# Talent Pool - Laboratory Manager

**Company:** [International Institute of Tropical Agriculture(IITA)](http://jobs.workable.com/companies/93EUjS8e5iiKKSYoM8FPpG.md)
**Location:** Ibadan, Nigeria
**Workplace:** on site
**Employment type:** Contract
**Department:** NRS

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## Description

**Background and Purpose**

The Food & Nutrition Sciences Laboratory plays a critical role in delivering high-quality analytical services, research outputs, and training that support IITA’s mandate on nutrition, food safety, and food systems transformation. The Laboratory Manager is responsible for ensuring **operational excellence, system integrity, and performance visibility** across the laboratory and positioning the lab for ISO certification.

**Key Responsibilities and Duties**

The Laboratory Manager will have end-to-end responsibility for the following five operational domains:

**1\. Inventory and Stores Management**

**Responsibilities**

-   Establish and maintain a single, standardized digital inventory management system based on analysis standard operating procedures
-   Ensure weekly inventory updates and verification
-   Define, document, and enforce reorder thresholds
-   Prevent stock-outs, over-ordering, and reagent expiry
-   Ensure traceability and audit readiness of inventory records

**Expected Outputs**

-   Live inventory dashboard (quantities, expiry dates, value)
-   Reduced stock-out incidents
-   Improved reagent utilization and reduced waste 

**2\. Workflow Coordination and Accountability**

**Responsibilities**

-   Implement a shared task and workflow tracking system
-   Support clear role definition and task ownership at the system level
-   Ensure weekly visibility of priorities and workloads
-   Facilitate regular operational check-ins focused on delivery blockers
-   Escalate operational risks in a timely and evidence-based manner

**Expected Outputs**

-   Predictable workflows
-   Reduced rework and dropped tasks
-   Improved turnaround consistency 

**3\. Equipment and Asset Management**

**Responsibilities**

-   Establish and maintain a master equipment register
-   Track equipment usage, downtime, servicing, and calibration
-   Ensure preventive maintenance schedules are followed
-   Coordinate equipment servicing with internal and external providers
-   Minimize unplanned downtime and data quality risks

**Expected Outputs**

-   Updated equipment registry
-   Maintenance and calibration logs
-   Improved equipment uptime and reliability 

**4\. Cost Recovery and Financial Visibility**

**Responsibilities**

-   Support determination and documentation of cost per analysis
-   Track samples from receipt through analysis, reporting, and invoicing
-   Maintain records linking samples, data outputs, and invoices
-   Monitor operational costs and revenue on a monthly basis
-   Support evidence-based pricing and break-even analysis

**Expected Outputs**

-   Cost-per-analysis documentation
-   Sample-to-invoice traceability
-   Monthly deliverables and financial summary reports

**5\. Client Experience and Operational Credibility**

**Responsibilities**

-   Support definition of standard turnaround times by analysis
-   Monitor delivery performance against agreed timelines
-   Ensure operational commitments to clients are realistic and visible
-   Support consistent and professional laboratory communication

**Expected Outputs**

-   Improved on-time delivery rates
-   Reduced client complaints
-   Increased repeat business and credibility
-   Supervise and coordinate the overall activities of the Food and Nutrition Sciences laboratory, including equipment maintenance and all laboratory operations.
-   Supervise technical staff and research fellows in the laboratory
-   Conduct analysis of chemical, physicochemical and functional properties of cassava, yam, Banana, Plantain, maize, cowpeas, and soybeans and their food products.
-   Provide expertise in quality control/assurance of laboratory analytical data
-   Identify and order all approved equipment, chemicals, and materials for the laboratory
-   Provide technical backstopping to national agricultural research institutes, non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations conducting activities on crop quality, processing, utilization, and product development
-   Contribute to capacity building on food analysis and training of corps members, industrial training, and research fellows
-   Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

## Requirements

**6\. Required Qualifications and Competencies**

**Essential**

-   Master’s degree in laboratory sciences, operations management, or a related field with a minimum of 8 years experience.
-   Current **IPAN certification**
-   Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating operational and quality systems within an **ISO-certified or ISO-aligned laboratory environment**.
-   Recent, hands-on experience supporting **ISO certification, accreditation, or re-certification processes**.
-   Strong communication, teamwork, organizational, and **systems management** skills.
-   Proven ability to work confidently with **data, tracking tools, dashboards, and performance indicators**.
-   High level of integrity, accuracy, and attention to detail.

**Desirable**

-   Experience with service laboratories or cost recovery models
-   Familiarity with quality management systems or laboratory audits
-   Experience working in research or institutional laboratory settings