Facilities & Operations Lead (12-month FTC)

Engitix is a London-based biotechnology company pioneering drug discovery in fibrosis and solid tumours through its proprietary human extracellular matrix (ECM) platform. Working from bespoke laboratory and office space at White City Place, and with active partnerships spanning major pharmaceutical collaborators, Engitix is scaling its scientific operations as it advances its portfolio toward clinical development. 

The Role
We are seeking an experienced Facilities & Operations Lead to join Engitix on a 12-month contract, providing operational leadership across laboratory operations, facilities, health and safety, quality/compliance, and business continuity. This is a hands-on, high-visibility role for someone who can operate strategically while also getting into the detail -  ensuring our scientific teams have safe, well-equipped, compliant, and resilient facilities in which to do their best work. 

You will act as a trusted operational partner across the business, and as a senior point of escalation for facilities, safety and operational risk. 

Key Responsibilities 

Laboratory & Scientific Operations 

• Provide strategic oversight of laboratory operations, ensuring scientific teams have appropriate facilities, equipment, materials and operational support
• Develop laboratory capacity and infrastructure plans aligned to current and future scientific requirements, leading the planning, procurement, installation and qualification of new laboratory equipment and infrastructure
• Ensure critical laboratory equipment is covered by appropriate maintenance, monitoring, backup and contingency arrangements

Quality, Governance & Compliance 

• Partner closely with IT, Biospecimens, and Data Integrity teams to strengthen the company's operational governance and compliance framework, ensuring operational activities are underpinned by appropriate policies, SOPs, risk assessments, records and controls
• Maintain audit readiness and support internal, external, partner and regulatory audits, overseeing operational change controls, deviations, CAPAs and risk-mitigation activities
• Support compliance with relevant standards, including HTA requirements, ISO 27001 and data integrity; monitor compliance and report significant risks, gaps and improvement plans

Health, Safety & Facilities 

• Provide oversight of the company's health and safety management arrangements, ensuring robust systems for risk assessments, COSHH, incident management, emergency response, inspections and training
• Act as senior escalation point for significant facilities, safety and operational incidents, reviewing incidents and near misses, identify trends and ensure corrective actions are implemented
• Manage relationships with landlords, facilities providers, contractors and specialist consultants, to ensure laboratory and office environments remain safe, compliant, secure and fit for business needs

Business Continuity & Risk Management 

• Own or coordinate operational business-continuity and disaster-recovery arrangements, periodically testing continuity arrangements and embedding lessons learned into improvement plans
• Develop contingency plans for critical equipment, utilities, facilities, suppliers, systems and personnel; coordinate operational response to significant incidents; and support crisis-management activities
• Lead business-impact assessments and operational risk reviews and provide senior management with clear visibility of operational risks and mitigation priorities

People & Stakeholder Leadership 

• Lead, manage and develop a Laboratory Manager, setting clear objectives and supporting professional development
• Act as a trusted operational adviser to scientific leaders and programme teams
• Maintain a responsive, accountable and service-oriented Operations function

We're looking for someone who combines strategic operational leadership with genuine hands-on credibility in a regulated laboratory environment. You will likely have: 

• Proven experience leading facilities and/or operations functions within a biotech, pharma, or scientific research organisation
• Strong working knowledge of laboratory operations, equipment lifecycle management, and infrastructure planning
• Experience operating within a regulated compliance environment (e.g. HTA, ISO standards, GxP, or equivalent), with a track record of audit readiness
• Solid understanding of health and safety management systems, including COSHH and incident/emergency response
• Confidence managing external relationships (landlords, contractors, consultants, suppliers) and internal cross-functional partnerships
• Excellent judgement, discretion and the ability to act as a calm, credible escalation point during incidents
• Desirable: experience aligning internal processes with ISO 9001 requirements; IOSH, IATA, Biological Safety Officer, First Aid, Fire Marshal certifications