Manager: Analytical Services

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Management

• Provides a strategic, responsive, sound and enabling laboratory, systems, policies and administrative framework.
• Develops and implement appropriate laboratory services strategies, policies, controls and procedures for the CGS.
• Gives direction on laboratory services management, to ensure strategic plans are formulated and implemented and ensure CGS’s line functions understand and follow the strategy.
• Develops and oversees the implementation of the laboratory systems.
• Conducts research into the external environment (national and international) to identify best practices in terms of laboratory services management.
• Contributes substantively to the Geoscientific Services Division’s strategic, and performance planning and reporting processes.

Laboratory Services Operational Support 

• Manage the overall laboratory production environment, including service and customer report delivery, turn-around time, sample receipt, and process improvement.
• Ensures that data integrity, quality control and assurance, customer expectation are met including, auditing test procedures, following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), documentation, QA/QC meetings, overseeing local participation in proficiency programmes, customer follow up and corrective action.
• Directly manage and oversee laboratory staff (including supervisory staff) regarding staffing needs, communication, employee training, professional growth, employee behavior, corrective action, and scheduling.
• Ensures prudent laboratory practices are upheld in the unit.
• Manage and meet the financial obligations of the unit, including assisting in managing the revenue and projections, cost control, budgets, expenses and vendor contracts.
• Assists in the development of new analytical techniques and protocols.
• Manage and contribute to competitive integrated and multidisciplinary geoscience research and innovation publications.
• Manage and operate the laboratory within the scope of the ISO 17025 or related standard
• Ensures maintenance of optimal laboratory environment.
• Ensures optimal condition of equipment in the laboratory; including instrument calibrations and preventive maintenance, facility lease renewals, site repairs, site security and housekeeping.
• Assists in coordinating operations assistance with sales and marketing by development of new services, transitioning new accounts, promoting and marketing laboratory services and acquiring new accounts.
• Supports organizational initiatives and goals by adherence to corporate policies at the laboratory level and communicating, promoting and guiding company initiatives and policies at the local level to employees.
• Provides support for the Geoscience Technical Programme of the Council for Geoscience.

Programme/Project Management

• Oversee the development of project plans and manage accordingly to deliver all defined work components, including coordinating the implementation of the laboratory projects in line with the Council for Geoscience imperatives.
• Oversees the implementation of programme/project plans and manage the delivery of all defined work components – these plans should indicate resourcing, time frames (scheduling of project activities), budgets, and milestones, as well as tracking project deliverables, quality management, health and safety management, and reporting requirements – typically agreed with recipients of the outputs, i.e. the stakeholders and clients.
• Promotes and implement the integrated and multidisciplinary geoscience in the Laboratory
• Coordinates the implementation of contributions and participation of the Laboratory in the organisational programme in line with the Council for Geoscience and national strategic objectives.
• Arrange project monitoring and evaluation of results, and report on progress of the projects as required.

Stakeholder Relations

• Involvement in stakeholder relations and support to ensure account retention, through field visits to customers, customer communication, customer complaint resolution.
• Provide advice to industry, government and the public on the management of laboratory related services in line with Council for Geoscience communication policy.
• Facilitate and maintain healthy relations with various stakeholders, in line with Council for Geoscience stakeholder relations and communications strategy.
• Ensure prudent management of SLAs with Council for Geoscience clients.

Quality Management/ Assurance

• Oversees the development and implementation of operating manuals for work procedures for ISO certification and monitor implementation thereof.
• Ensures quality control and quality assurance of products and services and compliance with ISO, at all times in the unit.
• Designs monitoring and evaluation mechanisms on the implementation of projects and programmes in line with the Council for Geoscience strategy.
• Quality assures the execution of research and development in the Laboratory.

Financial Management

• Executes prudent and efficient management of allocated budget in line with Council for Geoscience policies and Public Finance Management Act, 1999.
• Exercise effective implementation of financial management protocols within the business unit in line with Council for Geoscience policies.
• Together with the Executive Manager, take accountability for the overall business unit’s budget and ensure appropriate expenditure.

People Management

• Executes prudent and proper human resource management within the business unit.
• Champion the skills development and transfer within the business unit.
• Ensures that early-career scientists are supervised, mentored and coached.
• Implement CGS performance management policy within the business unit.
• Mentors and coach staff within the business unit where required.
• Determines human resource requirements taking into consideration operational needs, skills scarcity, and retention capability.
• Supports a transformation program of the CGS aligned with the objectives of the Employment Equity (EE) Act.

KEY PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Ability to make decisions; recognise and promptly manage risks
• Ability to organize, prioritize, delegate, influence and lead project teams; make decisions; recognize and manage risks, work as team member.
• Ability to maintain trusted client relations for the client’s success
• Ability to act in a fair, ethical, and socially responsible manner in line with the ethos of the Council for Geoscience.
• Ability to interact and negotiate at various levels.
• Ability to set, monitor and achieve SMART goals.
• Ability to engender a positive organizational culture, resolve conflict as well as lead and motivate subordinates
• Ability to think innovatively and strategically

 EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Grade 12; and
• MSc, with combined 6 years geoscience and managerial experience in a related field; practical knowledge in geology, geochemistry, mineralogy, chemistry or any geoscience related field, or
• PhD, with combined 5 years geoscience and managerial experience in a related field; practical knowledge in geology, geochemistry, mineralogy, chemistry or any geoscience related field.
• Membership of an appropriate professional institution will be an added advantage.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

• Demonstrable success in maintaining optimal conditions in the laboratory and its day-to-day running to ensure operational efficiency.
• Demonstrable and proven success in developing new business in laboratory management in particular in response to requests for proposals.
• Demonstrable ability to manage a diverse portfolio of projects and resources.
• Knowledge of ISO standards.
• Knowledge of Operational Health and Safety Act.
• Knowledge of PFMA.
• Knowledge of applicable regulations and/or laws applicable to the field of expertise.
• Good business and financial management acumen.
• Project Management

The Council for Geoscience is committed to Employment Equity and diversity. In accordance with the Employment Equity prescripts, preference will be given but not limited to candidates from under-represented designated groups. Females and people from previously disadvantaged groups and sectors are encouraged to apply.

Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates only. If you have not been contacted within eight (8) weeks after the closing date of this advertisement, please consider your application unsuccessful.

All appointments are subject to positive vetting results.

The processing of your personal information by the Council for Geoscience will be done in accordance with the POPI Act 4 of 2013.

For enquiries, please contact us at recruitment@geoscience.org.za. Please note: Applications submitted to this email address and CGS social media platforms will not be considered.

Closing Date: 05 December 2025