Quality Assurance Manager

Nicholas Associates; London Borough of Islington; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Excellent employee benefits

Career progression

Professional development and training

Supportive working environment

Cross-functional exposure

Job summary

Nicholas Associates in London is seeking a corporate Quality Assurance & Skills Manager to own the IQMS and drive quality across the business. Based in the City, you will lead audits, improve processes and collaborate with engineering, design, operations, HR and L&D to raise standards.

You will oversee skills, training and competency management, ensuring industry requirements are met and continuous improvement is embedded across projects and functions.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in Quality Assurance and management systems.
• Proven track record with ISO 9001/14001/45001.
• Auditing and non-conformance investigation proficiency.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience in driving process improvement and digitalisation initiatives.
• Familiarity with industry accreditations and external audits.

Responsibilities

• Take the lead on the company's Quality Assurance function and Integrated Quality Management System.
• Manage and continually improve quality processes and procedures in line with business objectives.
• Support the maintenance of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification.
• Manage internal audits, external audits, inspections and testing regimes.
• Support external accreditations (Achilles Building Confidence, RISQS, SSIP, PQQ) and digital platforms.
• Coordinate management reviews and promote risk-based assurance.
• Embed quality and compliance across the business with department leads.

Skills

Quality Assurance

Management Systems

Auditing

Process Improvement

Stakeholder Management

Digitalisation

HSEQ

Tools

ISO 9001

ISO 14001

ISO 45001

RISQS

SSIP

Achilles Building Confidence

PQQ submissions

Job description

We are working with a well-established and growing construction and engineering group to recruit a corporate Quality Assurance & Skills Manager for a newly created position, based in City of London.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Quality, Assurance, HSEQ or Management Systems professional to take ownership of quality assurance across the business while also playing a key role in skills, training and competency management.

Reporting directly to the Group HSEQ Director, you will lead the management and continual improvement of the company's Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), working closely with senior management, engineering, construction, design, operations, pre-construction, HR and Learning & Development teams.
This is a hands-on and influential role for someone who enjoys improving processes, solving problems and making a tangible difference to business performance.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Assurance & Management Systems

• Take the lead on the company's Quality Assurance function and Integrated Quality Management System.
• Manage and continually improve quality processes and procedures in line with business objectives.
• Support the maintenance of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification.
• Manage internal audits, external audits, inspections and testing regimes.
• Support the businesswith external accreditations and assurance requirements, including:
• Achilles Building Confidence
• RISQS
• SSIP
• PQQ submissions
• Digital assurance platforms
• Coordinate management reviews and promote effective, risk-based approaches to assurance.
• Work with departmental leads to ensure quality and compliance requirements are embedded effectively across the business.

Process Improvement & Digitalisation

• Identify opportunities to improve and streamline business processes.
• Lead process mapping and process automation initiatives.
• Support the continued development of digital systems and assurance processes.
• Facilitate business risk workshops and help develop practical solutions.
• Work closely with design and construction teams to improve operational processes and performance.
• Promote a culture of continual improvement and innovation.

Engineering & Operational Assurance

• Work closely with the Engineering Lead and site engineering teams to support operational delivery and compliance.
• Manage and investigate non-conformances and support effective root cause analysis.
• Undertake trend analysis and develop improvement strategies.
• Provide practical quality support to operational teams.
• Help ensure quality assurance processes add value to projects and support successful delivery.

Skills, Training & Competency

The role also has responsibility for supporting the company's approach to skills, training and competency management.
Working closely with Labour/Resource Management, HR and Learning & Development, you will:

• Manage the company's approach to skills and qualifications through its training standards.
• Monitor and report on skills, qualifications, training attainment and competency gaps.
• Work closely with Pre-construction and Operations teams to identify and address skills requirements.
• Engage with clients and stakeholders to ensure industry and project-specific requirements are met.
• Support projects with S106 and community objectives, including skills and training commitments.
• Help develop a strong culture of competence, learning and professional development.

About You

We are looking for someone who combines strong technical knowledge with a practical, commercial and collaborative approach.
You will ideally have experience in a Quality Assurance, HSEQ, Management Systems or similar role within the construction, engineering, infrastructure or related sectors.
You will be:

• Highly organised and meticulous, with excellent attention to detail.
• Comfortable working autonomously and managing your own priorities.
• Digitally confident, with an interest in technology and process improvement.
• Passionate about continual improvement and finding better ways of working.
• A strong communicator and relationship builder.
• A confident problem solver with a practical approach.
• Comfortable working with senior stakeholders as well as operational and site-based teams.
• Experienced in auditing, compliance and management systems.
• Able to analyse data, identify trends and turn findings into meaningful actions.
• Commercially aware, with a genuine desire to support operational delivery.

What's on Offer?

This is a newly created role where you will have the opportunity to shape the Quality Assurance and Skills function and make a real impact across a growing organisation.

• Competitive salary.
• Excellent employee benefits.
• Expenses covered in line with company policy.
• Strong opportunities for career progression.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.
• A varied role with exposure across multiple business functions and projects.
• The opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and influence business strategy.

About Us

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community. In line with our Diversity and Inclusion policy, we welcome applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. As a Disability Confident Employer, and part of the Nicholas Associates Group, we are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities, and we're happy to discuss flexible working options.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of all our candidates and clients. If you choose to apply, your information will be processed in accordance with the Nicholas Associates Group of companies Privacy Notice.