Laboratory Transition User Co-ordinator LMS 1692

The London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS) is a Medical Research Council funded research institute at the Hammersmith Hospital campus (London W12) of Imperial College London, with around 400 biomedical researchers undertaking multidisciplinary and internationally-competitive science.

For more information, visit www.lms.mrc.ac.uk.

Overall Purpose:

The LMS is preparing to transition a large part of the institute’s activity to a new building in 2022. The post-holder will be responsible for co-ordinating and enabling a programme of work to be undertaken by LMS research groups and facilities in preparation for the move. The post-holder will provide the key interface between the move contractors / move planners and the LMS users, interpreting and developing guidance, responding to queries and ensuring that problems are resolved in a timely way. The post-holder will also be a key point of contact for the Construction team and will report on the laboratory transition programme to the senior leadership team at LMS.

Once the physical transition is complete, the post-holder will work with the LMS Head of Operations and the Head of Laboratory Management to ensure that there is a smooth transition to new ways of working. 

Main Duties / Key Responsibilities:

Develop an excellent understanding of the transition programme and a strong working relationship with the external team of move planners and contractors.

Become the main point of contact for the laboratory transition programme within LMS, providing advice and guidance, co-ordinating activities and motivating users to play their part in the overall programme of activity.

Liaise with users to respond to queries or requests for information from the Move Team (and vice versa).

Co-ordinate and provide support for all internal activities that need to be undertaken in the months prior to transition. Ensure that data from all institute groupings is returned to the Move Planners in a timely manner. Areas of activity include:

• Equipment planning (placement of equipment within rooms, requirement for replacement items, co-ordination across and between floors)
• Engagement with specialist vendors for physical move of sensitive equipment
• Laboratory audits of chemicals and other materials
• Office audits
• Laboratory clear down programme and identification of unwanted items
• Space planning across and between floors (detailed locations)

Provide organisational and practical support to progress the transition plan. This will include:

• Organising user group meetings, ensuring constructive debate and negotiating compromises to reach practical solutions
• Co-ordinating activities across floors and ensuring that best practice among groups of users are disseminated
• Supporting floor champions to deliver the data required from their floor
• Ensuring engagement from floor, lab and facility champions
• Keeping the senior leadership team alerted to problems and issues

Additionally:

• Work with the Move Planners and users to implement the programmes for packing and for the physical move
• Represent the Laboratory Transition Programme on the wider Transition Planning Group
• Engage with other Transition Planning Workstreams, particularly Health and Safety, Laboratory Services and Estates to ensure alignment
• Become a key point of contact for the Construction project mangers for queries requiring input from LMS building users. Engage proactively with users as necessary to provide responses and relay these to the Construction project team.

Following the physical transition, continue to liaise with building users and work with the Head of Operations and Head of Laboratory Services to ensure a smooth transition to new ways of working. Duties will include development of and adjustments to SOPs, co-ordinating new ways of working, undertaking project-based work to improve the operational processes.

Education / Qualifications/ Training required (will be assessed from application form):

Essential:

• BSc or equivalent in a scientific subject, project management qualification

Previous work experience required (will be assessed from application form and at interview):

Essential:

• Experience of working in a Biological Sciences research environment
• Project management experience
• Experience of working in a multi-stakeholder environment on complex projects
• Proven track record in managing projects with multiple workstreams and stakeholders
• Experience of working on a relocation programme or a complex operational transition/change programme
• Experience of working with groups to negotiate solutions that may involve compromise
• Understanding of the UK academic research environment

Personal skills / behaviours /qualities (will be assessed from application form and at interview):

Essential:

• Proven strength and quality of leadership and ability to co-ordinate groups of people to carry out different tasks
• The ability to operate autonomously
• Good communication and interpersonal skills, able to engage with people at all levels inside and outside the LMS
• Strong negotiation & influencing skills
• Good organisational and problem solving skills
• Excellent time management with the ability to prioritise work streams as they become apparent

Desirable:

• Knowledge and understanding of the scientific research environment and current pressures on scientific research organisations