Job Overview
Location: On Site - Margate, Kent | Full time (35 Hrs) Mon-Thurs 7.5hrs, Friday 5hrs
Lead people. Shape culture. Support world‑class research.
This is a leadership role first and foremost. You don’t need to walk in as a technical expert — we can teach the technical skills. What matters most is your ability to lead, coach, motivate and develop people.
We're looking for a confident, resilient and positive people leader to guide a team working within a high‑standard barrier rodent model production environment. You will be required to be hands on for this position.
Job Description
What you’ll do
* Lead & Develop People.
* Inspire, support and develop a team of animal technicians and working with rodents.
* Set clear expectations around behaviour, performance and accountability.
* Build a positive, inclusive and psychologically safe team culture.
* Address challenges early, fairly and constructively.
* Drive Operational Excellence.
* Coordinate daily and weekly work to meet production and welfare standards.
* Monitor workloads, staffing and training needs, adapting plans as required.
* Maintain high standards of barrier practice, routines and cleanliness.
* Ensure all work meets training documentation, regulatory requirements and internal quality standards.
* Spend the majority of your time in the barrier facility—engaged, accessible and working alongside the team.
* Act as the first point of escalation for operational, welfare or people issues.
* Work closely with peer leaders and managers to ensure smooth operations (some weekend/bank holiday working on a rota basis).
* Support audits, inspections and continuous improvement initiatives.
What we’re looking for
* Experience leading or influencing people in an operational, regulated or production environment.
* Confidence to hold honest conversations and make fair, balanced decisions.
* Calm, steady and consistent leadership — especially under pressure.
* A genuine passion for helping others grow, not just managing tasks.
* Strong communication skills, integrity, and self‑awareness.
(Experience in laboratory, animal care or technical production environments is helpful but not essential — we’ll teach you what you need to know.)
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