Deputy Manager - Lab Quality

Purpose/Objective

The Section in charge - Environmental Laboratory is responsible for overseeing all plant operations related to environmental monitoring, analysis, and regulatory compliance for the copper smelting plant( KCL). This includes managing a team of chemists and technicians, maintaining laboratory accreditations, and ensuring all testing protocols and results meet stringent regulatory and company standards. The role requires balancing operational demands with environmental protection and safety. The role description requires expertise in monitoring and analysis of solid, liquid, and gaseous emission at plant, ambient air quality monitoring, knowledge of environmental regulations, hazardous waste management, analytical chemistry and environment laboratory operations.

Key Responsibilities of Role

1. Environment Laboratory operations - planning and execution: To lead the planning and execution of Environment laboratory testing activities across all units of the copper plant i.e., smelting, refining, SAP, PMR, CCR, ETP, Raw materials and ambient air quality monitoring. - Direct and supervise daily laboratory activities, including scheduling, workflow, and resource allocation. - Develop, implement, and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all environmental sampling and analysis. - Manage the procurement, maintenance, and calibration of laboratory equipment, such as ICP-OES, spectrometers and Stack and ambient monitoring equipment. - Oversee chemical inventory, storage, and hazardous waste disposal according to safety protocols and regulations. - Manpower planning and shift scheduling in a lab involve matching staffing levels with fluctuating workloads, staff skills, and operational needs to maintain efficiency and quality. - Imparting regular training to chemist, covering areas like wet chemical & instrumental analysis and improvement focusing on specific skills, such as laboratory techniques, data analysis through coding, LIMS or process safety. - To work closely with business partners, prioritize clear communication, define roles and responsibilities, and foster a culture of mutual respect and trust. This involves establishing regular check-ins and jointly making decisions for the good of the Env. Lab. performance. - Coordinate with different plant sections to provide real-time analytical support, ensuring smooth production processes. - Optimize laboratory resources, including personnel and equipment, to meet the analytical demands for environment control at all the plant units in a timely manner. 2. Process Optimization and Continuous Improvement: - Drive continuous improvement initiatives in laboratory operations to enhance testing accuracy, reduce turnaround time, and improve workflow efficiency across all plant units. - Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including production, engineering, and quality control, to identify areas of improvement and implement best practices. - Lead projects focused on optimizing laboratory procedures and increasing testing throughput to support the diverse sustainable environment improvements of the copper plant. - Use data analytics to monitor laboratory performance and introduce corrective actions or improvements where necessary. 3. Environmental compliance and monitoring: - Conduct or supervise the analysis of environmental samples, including air emissions, wastewater treatment (ETP) and hazardous waste generated during the smelting and refining process. - Ensure all laboratory activities comply with national and regional environmental guidelines (e.g., GPCB/CPCB/MoEFCC, EPA) and consent conditions. - Validate and interpret analytical data, preparing detailed reports on findings for internal stakeholders. - Promote a safety-first culture by ensuring that all laboratory staff follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and are trained in the latest safety protocols. - Ensure the laboratory’s adherence to environmental regulations, including proper waste disposal and emission controls, to minimize the plant's environmental footprint. 4. Cost Management and Budgeting: - Manage the laboratory’s budget, ensuring cost-effective use of resources while maintaining high-quality testing and analysis. - Track spending on consumables, equipment maintenance, and manpower, ensuring alignment with budgetary constraints. - Identify and implement cost-saving measures by optimizing laboratory processes and reducing material waste across all plant units. - Approve procurement requests for laboratory resources, ensuring timely and cost-efficient procurement of materials and equipment. 5. Resource and Workforce Management: - Manage and allocate laboratory personnel efficiently across the copper plant’s different sections to ensure environmental norms compliance. - Lead workforce development initiatives by providing training and mentorship to laboratory staff, improving their skillsets and performance. - Oversee the inventory management of laboratory consumables, ensuring that all necessary materials are available and restocked as needed. - Foster collaboration between laboratory personnel and other units, ensuring that communication and teamwork are prioritized to maintain smooth operations. 6.Quality control and analysis : - Establish and maintain a robust QA/QC program to ensure all analytical data meets or exceeds industry standards. - Manage laboratory accreditation and certification processes and prepare for internal and external audits. - Conduct internal audits and investigations to identify and correct any non-conformities in testing or data management. 7.Equipment Monitoring and Troubleshooting: - Oversee the maintenance and calibration of laboratory equipment to ensure environmental performance across the plant. - Develop and implement preventive maintenance schedules for laboratory instruments, minimizing equipment downtime and ensuring reliable test results. - Lead troubleshooting efforts for any equipment-related issues, working with the maintenance team to resolve problems quickly. - Ensure all equipment performance data is tracked and analysed for potential improvements and timely repairs. 8.Reporting and Data Analytics: - Ensure that all testing results, equipment performance, and laboratory operations are accurately logged in LIMS and reported to the relevant departments. - Prepare detailed reports on laboratory performance, identifying trends and areas for improvement in testing efficiency and output quality. - Utilize data analytics tools to track laboratory metrics such as testing accuracy, turnaround time, and equipment usage, making data-driven decisions for process improvements. - Provide regular performance reports to senior management, summarizing key insights from laboratory operations across the copper plant. 9.Team leadership and development: - Recruit, train, and mentor a team of chemists and lab technicians. - Foster a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement within the laboratory. - Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing guidance to staff. 10.Collaboration and stakeholder communication: - Work closely with all plants, such as production, ETP, RO and engineering, to address environmental issues and provide technical support. - Work closely with ESG team and environmental contractors for specialized testing or compliance issues. 11.Digitization and Tech Adoption: - Implement digital tools and systems, including Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and SAP, to streamline laboratory workflows and data management. - Leverage digital solutions to automate routine tasks such as sample tracking, reporting, and data logging, enhancing overall operational efficiency. - Ensure the continuous adoption of new laboratory technologies and innovations to support the plant's production and quality needs. - Lead the integration of advanced digital tools to improve process monitoring, data analysis, and reporting, ensuring that the laboratory stays aligned with the plant's digital transformation goals. Internal Stakeholders: Production Maintenance Safety ESG HR Finance External Stakeholders: Regulatory Authorities Suppliers and Vendors Environmental Groups

Technical Competencies

Business Acumen,Consumables Management,Budget Management and Cost Control,Quality Testing Tools and Techniques,Metallurgical and Material Science,Data Analysis and Reporting,HSE Compliance and Regulations,Digitization & Automation

Qualifications and Experience

- Education Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field Master's degree or relevant postgraduate qualification preferred Certification in Quality Management or Quality Assurance Additional certifications in Laboratory Management or Environmental Compliance preferred Work Experience: Minimum of 15 years of experience in Quality Assurance within the Copper Manufacturing industry