Business Unit Manager Food Testing

HOW CAN YOU HELP US

In a nutshell:

We are looking for a hands-on Business Unit Manager (Chemistry) to lead and transform our Food Testing laboratory in Heerenveen. This role is focused on operational excellence cultural transformation and business performance and is well suited to candidates coming from food production laboratory or other highly regulated environments.

What team will you be part of

You will join the Eurofins Food Testing Netherlands organisation working closely with the Commercial Director and reporting into the leadership structure of the site.

The role is based at our site in Heerenveen where multiple food testing business units operate together. 

The site is currently undergoing a significant transition including a move to a new laboratory setup and a strong focus on improving operational performance and team culture.

As Business Unit Manager (Chemistry) you will:

• Take full ownership of the Business Unit P&L driving performance efficiency and profitability
• Lead day-to-day operations of the laboratory ensuring high-quality delivery and turnaround times
• Drive a cultural transformation shifting the team towards a more proactive accountable and performance-driven way of working
• Build structure through KPI management data-driven decision making and continuous improvement initiatives
• Lead and develop a team of 40 employees (indirect) through strong visible hands-on leadership
• Ensure business continuity and customer satisfaction maintaining strong relationships with key clients
• Collaborate closely with the Commercial Director to align operational delivery with customer needs and growth ambitions
• Support the transition to the new laboratory setup ensuring stability while improving performance
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve efficiency processes and overall site performance

Qualifications :

Are you our kind of extraordinary

You are a hands-on operational leader with strong business acumen and the ability to drive change in a complex environment.

Your profile includes:

• Experience in operational leadership roles (e.g. Site Manager Operations Manager Business Unit Manager)
• Proven experience with P&L responsibility and financial management
• Strong background in regulated environments such as food production laboratories life sciences or pharmaceuticals
• Experience leading teams of 3050 employees
• A hands-on leadership style with the ability to drive accountability and performance
• Experience with change management / turnaround situations
• Strong understanding of KPIs processes and operational efficiency
• Ability to work in a fast-paced performance-driven environment
• Affinity with scientific or technical environments (chemistry/lab knowledge is a plus)

Education:

• Bachelors or Masters degree in a relevant field (e.g. Food Life Sciences Engineering Business)

Languages:

• Fluent Dutch (mandatory)
• English proficiency

Location:

• Based in Heerenveen Netherlands (5 days onsite)

Additional Information :

We support your development! Do you feel like you dont match 100% of the requirements Dont hesitate to apply anyway! Eurofins companies are committed to supporting your career development.

Weembracediversity! As an Equal Opportunity Employer the Eurofins network of companies believes in strength and innovation through diversity. We prohibit discrimination against employees or applications based on gender identity and/or expression race nationality age religion sexual orientation disability and everything else that makes employees of Eurofins companies unique.

Find out more on our Careers page: description:Eurofins Scientific is an international network of independent life sciences companies providing a unique range of analytical testing services to clients across multiple industries to make life and our environment safer healthier and more sustainable. From the food you eat to the water you drink to the medicines you rely on Eurofins laboratories work with the biggest companies in the world to ensure the products they supply are safe their ingredients are authentic and labelling is accurate.
The Eurofins network of companies believes that it is a global leader in food environment pharmaceutical and cosmetic product testing and in discovery pharmacology forensics advanced material sciences and agroscience contract research services. It is also one of the market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics and in the support of clinical studies as well as in biopharma contract development and manufacturing. It also has a rapidly developing presence in highly specialised and molecular clinical diagnostic testing and in-vitro diagnostic products.

In under 40 years Eurofins has grown from one laboratory in Nantes France to over 65000 employees across a decentralised and entrepreneurial network of over 950 laboratories in over 1000 independent companies across 59 countries. Eurofins companies offer a portfolio of over 200000 analytical methods to evaluate the safety identity composition authenticity origin traceability and purity of biological substances and products.

The Eurofins network generated EUR 7.296 billion revenues in FY 2025 and has been one of the fastest growing listed European companies for almost three decades.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time