Laboratory & Quality Leader

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Compensation Grade
ACE-USD-34

The Laboratory and Quality Leader is responsible for the safe, efficient, and cost effective management of all laboratory quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) activities and services for the Acetyls Laboratory and the Quality Management system of the Texas City site.

Accountabilities of the job:

Accountability 1: SHE Excellence

• This position - and all positions - with the INEOS organization requires that the incumbent commit to learning, following, and practicing INEOS 20 Principles of Process & Behavioral Safety as applicable to the position. These Principles are posted throughout the facility and each employee must also commit to following INEOS' Life-Saving rules daily.
• Ensure lab compliance to the 20 Principles through safety meetings, discussions, audits, etc.
• Provide leadership in SHE/PSM and ensures the Laboratory group meets and exceeds all SHE standards and expectations, follows policies and procedures, and champions the MOC and related PSM processes.
• Ensure appropriate lab personnel involvement in SHE systems, processes, and committees.
• Ensure incidents are documented for all nonconformance events.
• Initiate, prioritize, manage and/or participate in projects designed to improve the safety in laboratory operations.
• Manages safety protocols, risk assessments, and emergency procedures for Lab and Lab building.
• Collaborate on safety and quality training for lab personnel and ensure training compliance.

Accountability 2: Quality Management Systems and Reporting:

• Responsible for establishing and maintaining site Quality Management System
• Scheduling and leading internal and external ISO 9001 audits
• Leads and participates in customer audits
• Ensure the quality management system is implemented in the lab according to ISO standards and GMP requirements
• Ensure quality control documents are created and maintained per the ISO standard
• Develop and enforce a strategy to prevent non-conformance occurrences
• Support the quality management process and provide oversight to ensure the materials produced and services rendered meet or exceed customer requirements
• Leads site efforts to continuously improve site quality.

Accountability 3: Laboratory Oversight

• Responsible for safe operation of the laboratory.
• Ensure analytical methods in use by the lab are current per ASTM, ISO and good manufacturing standards.
• Maintains records and tracking progress of required calibrations. Provides oversight for calibration standard work.

• Works with laboratory team to maintain and provide laboratory information for end users. Works with the operations, logistics, and commercial groups to meet customer testing and reporting requirements.
• Assures adherence of process streams, waste streams, final product, and product shipments to specifications, by prompt and accurate reporting of results to all pertinent parties.
• Maintains accurate record keeping systems to provide background information for QA/QC for product quality. Maintains sufficient sample retains of products to evaluate customer shipments as required.
• Technical liaison with customers and vendors in resolution of quality issues.
• Ensures site environmental sampling and analysis is conducted in accordance with regulatory and permit requirements. Coordinates all external laboratory analysis for environmental testing.
• Schedules work in the lab in accordance with plant priorities. Expedites requests for rush work. Remains on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week to assist with plant emergencies. Coordinates laboratory work for special projects.
• Develops and executes a program of preventative maintenance for laboratory equipment, to assure minimal downtime. Evaluate the need for service contracts on key equipment and provide feedback. Coordinate services associated with service contracts - PM and service calls. Recommends replacements or upgrades of laboratory equipment and facilities as required.
• Develops standard test methods. Evaluates methods suggested in literature or from licensees, co-producers, customers, etc. Actively works to research new technologies and develop new methodology that can be used to improve efficiency in the lab.
• Follows industry trends and is alert to new techniques, equipment, and patentable ideas through attendance at technical meetings and perusal of the literature.
• Lead process improvement/project teams as needed.
• Drives develops continuous improvement around lab processes, methods, techniques, and equipment.
• Conduct annual verification of all lab hoods on site.
• Maintain continuous product quality control within area through continuous review of test results.
• Assures adherence to internal controls and customer specifications.

Accountability 4: Continuous Improvement & Cost Control

• Work with operations and engineering teams to implement optimized manufacturing plan and troubleshoot the process where needed.
• Prepares budget for lab, makes recommendations for new equipment and manning of laboratory. Specifies new equipment approved for capital purchase. Works with SHE Manager to assure that expenses for supplies, equipment, and equipment repairs are maintained within budget limits in own area of responsibility.
• Control laboratory fixed cost.
• Oversee maintenance service agreements.
• Challenge sample schedule to find cost reductions.

Accountability 5: Customer Service

• Provide analytical leadership and support to operations, engineering, and commercial as needed.
• Ensure timely resolution of both internal and external customer complaints concerning quality assurance.
• Provide technical assistance to Assets to troubleshoot & optimize process as needed
• Resolve product release and non-conformance issues.
• Conduct special studies associated with monitoring, auditing, or assessing process problems or enhancements.

Accountability 6: Leadership

• Manages the lab technicians and lab analyst activities including scheduling, prioritization of work, calibration schedules and ensures other day to day workload is controlled as well as evaluating performance and issuing corrective actions if necessary.
• Assures that all employees are adequately trained including the handling of toxic, corrosive, and flammable substance for handling laboratory emergencies and assists in development and execution of training programs for lab technicians and analysts.
• Working knowledge of Collective Bargaining Agreement and Grievance procedures.
• Act as a change-agent and champion site initiatives that support the long-term viability of the site and its respective businesses.

Required profile:

Level of Education & Knowledge:

• B.S. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in laboratory in a continuously operating manufacturing environment
• Previous leadership experience leading and supervising both technical professionals and lab operations personnel in a manufacturing environment preferred

Experience & Technical Skills:

• Experiences with chemical laboratory techniques; especially GC, LC, ICP, and water testing
• Experience managing quality certifications such as ISO 9001
• Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices, Food Grade, and Kosher requirements as applied to manufacturing process
• Ability to effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with all groups, contractors, and vendors
• Ability to organize, delegate and manage projects

Competencies & Behavioral Skills

• Technical & Functional Skills, including a strong chemistry/engineering background.
• Experience with laboratory software including LIMS administration and chromatography software
• Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of personnel both internally and externally
• Strong IT skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite Applications required
• Strong organizational skills necessary
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively
• Managerial experience in a union environment