About this role
About the Job
Position Summary
The Associate Director – OpThe Operations Associate Director is responsible for overseeing the company’s business operations, laboratory operations, facilities, and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) programs. This position provides strategic leadership to ensure efficient business processes, regulatory compliance, safe laboratory practices, scientific operational excellence, and achievement of organizational goals. The person in this role serves as a key member of the leadership team, partnering with scientific, commercial, and administrative functions to support company growth and research objectives.erations is responsible for managing day-to-day operations of business at BIB, including procurement and financial activities at BIB.
The primary responsibility of this position is to develop and execute the business plan while providing strategic leadership to the team. We are looking for a highly organized, flexible, and hardworking professional with an unwavering “can do” attitude.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Business Operations
Manage the company’s daily operations, including administration, policies and procedures, procurement, information technology, EHS, and facilities management.
Develop and execute business plans, annual operating plans, budgets, and growth strategies.
Support business development, partnership activities, and marketing initiatives.
Collaborate with scientific and technical teams to establish operational priorities and achieve company objectives.
Lead, coach, and develop staff while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Establish departmental goals, performance metrics, and regular review processes.
Ensure efficient coordination and communication among all functional areas of the company.
Work with the executive leadership team to develop long-term business strategies and organizational priorities.
Manage operational and capital budgets, identify cost-saving opportunities, and optimize resource utilization.
Monitor industry trends, competitive landscape, and operational best practices to support company growth.
Laboratory Management
Direct the day-to-day operations of research and development laboratories to ensure efficiency, productivity, and compliance.
Oversee laboratory infrastructure, equipment maintenance, calibration programs, and facility readiness.
Manage laboratory space allocation, utilization, and expansion planning.
Develop and maintain laboratory operating procedures, documentation systems, and quality standards.
Coordinate procurement, inventory management, and supply chain activities for laboratory consumables, reagents, and equipment.
Ensure availability of critical laboratory resources and uninterrupted support for research programs.
Oversee laboratory vendor relationships, service contracts, and equipment qualification programs.
Partner with scientific leadership to identify operational improvements that enhance research efficiency and productivity.
Lead laboratory facility projects, renovations, and infrastructure upgrades.
Environmental Health, Safety & Biosafety (EHS)
Serve as the company’s Safety Officer and lead the Environmental Health & Safety program.
Develop, implement, and maintain safety policies, procedures, and training programs for laboratory personnel.
Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, CDC, NIH, local regulations, and applicable biotechnology industry safety standards.
Manage biosafety, chemical safety, hazardous waste, and occupational health programs.
Conduct laboratory inspections, audits, risk assessments, and incident investigations.
Implement corrective and preventive actions to address safety concerns and compliance gaps.
Maintain safety records, permits, licenses, and regulatory reporting requirements.
Be on-call as the site’s designated emergency coordinator to ensure emergency preparedness, response planning, and business continuity initiatives.
Ensure proper handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of biological, chemical, and hazardous materials.
Promote a culture of safety through employee engagement, training, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Leadership & Corporate Responsibilities
Serve as an executive representative of the company, authorized to execute approved agreements and commitments on behalf of the organization.
Build strong partnerships with external vendors, contractors, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders.
Support organizational scaling efforts, facility expansions, and strategic growth initiatives.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Life Sciences, Biotechnology, Engineering, or related field required; MBA or advanced scientific degree preferred.
Minimum 15 years of progressive leadership experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or related industries.
Demonstrated experience managing laboratory operations within a research environment.
Strong knowledge of laboratory safety programs, OSHA regulations, biosafety practices, and environmental compliance requirements.
Experience with budget management, financial planning, procurement, and operational leadership.
Understanding of biotech/pharmaceutical research operations and regulatory expectations.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced and growing organization.
Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Ability to make independent decisions regarding critical operational, financial, and safety matters.
Experience managing facilities, capital projects, laboratory equipment, and vendor relationships is highly desirable.