Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal and plant health and welfare?
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.
This role will require you to lead a team responsible for production of a wide portfolio of parasitological, bacteriological and virological reagents for commercial supply and support of statutory and international trade testing.
Reagent Production
* Management of RPU 1 and 2 to ensure that agreed levels of high quality, validated reagents are produced and delivered to support APHA testing and to supply commercial customers to specification, to budget and to schedule.
* To ensure that adequate levels of technical expertise are maintained in the tests for which RPU 1 and 2 provide existing diagnostic reagents so that technical support, including troubleshooting can be provided for them.
* Evaluation and assessment of the resources required to enable production of reagents to support new tests introduced by Lab testing.
* Ensuring the work group complies with and implements all relevant SAPO and IAPO requirements and that the SAPO license is maintained.
* Regular liaison with commercial reagent suppliers and agents to ensure continuity of supply of reagents.
Management
* To manage 5 staff in RPU with direct management of 2 x EO. This will include training to develop staff to reach their full potential. They will need to develop annual training plan for staff to become fully competent in their roles.
* To work flexibly within the Reagent Production Unit and the Biotechnology group if required to ensure continuity of work.
* To manage production of reagents using Integra stock management system and liaise closely with staff in Finance, PSUR and Sales desk to ensure any queries or problems are dealt with quickly.
* To organise and chair team brief meetings as required.
* To manage the finances of the unit and ensure spend is within budget, this will include updating FEC’s annually to include changes in cost rates, ASU accommodation and animal supply and to work with the Contract management team. This will require submitting requests for funding and seeking alternative providers to compare cost.
Safety
To maintain a safe working environment in accordance with local safety standards and COSHH regulations, including the regular review of risk assessments and standard operating procedures.
* To instil the highest standards of safety within the laboratory ensuring that staff are fully aware of their responsibility to colleagues and themselves.
* Attend contingency and fire drills as required.
* Ensure that all relevant risk assessments are read and fully understood, that staff are signed up to these and all the relevant safety standards.
* Ensure all work carried out within team complies with appropriate legislation e.g. Animal Scientific Procedures (Home Office); Health and Safety; Data Protection.
* Participate in and present local contingency exercises.
Quality
To carry out all work to ISO 9001:2015 standards and to ensure that all key documentation - SOPs, Training Records, Quality verification and production records - are maintained and reviewed as appropriate.
* The post holder will assist with audits and the completion of the annual Quality System Review.
Be able to perform a range of administrative tasks:
* Investigate and write-up non-conforming work and trouble-shooting reports, making adjustments to the procedures if required.
* Writing and reviewing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) and making amendments if required.
* Writing, reviewing and amending relevant Risk Assessments for the section.