General Manager, Personal Care & Cosmetics Laboratory

Position Summary

Certified Group is seeking a General Manager to lead its Personal Care & Cosmetics laboratory operations in Burbank, CA. This executive-level role carries full responsibility for site operations, financial performance, technical execution, and regulatory compliance.

The General Manager will drive business performance within a GMP-regulated environment, lead a high-performing technical and operational team, and ensure exceptional client service. This role holds full P&L ownership and is accountable for operational excellence, quality systems, employee engagement, and long-term strategic growth.

The ideal candidate brings strong business acumen and proven site leadership, combined with deep technical expertise in analytical chemistry-particularly near-expert knowledge of chromatographic operations. This individual must confidently guide technical decision-making, assess analytical challenges, and communicate risks, root causes, and solutions effectively.

ResponsibilitiesStrategic & Site Leadership

• Lead overall site strategy, performance, and growth initiatives
• Develop and execute annual operating and business plans
• Drive continuous improvement across operations, quality, and technical capabilities
• Serve as the senior escalation point for operational, technical, quality, and client issues
• Align site strategy with long-term growth across personal care, cosmetics, OTC, and regulated testing
• Integrate commercial priorities with operational execution and sound scientific judgment

Financial & Business Performance

• Own full site P&L, including revenue growth, margins, and EBITDA
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes
• Monitor KPIs such as utilization, turnaround time, productivity, and capacity
• Partner with commercial teams on client retention, pricing, and growth opportunities
• Support capital investments in instrumentation, automation, and infrastructure
• Evaluate financial performance in the context of laboratory operations and technical complexity

Quality & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure compliance with GMP and applicable regulatory standards
• Maintain inspection readiness and lead audits (regulatory and client)
• Champion data integrity, documentation, and quality system effectiveness
• Ensure methods are scientifically sound and properly validated/verified
• Oversee investigations (OOS/OOT, deviations, CAPA) and technical issue resolution
• Lead in complex technical scenarios involving chromatography, method performance, and data quality
• Foster a culture of compliance, accountability, and scientific rigor

Operational Management

• Oversee laboratory functions including Chemistry, Microbiology, Stability, and Sample Management
• Align staffing and resources to meet operational and business needs
• Optimize workflows to improve efficiency, turnaround time, and quality
• Ensure proper equipment, methods, training, and controls are in place
• Drive improvements in instrument utilization, sample flow, and cross-functional coordination
• Support expansion of technical capabilities (e.g., LC, GC, wet chemistry)
• Maintain strong technical oversight of chromatography-driven operations

Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead and develop a cross-functional leadership team
• Build a high-performance, accountable, and engaged culture
• Drive succession planning and talent development initiatives
• Promote safety, collaboration, and continuous learning
• Mentor teams in technical problem-solving, troubleshooting, and decision-making
• Ensure strong competency in analytical chemistry, chromatography, and GMP practices
• Establish high standards for analytical rigor and data-driven decisions

QualificationsEducation

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or related scientific field (required)
• Advanced degree (M.S., Ph.D.) and/or MBA (preferred)

Experience

• 10+ years of leadership experience in a GMP-regulated laboratory environment
• Experience as a General Manager, Site Leader, Laboratory Director, or similar role
• Demonstrated P&L ownership and financial management expertise
• Proven experience with regulatory inspections and client audits
• Background in personal care, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, biotech, OTC, or contract lab services (preferred)
• Strong experience leading analytical chemistry operations, including chromatography and wet chemistry
• Deep technical expertise in chromatographic systems (HPLC, UPLC, GC, GC-MS, LC-MS, LC-MS/MS)
• Proven ability to troubleshoot, interpret data, and lead root cause investigations
• Strong foundation in classical/wet chemistry techniques

Core Competencies

• Executive leadership and strategic thinking
• Financial and operational acumen
• Deep knowledge of GMP quality systems
• Advanced expertise in analytical chemistry and chromatography
• Strong technical judgment and problem-solving ability
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly
• Client-focused mindset
• Change leadership and organizational development
• Executive presence and strong communication skills