Onsite Supervisor
vwr · Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The Opportunity:
In this role, you will report to the Territory Area Manager and will work closely with the Avantor’s Advanced Laboratory Services professionals to serve our customers by performing customized, mission-based lab work and research protocols that help return time back to science.
Location: Boston, MA
Shift: Monday - Friday (1st shift)
Salary range: $80,000 - $85,000 annually, plus eligibility for up to a 5% annual bonus
Benefits:
Health & Wellness
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
- Wellness programs
- Eligible for medical coverage starting Day 1
Time Off
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- Company-paid holidays
- Choice holidays
Financial Well-Being
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Commuter benefits
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Tuition assistance
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan discount
What we’re looking for
Education:
• High school diploma or equivalent required; Higher Education degree in supply chain, business, or life sciences preferred
Experience:
• 5-7 years of experience in laboratory services, warehouse, logistics, or inventory management operations, experience working within a cGMP supply chain environment and/or with GMP regulations required.
• 2-3 years of formal supervisory experience with direct reports and full performance management responsibility
• Documented experience leading operational improvement initiatives
• Experience in a client-embedded services or regulated facility environment
Technical Skills:
• Proficiency with inventory management systems (SAP, Workday, LIMS, Oracle or equivalent) including reporting and analytics modules
• Intermediate Excel skills including pivot tables, lookup functions and basic data analysis
• Ability to analyze operational data and communicate findings to non-technical audiences
• Working knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma)
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Typically works in a customer or office environment with adequate lighting and ventilation and a normal range of temperature and noise level. May involve site visits to customer laboratories and warehouses. The role requires the associate to talk, hear, sit, stand, walk, and use a computer for extended periods.
• Sit and use a computer for extended periods.
• Walk customer facilities during site visits.
• Occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds (12kg).
How you will thrive and create an impact
Avantor’s Advanced Laboratory 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:
Site Operations Leadership
• Own day-to-day operational delivery for the assigned site or functional scope, including scheduling, task prioritization, exception management and daily warehouse operations management in a cGMP environment.
• Set and communicate daily, weekly and monthly operational goals aligned to site and account-level plans
• Monitor real-time operational dashboards; reallocate resources proactively to maintain service levels
• Lead daily huddles and weekly operations reviews with the team and client contacts
• Serve as the escalation point of contact for operational issues during assigned shift and on-call periods
• Coordinate cross-functional responses to high-priority or high-impact customer requests
Workflow Design & Continuous Improvement
• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce non-value-added steps, and improve service quality
• Design and pilot workflow changes within authority; document and institutionalize successful improvements
• Recommend broader enhancements requiring Operations Manager or client approval, with supporting data and business case
• Lead or participate in site-level continuous improvement projects using structured problem-solving methods
• Partner with peer supervisors across the account to standardize effective practices
• Track and report improvement outcomes on productivity, quality, and client satisfaction metrics
Operational Problem Solving & Analysis
• Analyze operational data including service level reports, cycle count variances, and customer feedback to identify trends and root causes
• Develop and implement practical solutions for operational issues within scope of authority
• Escalate issues requiring broader intervention with fully developed root-cause analysis and proposed corrective actions
• Partner with Quality and Compliance teams on CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) activities
• Facilitate structured problem-solving sessions with the team (5-Why, Fishbone, or similar)
Performance Management & Talent Development
• Conduct performance reviews, goal setting, and development conversations for all direct reports on the Avantor HR cycle
• Identify and develop high-potential associates; maintain an active advancement pipeline for peer-level and roles
• Design and deliver team-level development activities including cross-training plans and skill-building exercises
• Lead or support hiring activities for associate and specialist roles; participate in interview panels for peer supervisor openings
• Partner with HR on complex employee relations matters, performance improvement plans, and progressive discipline
• Recognize strong performance formally and informally; nominate team members for awards and advancement
Vendor & External Partner Coordination
• Serve as the site-level point of contact for key vendors and third-party logistics partners
• Coordinate inbound delivery schedules, resolve shipment exceptions, and manage vendor performance issues within scope
• Participate in vendor performance reviews alongside the Operations Manager and Procurement
• Ensure vendor activities on-site comply with client access, safety and quality protocols
• Escalate vendor performance concerns to the Operations Manager with supporting documentation
Client Relationship Management
• Serve as a primary day-to-day relationship holder with client lab management and site leadership
• Lead regular operational reviews with client stakeholders, presenting service level performance and improvement initiatives
• Capture, log and respond to client feedback, service requests and complaints within defined SLAs
• Support account-level business reviews alongside the Operations Manager with analysis and site-specific insights
• Participate in client audits and regulatory inspections as the site operational lead
Safety, Quality & Compliance Oversight
• Own site-level safety performance for the assigned team; lead incident investigation and CAPA implementation
• Conduct regular documented safety walk-throughs and partner with client safety teams on joint audits
• Ensure all training certifications are current across the team; prevent assignment of work to associates with lapsed qualifications
• Lead team engagement in hazard identification and near-miss reporting
• Participate in internal Avantor quality audits and client-led compliance reviews
Workforce Planning & Budget Support
• Partner with the Operations Manager on site-level workforce planning, including headcount forecasting and schedule design
• Review and approve timecards, overtime, and PTO requests within approved budget parameters
• Monitor labor hours, overtime trends, and productivity metrics; flag variances with recommended actions
• Support preparation of site-level operating budget inputs and contribute to account-level financial reviews
• Manage small discretionary spend (team supplies, minor equipment) within delegated authority
Administrative & Reporting
• Compile and deliver weekly and monthly site operational reports for internal and client leadership
• Maintain accurate personnel