Lab Director – Clinical Laboratory Leadership

About the role

This is a group‑level leadership position responsible for turning Zuri Health’s laboratory services into a standardised, scalable and commercially viable function across current and future markets. The role sets the operating model for all labs, runs the Nairobi reference laboratory and drives it toward international accreditation while reporting directly to the Group CEO.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the Nairobi reference laboratory to ISO 15189 accreditation and define a repeatable accreditation pathway for satellite labs.
• Design the group laboratory network, deciding which tests are performed locally versus referred to Nairobi and establishing logistics, cold‑chain and cross‑border handling.
• Establish a single operating standard covering test menu logic, SOPs, quality thresholds and data structures for deployment in any market.
• Own commercial performance – revenue, cost per test, reagent yield, instrument utilisation and gross margin – and report monthly to the Group CEO.
• Consolidate procurement of equipment, reagents and consumables at group level through a qualified supplier list.
• Serve as Laboratory Director of record for clinical trials and AI‑based diagnostic validation, upholding GCLP standards.

Required profile

• Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science or related field; Master’s or MBA strongly preferred.
• Current registration with the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (or eligibility for immediate registration).
• 12+ years of clinical laboratory experience, including at least 5 years in senior leadership across multiple sites.
• Hands‑on leadership of an ISO 15189 accreditation cycle as the accountable lead.
• Proven experience running a laboratory supporting regulated clinical trials under Good Clinical Laboratory Practice.

Required skills

• Technical expertise in clinical chemistry, immunoassay, haematology, microbiology and molecular diagnostics.
• Operational experience with major automated platforms such as Mindray, Roche, Abbott or Siemens.
• Implementation of Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) or Hospital Management Information Systems with analyser interfacing.
• Cost‑leadership demonstrated by reducing cost per test while maintaining quality.
• Experience with ISO 15189 accreditation processes.