Senior Laboratory Services Analyst

Summary: This role is Monday to Friday, from 4pm - midnight with a 30 minute break. You will receive a 15% shift allowance on top of your salary. Are you an experienced professional looking to take the next step into a leadership role? Do you want to play a vital part in ensuring the quality and safety of water for your community? If you’re a technical expert who enjoys mentoring others and thrives in a fast-paced, regulated environment, we’d love to hear from you. In this pivotal role, you’ll act as the primary technical lead and supervisor for our Laboratory Services team. You’ll be the "go-to" person on the floor, bridging the gap between our laboratory analysts and management to keep everything running smoothly. It’s an exciting opportunity to have a real impact: you’ll oversee the seamless receipt, processing, and dispatch of all samples, ensuring we stay fully compliant with Water Quality Regulations. You will ensure all samples are accurately recorded and processed. As the Senior Analyst, you will be responsible for training up others on these processes and ensuring a smooth flow of samples to and from the laboratory. You’ll spend your time optimizing workflows, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing smart solutions to improve our efficiency. Beyond the technical side, you’ll be a champion for your team’s professional development, providing the guidance and support they need to grow. It’s a role that offers the perfect blend of technical challenge and leadership responsibility. Main responsibilities: Lead and supervise the Laboratory Services team to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the department, while maintaining strict adherence to the quality system. Oversee data integrity by auditing entries into the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to ensure accuracy within set timeframes. Coordinate sub-contracting and external logistics, managing the prompt dispatch of externally contracted analysis and supplies. Manage laboratory resources by monitoring stock levels of bottles and consumables, ensuring the team has necessary supplies to meet internal and external requirements. Facilitate communication between the laboratory and commercial team, resolving complex inquiries regarding sample log in, stock maintenance, bottle orders, record keeping and sub-contracting. Optimise workflows by identifying bottlenecks in sample reception and implementing solutions to improve efficiency and method processes. Ensure health and safety within the team, maintaining high standards of laboratory housekeeping and ensuring all staff adhere to environmental and safety requirements. Provide operational cover and resource planning, including managing the weekend rota or shift requirements to ensure continuous laboratory services. You'll need: Skills / Qualifications / Experience 3+ years of relevant work experience, or a demonstrated track record of success in similar roles. Leadership & Mentoring: Ability to direct the work of others, provide constructive feedback, guide professional development and foster a collaborative team environment. Technical Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of LIMS, CSM, standard operating procedures and workflow. Problem-Solving: Strong initiative to proactively identify and resolve operational issues. Experience working within a regulated environment, specifically in sample reception and service tasks. Proven experience in accurately recording data and maintaining good quality standards. Experience in coordinating workflows, managing consumables, or leading small technical teams to meet strict deadlines. Grow a career with a meaningful purpose. We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water. Benefits package: Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution. 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service. Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave. Paid volunteering days. Cycle to work scheme. Health cash plan. Life assurance. Wellbeing related benefits. What can you expect from your recruitment? To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our career’s website. It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks. If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now! South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency. Compensation package: Up to £36,493 (including 15% shift allowance) Be you, belong and valued. Grow a career with a meaningful purpose. Introduce yourself to our recruiters and we'll get in touch if there's a role that seems like a good match. We supply top-quality drinking water to 2.3 million customers in the southeast of England. Through a network of 9,000 miles of pipe, we deliver 544 million litres of water every day. It's the skill and expertise of our employees that ensures our water meets the highest standards. We make sure we can meet the needs of our customers both now and in the future. Grow a career with a meaningful purpose. • Come to work to be safe, valued, and trusted. • We’ll encourage you to create and pursue new opportunities for personal growth. • A place to be the real you, build deeper connections and enjoy a sense of belonging. • Be invested in helping us to create a sustainable water supply for now, and in the future.