Laboratory Lead - Agriculture

About us

With over 200 brands sold in nearly 180 countries, we're the world's leading premium drinks company. From global icons like Johnnie Walker, Guinness and Tanqueray to Smirnoff and Don Julio, we create brands consumers love. Bring your passion and use your curiosity as you explore, collaborate and innovate. Together with passionate people from all over the world, you'll test new ideas, learn and grow, and unlock a brighter, more exciting future.

Join us to create a career worth celebrating.

About the Function:

Supply Chain & Manufacturing is where our brands are made, moved and delivered to the world.

With over half of our people working across more than 100 sites, this is a complex, large-scale operation that brings together production, logistics, engineering and supplier partnerships.

It's fast-paced and hands-on, with teams working together to ensure quality, efficiency and sustainability at every stage. From sourcing ingredients to getting products into customers' hands, you'll play a role in delivering the brands people know and love.

About you:

The Laboratory Lead oversees day-to-day operations of the analytical laboratory focused on soil, water, and plant tissue testing to support R&D and operations. This role leads a team of lab technicians/analysts, ensures method reliability and compliance with quality programs (e.g., ISO/IEC 17025 principles), manages budgets and procurement (including purchase orders), and maintains supplier relationships.

The position drives implementation of research protocols, ensures laboratory safety and data integrity, and coordinates participation in intercomparison/proficiency testing programs to benchmark performance.

About the role:

• Lead, coach, and schedule a team of analysts; manage workload, training, and performance.
• Plan and prioritize sample throughput (soil, water, plant tissue) to meet SLA/turnaround times.
• Ensure safe operations, adherence to good laboratory practices (GLP).
• Maintain equipment readiness: calibration, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and service contracts.
• Oversee routine and advanced analyses (e.g., pH, EC, macro/micronutrients, organic matter, spectrophotometry, Kjeldahl, moisture/ash).
• Review and approve analytical results; ensure traceability, data integrity and defensible reports.
• Develop/validate methods; manage control charts, blanks, spikes, duplicates, reference materials, and uncertainty where applicable.
• Ensure sample custody, labeling, storage, and disposal align with SOPs and regulations.
• Implement and maintain quality programs aligned to ISO/IEC 17025 principles (or company QMS).
• Ensure participation in intercomparison/proficiency testing programs; analyze results, lead corrective actions.
• Translate research protocols into executable lab procedures (sample prep, run plans, data capture).
• Partner with R&D/agronomy to design experiments, ensure statistical rigor, and reliable data outputs.
• Prepare technical reports and communicate insights to stakeholders.
• Own annual lab budget; monitor spend vs. plan and forecast consumables/reagents usage.
• Generate and track POs; Manage supplier relationships (chemicals, standards, consumables, equipment, service providers).
• Implement Lean/5S/visual management; drive cycle time reduction and first-pass yield improvements.

• Track and report KPIs; lead root cause analysis and structured problem-solving.

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, Agronomy, Environmental Science, Biology, or related field (Master's optional).
• 5+ years in analytical labs with 2-3+ years team leadership experience.
• Hands-on experience with soil, water, and plant tissue analyses and relevant instrumentation (e.g., ICP, UV-Vis, IC, balances, ovens, pH/EC meters).
• Demonstrated experience with quality systems (ISO/IEC 17025 or equivalent), method validation, and proficiency testing.
• Budget management, supplier negotiation, and PO processes.
• Strong statistical/data analysis skills (control charts, calibration curves, uncertainty concepts).