Team Lead

In this role, you will report to the supervisor of site services and will work closely with the Avantor’s Lab and Production Services professionals to serve our customers by performing customized, mission-based lab work and research protocols that help return time back to science.

Location: Hillsboro, OR

Shifts: Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm (Option to start earlier)

What we’re looking for  

• Education: High school diploma or GED is required.
• Experience: 2+ years in a customer-facing environment - material handling, inventory control, customer service, or procurement
• Collaboration Tool: Microsoft Teams experience preferred
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office
• Must be able to lift 50lbs
• Previous experience working in a GMP facility is strongly desired
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• In lieu of the above, 2 years of VWRCATALYST experience
• Lean Six Sigma experience is a plus
• Industry-recognized or regional equivalent certification in safety, supply chain, hazardous-material transportation, process improvement, or project Management
• Experience with improvement project leadership, customer business reviews, supplier performance management, quality audits, and corrective actions within inventory
• 6+ years in a regulated inventory, material management, or supply chain role with progressive leadership responsibilities is a plus
• Advanced spreadsheet, presentation, and data-analysis skills
• Strong knowledge of chemical storage, labeling, Safety Data Sheets, stock rotation, and variance investigation

How you will thrive and create an impact  

Avantor’s Lab and Production Services team is a crucial part of the Avantor Services group serving over 500 customers in biopharma, pharmaceutical, educational, industrial, and high-tech industries with customizable, flexible solutions and end-to-end laboratory operations support.

In this role you will:

Strategic Operational Coordination

• Coordinate day-to-day inventory and material management activities, including receiving, storage, distribution, sourcing, and cycle counting.
• Develop daily, weekly, and monthly operational schedules and allocate resources, tasks, and priorities based on customer needs, volume, and deadlines.
• Serve as the on-site operational authority during supervisor absences within delegated authority.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve coverage and operational challenges.
• Provide recommendations on staffing, operations, process improvements, and customer needs.

Stakeholder Management and Customer Engagement

• Build relationships with senior customer stakeholders and serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day service discussions and escalations.
• Translate customer objectives into operational priorities, anticipate service risks, and recommend solutions.
• Lead or coordinate cross-functional meetings with customer departments and suppliers.
• Contribute operational data and insights to customer business reviews, renewal discussions, and scope evaluations.
• Manage customer expectations during service disruptions, operational changes, and transitions.

Advanced Sourcing and Supply Chain Coordination

• Coordinate sourcing for complex, high-value, critical, and emergency material requirements.
• Analyze usage trends, lead times, and supplier performance to recommend inventory and sourcing strategies.
• Coordinate supplier discussions regarding pricing, delivery schedules, and service terms within delegated authority.
• Support supplier performance reviews and vendor scorecards, resolve escalated supplier issues, and identify cost and waste-reduction opportunities.
• Provide sourcing recommendations to management.

Team Leadership and Development

• Provide daily direction, coaching, performance feedback, and direct or indirect supervision where delegated.
• Coordinate onboarding, training, cross-training, and employee development activities.
• Conduct skills assessments, identify development gaps, and mentor less experienced coordinators and specialists.
• Provide documented input into performance reviews and address interpersonal or team-related issues.

Operational Reporting and Analytics

• Develop reports and dashboards covering inventory, service, productivity, attendance, training, and safety metrics.
• Analyze operational data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Prepare trend analyses, action plans, and data-driven recommendations for customer reviews, resource allocation, and process changes.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation and track operational and improvement outcomes.

Inventory Control and Quality Assurance

• Coordinate cycle-count programs, physical inventories, customer validations, and inventory accuracy controls.
• Review variance investigations and monitor data integrity across inventory transactions and records.
• Coordinate responses to audit findings, customer complaints, and corrective actions.
• Ensure inventory and storage processes meet applicable quality requirements and conduct periodic storage-area reviews.

Safety, Compliance and Regulatory Coordination

• Ensure team compliance with applicable occupational health, safety, transportation, environmental, and site requirements.
• Coordinate safety training, certifications, recertifications, meetings, and briefings.
• Conduct and document safety inspections and coordinate incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Serve as liaison with customer safety and compliance contacts.
• Monitor regulatory changes and coordinate required procedural updates.

Continuous Improvement and Process Optimization

• Lead or coordinate improvement initiatives focused on measurable gains in efficiency, accuracy, cost control, and service performance.
• Apply structured improvement methods to identify waste, standardize work, and support process redesign.
• Coordinate implementation of process and technology changes across the team.
• Benchmark performance, share best practices, and contribute to procedure development.
• Measure and report improvement results.

Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.
 
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.
 
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!

EEO Statement:

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at recruiting@avantorsciences.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the Know Your Rights poster.

Privacy Policy:

We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.
 

Your privacy is important to us. Please click here for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.

3rd Party Non-Solicitation Policy:

By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.