Certification Manager

Kiwa; Dunstable; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary on request

Hybrid working (3–4 days in the office

Generous annual leave

Private medical insurance

Enhanced family leave

Long service rewards

Pension contributions

Life assurance 4x salary

Cycle loan scheme

Eye tests

Job summary

Kiwa, delivering TIC services globally, is seeking a Certification Manager to spearhead the Customer Experience function from our Dunstable base. You will lead a high-performing team, oversee onboarding, quotations, contract reviews and certification support across the lifecycle, and drive improvements using KPI data and stakeholder insights.

The role requires strong governance, cross-functional collaboration and ensuring audit readiness across internal and accreditation processes, with a hybrid

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading and developing teams within a customer-focused, service delivery or regulated environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to handle complex customer issues and drive positive outcomes.
• Excellent planning, organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Experience using performance data and insights to improve services, processes and operational effectiveness.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of an organisation.
• Understanding of compliance, governance and quality requirements within a structured business environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop the Customer Experience Team, fostering a high-performing, engaged and customer-focused culture.
• Oversee the delivery of customer onboarding, quotations, contract reviews, certification support and ongoing customer enquiries across the certification lifecycle.
• Monitor team performance through KPIs, customer feedback and operational data, driving continuous improvement and service excellence.
• Manage complex customer issues and escalations, ensuring timely resolution and a positive customer experience.
• Ensure competency-controlled activities are carried out by appropriately trained, authorised and competent individuals.
• Oversee International Customer Experience activities, building strong relationships with agents, partners and stakeholders.
• Lead Customer Experience involvement in internal, external and accreditation audits, ensuring compliance and the effective management of audit findings.
• Drive improvements to processes, systems and ways of working, collaborating with other teams to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Planning & organisation

Problem solving

Communication

Compliance knowledge

Job description

Job Summary

NQA is looking for a Certification Manager to lead our Customer Experience function, ensuring a high-quality, compliant and customer-focused service throughout the certification journey. You'll drive performance, develop people and champion continuous improvement to enhance both customer experience and operational efficiency. This is a hybrid role, based in Dunstable. NQA provides accredited certification, training and support services to help customers improve processes, performance and products and services. We have issued over 50,000 certificates to clients in over 90 countries resulting in a yearly revenue of around 100 million Euro. NQA was acquired by Kiwa in 2024, a global leader in the Testing, Inspecting and Certification (TIC) sector, based in the Netherlands.

About the role

• Lead, coach and develop the Customer Experience Team, fostering a high-performing, engaged and customer-focused culture.
• Oversee the delivery of customer onboarding, quotations, contract reviews, certification support and ongoing customer enquiries across the certification lifecycle.
• Monitor team performance through KPIs, customer feedback and operational data, driving continuous improvement and service excellence.
• Manage complex customer issues and escalations, ensuring timely resolution and a positive customer experience.
• Ensure competency-controlled activities are carried out by appropriately trained, authorised and competent individuals.
• Oversee International Customer Experience activities, building strong relationships with agents, partners and stakeholders.
• Lead Customer Experience involvement in internal, external and accreditation audits, ensuring compliance and the effective management of audit findings.
• Drive improvements to processes, systems and ways of working, collaborating with other teams to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Do you have what it takes?

Essential

• Proven experience leading and developing teams within a customer-focused, service delivery or regulated environment.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to handle complex customer issues and drive positive outcomes.
• Excellent planning, organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
• Experience using performance data and insights to improve services, processes and operational effectiveness.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of an organisation.
• Understanding of compliance, governance and quality requirements within a structured business environment.

Desirable

• Experience within certification, testing, inspection or another regulated industry.
• Knowledge of certification, accreditation or management systems.
• Experience supporting external audits, compliance activities or continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience working with international customers, partners or agents.
• Project, change management or process improvement experience.

What can you expect from us in return?

• Competitive Salary - salary details on request
• 35 hours per week - Monday to Friday, hybrid working (3-4 days in the office each week)
• Generous Annual Leave – Starting at 25 days plus Bank Holidays, increased entitlement with length of service
• Private Medical Insurance
• Enhanced Family Leave – Enhanced maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave with 6 months full pay, plus 3 weeks full pay for paternity leave
• Long service rewards
• Salary Reviews
• Enhanced Pension Contributions
• Life Assurance – 4x your annual salary
• Cycle Loan Scheme
• Electric Power Point Loan
• Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses
• Welcome Pack – Filled with company-branded goodies to kickstart your journey with us

At Kiwa, we deliver results driven by our core values: Ambitious, Reliable, and Engaged the principles that guide how we work with colleagues, customers, and everyone we encounter. We are committed to fostering personal development, encouraging you to be ambitious, explore new ideas, and contribute to making the world a safer, more sustainable place. Here, you’ll thrive in a dynamic environment with ample opportunities for growth and self-development.

As an equal opportunity employer, Kiwa celebrates diversity and is dedicated to building an inclusive, supportive workplace. We embrace flexibility in hiring talented individuals from all backgrounds globally, ensuring a work environment free from prejudice, discrimination, and intimidation. Inclusivity and equality are core to who we are, and we uphold these values without exception.

If you have any questions about this role and would like to speak a member of the Talent Team, please e-mail us at [e-mail].