratory data
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement best practices within your immediate and wider site Quality team.

ALL ABOUT YOU

Professional Skills

Essential

• Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.

Desirable

• Previous experience leading a team of people in an analytical environment.

Experience

Essential

• Proven background and relevant experience in a laboratory testing setting
• Experience of leadership and managing a team
• Managing Audits and continuous improvement programmes
• Collaboration with key stakeholders and Project work

Desirable

• Experience in a manufacturing plant environment and FMCG
• Enzyme testing experience.

NOTES

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Dove, Tresemme, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Domestos, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, The Vegetarian Butcher, Graze and Pot Noodle.

Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’.

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. We want to push boundaries, and have the flexibility needed to keep adapting in an ever-changing, more dynamic world. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

As part of your hiring journey, we are happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments, to improve your recruitment experience.

To find out more, including more information about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here.

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How is Unilever tackling this?

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