Head of Chemistry

Head of Chemistry | 12 Month FTC (Maternity Cover)

Kettering, Northamptonshire

Full Time | 37.5 Hours Per Week

Competitive Salary + Excellent Benefits

100% site based

Are you an experienced chemistry leader with a passion for people development, technical excellence and commercial growth?

We're supporting a leading UK testing, certification and research organisation in the recruitment of a Head of Chemistry to lead a well-established and highly regarded chemistry function on a 12-month maternity cover contract.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a multidisciplinary laboratory operation, leading a team of around 20 scientific professionals while helping shape the future direction of the department.

The Opportunity

You will provide strategic and operational leadership across the chemistry division, ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality testing services while driving commercial growth, innovation and continuous improvement.

The laboratory is equipped with a range of analytical instrumentation including GC-MS, HPLC and LC-MS and supports clients across consumer product sectors through testing, compliance and certification services.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading, motivating and developing a team of managers, scientists and technicians

Driving departmental growth through business development and market engagement

Supporting sales and marketing initiatives to increase market share

Maintaining technical excellence and regulatory compliance

Managing UKAS-accredited activities and scope development

Building and maintaining strong relationships with industry stakeholders, customers and regulatory bodies

Championing continuous improvement, quality and health & safety standards

Contributing technical expertise through webinars, publications and industry engagement

About You

We're keen to speak with candidates who can demonstrate:

Proven experience leading and developing high-performing technical teams

A strong chemistry, laboratory or scientific testing background

Commercial awareness and experience supporting business growth

Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills

The ability to translate technical expertise into strategic business outcomes

Experience managing quality systems within a regulated environment

Strong organisational and leadership capabilities

Degree qualified in Chemistry or a related scientific discipline

Experience working within accredited laboratory environments

What's On Offer?

Generous annual leave allowance

Company pension scheme

Life assurance

Income protection

Free onsite parking

Opportunity to lead an established and respected scientific team

Exposure to international projects and industry-leading technical work

If you're an ambitious chemistry leader looking for a role where you can influence strategy, develop people and drive commercial success, we'd love to hear from you.

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