Job Description
Job Description
The Biotech Institute is a young, innovative hybrid academic–biotech institute that develops and applies cutting-edge technologies to solve pertinent problems in the health, agriculture, food and education sectors. Our portfolio spans clinical diagnostics (including cancer genomics and infectious-disease testing), next-generation sequencing services, a SADCAS-accredited (ISO/IEC 17025:2017) food safety and hygiene laboratory, and research and development, delivered across two branches in Harare.
We are looking for a mature, self-driven professional to run the day-to-day operations of the Institute across all disciplines and both branches. The Coordinator owns the support functions that keep the laboratories working — human-resources administration, facilities, IT, events and the coordination of reception and client services with finance and the laboratories — and is accountable for running each of them to the Institute's written procedures so that the scientists can focus on the science. Procurement and stores are run by the Client Services, Reception and Procurement Officer; the Coordinator supervises that the procedure is followed. The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer and works closely with the Laboratory Managers, the Finance Officer and the quality team.
Duties and Responsibilities
• Operating to procedure: run the reception, client-services, HR, facilities and IT functions in accordance with the Institute's controlled procedures; supervise the staff in those functions, including the officer responsible for procurement and stores; raise any deviation into the quality system and implement the corrective actions assigned to Operations.
• Improving the support processes: identify where an administrative, HR or client-service procedure or form is missing, unclear or not working, draft the revision or new document, and submit it for approval and issue through the Institute's document-control process; train staff on the issued version.
• Coordination across departments and branches: ensure that reception, finance, client services and the laboratories (clinical diagnostics, food safety & hygiene, NGS, R&D) hand work over to each other correctly — sample registration, quotations and payment clearance, turnaround-time tracking, report dispatch and invoicing — and resolve bottlenecks.
• Human resources administration: run onboarding (contracts, orientation, confidentiality and conflict-of-interest declarations, induction scheduling) and off-boarding (hand-over, access revocation, exit records); maintain personnel files, leave records and the staff register; follow up employee KPIs, probation and appraisal cycles with line managers; coordinate recruitment, graduate-trainee and attachment intakes.
• Facilities and assets: oversee facility maintenance, cleaning, security, utilities, vehicles and service contractors at both branches;
• Client services: supervise enquiry logs, quotations, feedback and complaint intake; make sure clients receive timely, professional responses and that feedback and complaints are passed into the quality system and to management review.
• External events and representation: plan and coordinate the Institute's participation in exhibitions, conferences and stakeholder events (for example ZITF, cancer-awareness and scientific meetings, industry days), including logistics, materials, staffing and follow-up.
Qualifications and Experience
• A degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Operations Management or a related field; a postgraduate qualification or professional membership (e.g. IPMZ) is an advantage.
• At least five years' private-sector experience in an operations, administration or HR role, including at least two years coordinating across departments or sites; experience in a laboratory, healthcare, scientific or other ISO-certified/accredited environment is a strong advantage.
• Working familiarity with a quality management system and document control (ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025 or ISO 15189) — the role works inside an accredited system and does not own it — and a sound working knowledge of Zimbabwean labour law and HR practice.
• Proven ability to read, apply and draft procedures; excellent written English and document-drafting skills; strong minute-taking and report-writing.
• Solid IT skills are a firm requirement: advanced Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel incl. formulas and pivot tables, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint/OneDrive administration), confident management of cloud file structures, user accounts and permissions, basic website and social-media administration, and the ability to learn laboratory information, document-control and accounting software quickly. Candidates will be tested on these skills at interview.
• Mature, independent and discreet; able to hold colleagues to agreed procedures with tact, and handle confidential personnel and client information.
• Presentable, articulate and confident representing the Institute to clients, regulators, suppliers and the public at external events.
• Highly organised, with strong follow-through on actions and deadlines; a clean class 4 driver's licence is an advantage.
How to Apply
Interested and suitably qualified candidates should e-mail a cover letter, a detailed CV and certified copies of qualifications to core_1@biotechinst.com with the subject line 'Operations & Administration Coordinator'. Applications close at 16:00 on 15 Oct 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The Biotech Institute is an equal-opportunity employer; the successful candidate will sign the Institute's confidentiality and conflict-of-interest declarations on appointment.