Laboratory Manager (Talent Pool) at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Background and Purpose

• The Food & Nutrition Sciences Laboratory plays a critical role in delivering high-quality analytical services, research outputs, and training that support IITA’s mandate on nutrition, food safety, and food systems transformation.
• The Laboratory Manager is responsible for ensuring operational excellence, system integrity, and performance visibility across the laboratory and positioning the lab for ISO certification.

Key Responsibilities and Duties
The Laboratory Manager will have end-to-end responsibility for the following five operational domains:
Responsibilities:
Inventory and Stores Management:

• Establish and maintain a single, standardized digital inventory management system based on analysis standard operating procedures
• Ensure weekly inventory updates and verification
• Define, document, and enforce reorder thresholds
• Prevent stock-outs, over-ordering, and reagent expiry
• Ensure traceability and audit readiness of inventory records

Expected Outputs

• Live inventory dashboard (quantities, expiry dates, value)
• Reduced stock-out incidents
• Improved reagent utilization and reduced waste 

Responsibilities
Workflow Coordination and Accountability:

• Implement a shared task and workflow tracking system
• Support clear role definition and task ownership at the system level
• Ensure weekly visibility of priorities and workloads
• Facilitate regular operational check-ins focused on delivery blockers
• Escalate operational risks in a timely and evidence-based manner

Expected Outputs:

• Predictable workflows
• Reduced rework and dropped tasks
• Improved turnaround consistency 

Responsibilities
Equipment and Asset Management:

• Establish and maintain a master equipment register
• Track equipment usage, downtime, servicing, and calibration
• Ensure preventive maintenance schedules are followed
• Coordinate equipment servicing with internal and external providers
• Minimize unplanned downtime and data quality risks

Expected Outputs:

• Updated equipment registry
• Maintenance and calibration logs
• Improved equipment uptime and reliability 

Responsibilities
Cost Recovery and Financial Visibility:

• Support determination and documentation of cost per analysis
• Track samples from receipt through analysis, reporting, and invoicing
• Maintain records linking samples, data outputs, and invoices
• Monitor operational costs and revenue on a monthly basis
• Support evidence-based pricing and break-even analysis

Expected Outputs:

• Cost-per-analysis documentation
• Sample-to-invoice traceability
• Monthly deliverables and financial summary reports

Responsibilities
Client Experience and Operational Credibility:

• Support definition of standard turnaround times by analysis
• Monitor delivery performance against agreed timelines
• Ensure operational commitments to clients are realistic and visible
• Support consistent and professional laboratory communication

Expected Outputs:

• Improved on-time delivery rates
• Reduced client complaints
• Increased repeat business and credibility
• Supervise and coordinate the overall activities of the Food and Nutrition Sciences laboratory, including equipment maintenance and all laboratory operations.
• Supervise technical staff and research fellows in the laboratory
• Conduct analysis of chemical, physicochemical and functional properties of cassava, yam, Banana, Plantain, maize, cowpeas, and soybeans and their food products.
• Provide expertise in quality control/assurance of laboratory analytical data
• Identify and order all approved equipment, chemicals, and materials for the laboratory
• Provide technical backstopping to national agricultural research institutes, non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations conducting activities on crop quality, processing, utilization, and product development
• Contribute to capacity building on food analysis and training of corps members, industrial training, and research fellows
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements
Required Qualifications and Competencies:

Essential:

• Master’s Degree in Laboratory Sciences, Operations Management, or a related field with a minimum of 8 years experience.
• Current IPAN certification
• Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating operational and quality systems within an ISO-certified or ISO-aligned laboratory environment.
• Recent, hands-on experience supporting ISO certification, accreditation, or re-certification processes.
• Strong communication, teamwork, organizational, and systems management skills.
• Proven ability to work confidently with data, tracking tools, dashboards, and performance indicators.
• High level of integrity, accuracy, and attention to detail.

Desirable:

• Experience with service laboratories or cost recovery models
• Familiarity with quality management systems or laboratory audits
• Experience working in research or institutional laboratory settings