Job Description Summary:
The Laboratory Shift Manager is a key member of the wider site management team and plays an important role in driving Quality Assurance and Food Safety standards within Coca-Cola Ballina. This role is responsible for leading, developing, and motivating a multi-skilled laboratory team, ensuring that all QA laboratory activities are delivered effectively to support plant operations and maintain the highest standards of quality and food safety. The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues across the site and will also contribute to the wider CPS Global Laboratory Network through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and alignment with global laboratory standards and initiatives.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys combining people leadership with technical and operational responsibility in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. As this is a shift-based role, flexibility is required.
What You’ll Do for Us
- Maintain safety systems within the Laboratory.
- Lead and motivate a multi-skilled Laboratory team and ensure the efficient delivery of all Laboratory activities to schedule.
- Ensure that all ingredients, finished products and intermediate products are tested and released in accordance with procedures set forth in The Coca-Cola Company Requirements.
- Implementation of Company requirements to ensure compliance with the policies, procedures, and practices of The Coca-Cola Company
- Ensure compliance to ISO 17025 Laboratory Management Systems.
- Implementation and management of Laboratory GLP (Good Laboratory Practices) requirements.
- Management of the Laboratory Training requirements and Corrective Action Program.
- Embed operational excellence and a continuous improvement culture within the laboratory to deliver improvements through lean principles and systems.
- Ensure processes and equipment validation are carried out in accordance with company and regulatory requirements.
- Management of the Internal/ external audit program, liaising with corporate and external registrars/governmental agencies
- Development of associate competencies/skills ensuring the highest levels of engagement and team capability.
- Develop and implement Performance Development plans for associates.
- Provide support to plant wide improvement activities and lean initiatives.
- Participate in local, regional and global distributed work teams as required.
- Management of the Laboratory consumable and Equipment VMI.
Qualification & Requirements
- A Degree in either Food Science, Chemistry, Biochemistry or a related Life Science discipline.
- People management / Supervisory experience required.
- Minimum 5 years Laboratory or QA industrial experience.
- Familiarity with ISO/IEC 17025 : 2017 requirements.
- Qualification in Continuous Improvement is desirable.
- Proven ability to work with SAP enterprise system.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Analytical decision making and problem solving skills.
- Ability to manage multiple conflicting demands and to prioritize accordingly.
- Flexible and able to travel at short notice. 5-10%, regional (Europe, Eurasia & Africa) and global travel.
- Experience in testing and release of ingredients and final products.
- Proven ability to operate on a global stage interacting with culturally diverse colleagues.
- Fluent written and spoken English and strong communication skills required.
What We Can Do For You
- Purpose Driven: Purpose driven approach that empowers our people to protect the environment and communities we serve while delivering safe & quality products.
- Global Connections: Allows you to develop, enhance and maintain global connections that allow us to move faster and learn from others.
- Community of Belonging: We’re an organization that believes our ability to continually grow and build the right atmosphere where people feel safe and empowered, lets you bring your best self to work.
Skills:
ISO 14000, ISO 18000, Microsoft Office, Six Sigma, Troubleshooting, Waterfall Model
Location(s):
Ireland
City/Cities:
Ballina
Travel Required:
00% - 25%
Relocation Provided:
No
Job Posting End Date:
July 29, 2026
Our Purpose and Growth Culture:
We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.