Director of DNA

Eurofins Forensic Services (EFS) is the largest forensic service provider in the UK and Europe. We are part of Eurofins Scientific, which is an international life sciences company, providing a unique range of analytical testing services to clients across multiple industries, to make life and our environment safer, healthier and more sustainable. From the food you eat, to the water you drink, to the medicines you rely on and forensics. Eurofins laboratories work with the biggest companies in the world to ensure the products they supply are safe, their ingredients are authentic, and labelling is accurate. Eurofins is dedicated to delivering testing services that contribute to the health and safety of society and the planet, and to its corporate responsibility to protect the environment and ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion across the entire network of Eurofins companies.

In over 35 years, Eurofins has grown from one laboratory in Nantes, France to 61,000 staff across a decentralised and entrepreneurial network of ca. 900 laboratories in 61 countries. Eurofins companies offer a portfolio of over 200,000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin, traceability and purity of biological substances and products. In 2022, Eurofins generated total revenues of EUR 6.7 billion and has been among the best performing stocks in Europe over the past 20 years.

We are currently recruiting for Director of DNA to join our fantastic team at our site based in Abingdon or Birchwood Park. If you are passionate about a rewarding career in Forensic testing and want to use your expertise to its full potential, then this is a great opportunity to join a well-established and successful market leading company with over 30 years’ experience in providing Forensic Services to the Police forces of England and Wales, as well as other commercial organisations and public sector bodies.

The successful candidate will also be expected to:

• Manage the DNA Service Line and associated BU’s across EFS and CFS to ensure all resources are used effectively and efficiently to maximise performance and improve service delivery.
• Lead and deliver the cross business line DNA consolidation and harmonisation objectives within the UK and the wider European Business Line including significant internal and external stakeholder management.
• Drive a customer first internal culture, working with the Director of E&R, Technical Director, Commercial Director and Account Managers to align approaches to improve customer satisfaction, overall quality and share of customer wallet.
• Determine and deliver the short, medium and long term strategy for DNA provision with the UK Business Line in conjunction with MD, Commercial Director,  Director E&R,  and Technical Director.
• Providing strategic leadership, planning, oversight and accountability for quality systems and processes to comply with the Forensic Science Regulator’s statutory Code of Practice.
• Develop strategic relationships with new and existing stakeholders and commercial organisations to ensure the provision of a forensic service that sets new standards in terms of partnership, innovation, performance outcomes, customer satisfaction and value for money.
• Build and sustain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Create alignment, remove barriers, improve communication, and facilitate effective collaboration with other teams internally and externally.
• The preparation of the budget including monitoring and management of DNA BU related budgets, ensuring effective financial planning, reporting on income and expenditure against the budget.
• Ensuring managers and teams understand organisational goals and initiatives.
• Lead a culture of improvement and innovation whilst maintaining effective performance and high standards of service to the public.
• Ensuring that the delivery of DNA services within EFS and CFS contribute to the achievement of objectives, reflects priorities, and can demonstrate year on year improvements in efficiency and effectiveness.
• Keeping abreast of national developments and change programmes, influencing direction and ensuring that the DNA  service line directly benefits from supported initiatives.

This is a truly exciting time to begin or continue your career with our first-class business, as a Director of DNA you will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and managing the DNA service line. This includes ensuring the continuous development and delivery of comprehensive, high-quality, and effective forensic capabilities to all internal and external stakeholders, in alignment with the Forensic Science Regulator’s Statutory Codes and National Policing plans and objectives.

Required Knowledge, Experience and Technical Skills

• Excellent understanding of UK Forensics regulatory and accreditation requirements
• Excellent understanding of Forensic processes, and the methods and technologies underpinning Forensics toxicology, Forensic DNA and other Forensics analysis
• Strong leadership and management by influencing skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with individuals at different levels within Eurofins as well as with senior clients and industry stakeholders
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

• Educated to degree level or possess an appropriate professional experience at Executive/Director
• Proven experience at a senior level in leadership and management of across multi-disciplined units with a proven track record in the management of service performance delivering service improvement, designated quality standards and criminal justice sector.
• Experience of managing a complex multi-million-pound budget across revenue and capital work streams including a clear understanding of the procurement of services.
• Proven experience of managing externally provided complex contracts both external and in-sourced from a financial and performance perspective.
• Proven ability to influence decision-making at a strategic level and in building relationships within multi-organisational teams, with external agencies and with key stakeholders and partners.
• Proven ability to turn strategic aims and objectives into effective plans that have been implemented and which have delivered excellent public service.
• Proven experience of project delivery being able to demonstrate successful management and coordination of budgets, employees and stakeholders for the realisation of benefits.

Person Specification

The job holder must be able to demonstrate the following behaviours in line with Eurofins Forensic Services values:

• Customer Focus
• Quality
• Competence
• Team Spirit
• Integrity    

Due to the highly sensitive nature of the work, applicants should note that security clearance is required for this role. To gain security clearance you must have five years continuous residency in the UK. Security clearance is undertaken by a third party to police personnel vetting standards (NPPV/3 and SC), as such any criminal convictions may prevent you from gaining security clearance. Further information on the security clearance process and requirement can be found at https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/police-forces/warwickshire-police/areas/warwickshire-police/about-us/about-us/police-national-vetting-service/. In addition, all successful applicants will be required to undertake drug and alcohol testing prior to commencing employment.

In return for your hard work and loyal service, we will offer you a competitive salary, and a selection of employee benefits via our flexible benefits menu which includes cycle to work, give as you earn, volunteering days, buy and sell holiday. In addition, we also offer the following:

• Life Assurance (3 times annual salary)
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Bonus Scheme.
• Scottish Widows Company Pension Plan
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing to a maximum of 30 days)
• Employee length of service awards and yearly recognition schemes, celebrating work anniversaries here at EFS.
• Employee tech scheme
• Discount vouchers and flexi reward points on our employee wellness hub
• Everyone who joins EFS will have access to Perkbox allowing you to save money all year round on a wide range of perks such as supermarket savings, days out or your daily coffee
• Learning and study support
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Health Cash Plan membership
• Enhanced company sick, maternity and paternity pay scheme
• Refer a friend scheme
• Subscription to mental health support and wellbeing
• Free on-site car parking