Are You Ready to Make an Impact at RSSL?
Join Our Mission to Transform Lives Through Science, Innovation and Collaboration
At Reading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL), we lead the way in scientific analysis, research, consultancy, and training. We provide services to the food, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods industries, as well as our parent company, Mondelez International.
We are not just dedicated to delivering world-class scientific solutions and outstanding customer service, we are recognised for it. We were named Best Performing Professional Services Company of the Year (2025) at the One Nucleus Awards and CRO of the Year at the OBN awards. We were also finalists for multiple recent multiple awards recognising our commitment to skills and rising talent.
If you are passionate about driving innovation and making a real impact, RSSL is the place for you!
Purpose:
In RSSL we are customer focused, science led and results driven. The Pharmaceutical Services Speciality Pharmaceutical Department performs gas / liquid / ion chromatography using a range of detector types including mass spectrometry and also metals analyses using inductively coupled plasma and atomic absorption spectroscopy techniques. The group support a wide range of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies and can where required support Mondelez research and innovation. The Speciality Pharma Department consists of two sub-groups - Core & Complex. The Core group support the above range of techniques operating to client and pharmacopoeia methodologies in support of raw material and finished product release testing. The Complex group utilise the above range of techniques for method development, validation, investigations of unknown or toxic impurities and Extractable & Leachable studies.
The Senior Group Leader provides managerial direction and leadership for the Speciality Pharmaceutical department. The role holder will play a key role in ensuring that routine and complex pharmaceutical projects are performed and supervised effectively and accurately, within agreed timescales and to GMP quality standards. This SG12 Senior Group Leader role focuses on managing a large diverse team of analytical chemists to deliver projects safely, on time, on budget and to high quality standards through tactical leadership and to strategically lead the group forward to support business growth. The individual in this position has demonstrated the necessary technical chemistry knowledge and business acumen in a client-facing role – delivering projects on time and within budget. Additionally, the individual has strong people management skills to influence, lead and motivate a talented group of scientists comprising of different capabilities.
Primary Accountabilities / Responsibilities:
Technical
Provide high quality customer service at all times by ensuring effective organisation of assigned workload, integrity of analytical data generated and timely/accurate provision of results to GMP standards.
Manage the Speciality Pharmaceutical group sales expectation, cost management, innovation pipeline and technical project resourcing in collaboration with the sub-group leads.
Ensure, through delegation to responsible analysts, the maintenance, calibration / qualification and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment.
Define the Speciality Pharmaceutical departmental growth strategy and annual priorities, translating and delivering business strategy into department goals.
Support project release on occasions of peak workload, if required, by performing data review and approval of other analysts work, demonstrating strong eye for detail, and ensuring that scientific integrity, GMP compliance, and client requirements have been met, when approving data, CofA’s or scientific reports.
Maintain proficient use of software packages as required for the role: Laboratory LIMS system, Q‑Pulse.
Communication & Influence
Ensure smooth, efficient operation of the Speciality Pharmaceutical department with alignment of approach between the sub-groups (teams or labs), alongside ensuring high performance of the sub-group independently controlled aspects (safety, quality, client support & revenue).
Routinely liase with Directors / Senior Associate Principal Scientist stakeholders.
Partner with the Life Sciences Operational Lead to ensure fluidity of resourcing to maximise project delivery across RSSL and to support other aspects such as revenue / cost queries as required.
Deliver strong, decisive leadership to encourage, motivate, inspire and challenge the Speciality Pharmaceutical team to produce their best work.
Connect the Speciality Pharmaceutical group together with a common purpose and build relationships in the workplace that allow for effective communication, creativity and problem-solving with the aim of greater productivity.
Collaborate at the senior level of the Speciality Pharmaceutical group to discuss, decide and deliver robust tactical leadership and implementation of efficiencies to optimise workflow.
Grow strategic leadership mindset to assess the future growth potential of the Speciality Pharmaceutical group, drive forward next level of business performance. Influence and implement strategic decisions in collaboration with commercial and marketing, with considerations including but not limited to people, equipment, consumable resources, space and Opex / Capex budgets.
Liase with clients and business development to ensure effective communication of project proposals and results and lead client / stakeholder meetings as required.
Collaborate with the marketing team to ensure effective website and media content to grow the Speciality Pharmaceutical business, ensuring personal awareness of and internal communication of industry insights that could yield business growth opportunities.
Deliver internal presentations to stakeholders and external presentations where required.
Maintain strong awareness of how the RSSL business functions, supporting lab manager (LM) and extended leadership (ELT) discussions appropriately to ensure business effectiveness and proactively and effectively lead business wide activities as required.
Leadership and supervision
Manage directly or indirectly a group comprising of Laboratory manager(s), Senior Team Leaders, Team Leaders, Senior Scientists, Scientists and Technicians.
Responsible for circa 60 staff in total with 5+ direct reports.
Succession plan to build a resilient future focused team for the Speciality Pharmaceutical group, ensuring that potential successors for key roles have the required development opportunities to expand their skill set.
Proactively support / progress the recruitment process for any vacancies within the Speciality Pharmaceutical department and support recruitment in the wider business as required.
Demonstrate a deep understanding of the people management policies to independently lead and develop direct reports, including but not limited to setting and delivery of SMART objectives / development plans, Mondelez leadership framework encompassing values, commitments & behaviours, monthly 121’s and performance management. Oversight of all members of the department whether managed by a direct or indirect report.
Ensure thorough workflow management and test scheduling to target on time delivery against original requested due date, excluding where client delays occur.
Work alongside Senior Associate Principal Scientist to steer the technical direction of the Speciality Pharmaceutical group such that technical projects are value adding to efficiency or business growth.
Create a flexible cross trained workforce across the Speciality Pharmaceutical tests to ensure sufficient resource for the workload, facilitating cross training of staff from the wider business so that flexible resource is available to support in moments of exceptional workload.
Demonstrate change agility, to communicate clearly and effectively any proposed change (local or business wide), supporting direct and indirect reports as required through the process to ensure the changes are universally sustained.
Provide expert advice and lead client meetings.
Deliver external presentations of data & internal presentations to senior stakeholders.
QEHS
Lead to the highest standards of safety by ensuring that appropriate COSHHs, risk assessments and SOPs are understood and followed by all in the Speciality Pharmaceutical group.
Ensure that safety events (accidents, near misses and significant safety observations) are thoroughly investigated to ensure that appropriate preventative actions are implemented.
Lead by example by raising (positive / constructive) safety observations.
Maintain a thorough knowledge of the Quality Management System (QMS) / GMP, be a point of contact to support with queries from within the Speciality Pharmecutical department or from clients on quality matters and ensure all polices are adhered to by the Speciality Pharmaceutical group.
Proactively attend the Quality Leader (QL) meeting with the aim of partnering with QAU to at minimum maintain and where needed raise the quality standard in RSSL.
Complete assigned quality actions in a timely manner, including review and approval, ensuring thorough investigation of CAPAs.
Lead the Speciality Pharmaceutical department to at minimum adhere to the KPIs designated by the QAU department or in the department’s Annual Priorities.
Review and approve SOPs and Test Methods, challenging where necessary to ensure clarity of content.
Establish good understanding of the content of Quality Technical Agreements (QTA) and be point of contact for reviewing new or updated QTA on behalf of the Speciality Pharmaceutical group, ensuring that the wider business impact is considered.
Review Risk Assessments and where required COSHH
Understand and provide technical regulatory leadership in client audits
Ensure that a clean, tidy and safe working environment is maintained at all times in all areas belonging to the Speciality Pharmaceutical department.
Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Language Requirements:
Educated to Degree or PhD in a relevant scientific discipline or equivalent relevant experience in a laboratory.
Good understanding and depth of chemistry knowledge coupled with ideally extensive experience of chromatography / spectroscopy techniques
Strong scientific understanding of the Pharmaceutical industry.
Substantial knowledge of Quality as applicable in Pharmaceuticals (GMP). Experience in client and regulatory audits.
Strong verbal and written skills in English, with the ability to communicate with external clients and internal teams.
Meticulous attention to detail; well organized and strong team working ethos. Well organised and.
Ability to deliver projects/work within tight timescales and ability to motivate, mentor and line manage staff.
Technical credibility to develop good working relationships with internal and external clients.
Ability to problem solve and plan resources to maintain workflow in delivery of projects.
Excellent organizational skills, including time management and priority setting, with capability to work on multiple activities concurrently
Project management and planning skills, able to manage project teams and lead resourcing allocation as well as industry processes.
Proven ability to lead, motivate and mentor a diverse group of staff to achieve their respective targets / objectives – ability to lead teams through periods of change.
Extensive experience of working in a chemistry laboratory (capable of demonstrating technical and regulatory knowledge) or equivalent.
Experience of working for a large pharmaceutical company with knowledge of formulation and manufacturing and working for or with a CRO.
Good knowledge of laboratory GMP quality and accreditation systems.
English fluency (written and spoken)
More about this role
In return for your commitment, drive and enthusiasm, we offer an attractive benefits package within a highly successful international business that offers financial rewards and resources, including:
Opportunities to learn and develop
Performance Related Bonus scheme
Contributory pension (between 8% to 11% employer contribution)
Life assurance
27 days holiday allowance (possibility to buy 5 extra days) + bank holidays
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
A flexible benefits programme (Gym discounts, private health insurance, restaurant discounts, etc).
No Relocation support availableBusiness Unit SummaryReading Scientific Services Ltd (RSSL) is a cutting-edge contract research organisation (CRO), providing research, analysis and consultancy to the food, consumer goods and life science sectors. Whether we are creating new products, validating medicines or solving investigations, we take pride in being a leader in our field, serving clients from across 70 countries. Enriched by our parent company, Mondelēz International, our team are committed to transforming lives through science, innovation and collaboration.
Curious about us and want to learn more?
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RSSL is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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Job TypeRegularAnalytical ScienceScience & Engineering