Sampling Team Leader

At ALS, we encourage you to dream big.

When you join us, you’ll be part of a global team harnessing the power of scientific testing and data-driven insights to build a healthier future.

Objectives

The Team Leader is responsible for the supervision of all sampling related practices tasks, methodologies, administrations, quality control and HSE of the site.

Qualifications

Essential

• Matric – National Senior Certificate (Higher Certificate).

Essential Criteria

Skills, Competencies and Experience

• Minimum - 2 years’ relevant Sampling experience in a supervisory position.
• A valid drivers’ licence.
• Ability to anticipate needs and must be responsive to enquiries.
• Ability to investigate, resolve and respond to queries.
• Ability to multitask and meet challenging deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Able to communicate at all levels within the organization and with clients.
• Client relationship building skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English is a mandatory requirement.
• Good commercial understanding and appreciation of factors involved in delivering quality services profitably.
• Good interpersonal and planning skills and effective in working in a multi-cultural environment.
• Interact and communicate in a respectful manner taking into consideration the diverse cultures.
• Must be computer literate.
• Must be willing to adhere to company rules, policies, and regulations.
• Sound knowledge of sampling and preparation techniques.
• Sound technical knowledge of sampling techniques.

Position Duties

Principal Responsibilities and Challenges:

The primary role of the Team Leader will be, but not limited to the following:

Compliance

• Ensures compliance with QC standards that have been implemented when sampling
• Ensure all documentation related to maintenance, calibration and training are up to date.
• Ensure approved SOPs are used to provide continuous quality service to clients Main task and responsibilities
• Supervise all sampling related practices, tasks, and methodologies.
• Administration of sampling related tasks including Human Resources.
• Action Client Services related queries, feedback and reports.
• Carry out Quality Control tasks related to the sampling and sample preparation as well as ISO 17020 or QC system.
• Maintain HSE requirements.
• Managing all employees’ performance matters.
• Productivity to required benchmarks.
• Monitoring all equipment performance, ensuring consumables available in correct quantities reporting and following up on all breakdowns to minimize equipment downtime.
• Adhering to all communicated ALS policies and procedures.
• Supervise shift operation to ensure operation targets are achieved.
• Supervise distribution of work within the department setting priorities internally.
• Ensuring accurate and timely sample preparation to achieve Turn Around Times (TAT) - daily.
• Provide technical support and advice on handling of non-routine sample prep.
• Ensures that correct SOP are used in accordance with the established procedures and schedules.
• Ensure best practice compliance is adhered to within the department.
• Advising staff and take corrective action where necessary.
• Continuously following up and monitoring the operations at warehouses.
• Attend to queries out at warehouses
• Maintain and organize production logs.
• Identifies and highlights system constraints.
• Ensure pre-shift checks and post-shift checks are completed and act on any non-conformances.
• Perform basic equipment maintenance
• Ensures that the quality of the prepared samples produced is maintained at a level that meets or exceeds company acceptable standards.
• Ensure the maintenance and repair of all equipment for technical problems and accurate and accurate record keeping is maintained within Sample Prep.
• Ensure all required sampling field reports is completed daily and up to date.
• Travel to other sites if and when required.
• Manages human resource within the sampling unit including:
• Staff Training Programs (technical, supervisory, and safety);
• Performance Management.
• Recruitment
• Ensure Corporate Compliance initiatives, reports and practices are adhered to.
• Actively attends staff and supervisory training and succession development HR.
• Ensures the Sampling Department is optimally equipped and staffed by overseeing schedules for shifts and operating in an efficient, effective manner.
• Oversees consumable inventory.
• Maintain communication with the Technical Manager with regards to priority of incoming work daily.
• Track supply level and order supplies ensuring no work stoppages.
• Write reports and carry out turnaround time investigations.
• Perform stock takes and maintain minimum stock levels.
• Management of shift schedule and overseeing timesheets.
• Participate in all HR matters in the section.
• Approves timesheets.
• Conduct staff performance reviews.
• Conduct poor performance matters.
• Deal with disciplinary issues.
• Ensures the service provided meets and exceeds client expectations.
• Enforces ALS Inspection safety rules, systems, policies and adhere to client standards.
• Ensures that necessary equipment and environment is maintained for safety in the sample preparation- identifying limitations and solutions.
• Immediately rectifies any unsafe sampling practice.
• Ensures all vehicle usage and control policies are adhered to – driver policies/ log book control and follow up/ vehicle checks, etc.
• Ensures all regulatory laws are fully complied with
• Ensure compliance with ISO 17020 accreditation requirements within Sampling.
• Ensure that all documentation related to maintenance, calibration and training are up to date and available.
• Ensure approved SOP are used to provide continuous quality service to clients.
• Assist with internal and external audits.
• Adhere to the internal audit system to ensure that the Sampling Department is adhering to the requirements of the quality system.
• Ensure that root-cause investigations are properly conducted for corrective actions and solutions are effective.
• Assist team leaders with technical support.
• Ensure all aspect of Quality System are understood by staff and routinely adhered to within operations.
• Provide ongoing technical support for the quality system as required and to ensure the continuity of Company Quality System with the close co-operation of the Quality Manager.
• Knowledgeable in sampling operations and assist with queries and troubleshooting.
• Promotes teamwork between sampling and external relationship.

Occupational Health & Safety

• Practice the ALS Health and Safety Foundation Standards
• Practice the ALS company core values
• Comply with the ALS company policies and procedures
• Always abide by local legislative requirements
• Ensure a health & safety (HSE) culture, policies and procedures are promoted, communicated, and implemented effectively.

Quality Assurance

• Always follow all ALS Quality System Procedures.
• Always abide by local legislative requirements.
• Compliance to the ALS Quality Management System
• Prepare and comply with internal as well as external audits.
• Ensure that the quality of analytical data produced meets the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17025:2017 standard and are maintained at a level that meets or exceeds company and market acceptable standards.

Authorities

• Review and authorise the routine records of sample preparation.
• Review and authorise the sample preparation paperwork before submitting for reporting.
• Review records of employees’ competence, skills, etc.
• Review Calibration Certificates of equipment, received from the outside calibration laboratory.
• Take corrective actions identified based on analysis, related to the complaint or results of testing.
• Stop an activity, if any non–conformity found related to testing, accommodation and / or environment.

Working at ALS

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