Technical Assurance Lead (Manchester)

CAF Group; Manchester; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Pension scheme with employer contrib.

Healthcare cash plan

Bike2Work scheme

Job summary

CAF Rail UK in Manchester seeks a Technical Assurance Lead to provide independent technical assurance across CAF Rail UK's supply chain, ensuring supplier products, materials and services meet contractual, regulatory and quality requirements.

You will support supplier qualification, technical validation, project delivery and ongoing assurance of supplier performance to reduce risks across safety, quality and commercial areas.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Experience in rail, manufacturing, rolling stock or engineering environments.
• Experience conducting supplier audits and technical assessments.
• Strong understanding of quality management systems and assurance methodologies.
• Knowledge of supplier quality assurance and supply chain management.
• Experience supporting engineering investigations and technical problem solving.
• Knowledge of ECM requirements and railway standards.
• Experience in rolling stock maintenance, overhaul or manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical assessment and approval of new and existing suppliers.
• Review supplier engineering capability, competence, processes and certifications.
• Validate supplier technical submissions, design data, specifications and approval evidence.
• Ensure supplier products and services comply with CAF standards, customer requirements and industry regulations.
• Develop and maintain a supplier technical assurance programme.
• Conduct supplier audits, inspections and technical reviews.
• Monitor supplier compliance against engineering, quality and safety requirements.
• Identify supplier risks and develop corrective action plans.
• Provide technical assurance support to engineering, maintenance and overhaul projects.
• Review design changes, modifications and technical deviations raised by suppliers.
• Support engineering investigations and corrective actions.
• Validate First Article Inspection (FAI) activities where required.
• Verify compliance with applicable standards, specifications and contractual requirements.
• Support investigations relating to product defects, failures and non-conformities.
• Work closely with Procurement to embed technical assurance requirements into supplier contracts.
• Define technical acceptance criteria for products and services.
• Support tender evaluations and supplier assessment activities.
• Develop assurance processes, procedures and reporting mechanisms.
• Maintain supplier assurance records and technical compliance evidence.
• Produce assurance reports and performance metrics for senior management.

Skills

Engineering knowledge

Supplier audits

Technical assessment

Quality management

Supply chain management

Problem solving

Railway standards

Rolling stock

ECM requirements

Education

Engineering degree or equivalent

Job description

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Technical Assurance Lead (Manchester)

Date: 7 Oct 2026

Company: CAF Rail UK

Location: MANCHESTER, GB

ABOUT CAF

Innovation is in our DNA - we thrive on pushing boundaries and adapting to new challenges with a flexible approach. Proud to be a global leader, our fast-paced growth provides exciting opportunities for our team and the community.

Committed to maintaining trains and trams, our mission is to enhance vehicle safety and reliability. Our ultimate goal is to deliver a comfortable, dependable, and sustainable commuting experience for all passengers.

Based out of multiple locations across the UK, our 24/7 operation means we’re always on hand to deliver reliable technical support. Utilising the latest digital technology, we strive to enhance dependability, helping people to get to where they need to be! We wouldn’t be where we are without our people. Working together as a team, we strive to achieve great things while supporting each other to thrive along the way.

What can you expect from CAF?

• Positive Work Environment: You will work in a positive environment, based on mutual respect and team spirit.
• Professional Development: Our projects are often measured in years, sometimes decades, giving you and the organisation a future.
• Learning and Autonomy: We will encourage you to work autonomously, being able to propose and decide 'what' and 'how'.
• Security and Reliability: CAF has been working for over 100 years on a path that stretches into the future, giving you the security you need.
• Cutting-edge technology: You will work with the latest technologies, facing the challenge of devising innovative approaches and solutions every day.

What will be your role in the company?

The Technical Assurance Lead is responsible for providing independent technical assurance across CAF Rail UK's supply chain, ensuring that products, materials, services and engineering activities delivered by suppliers meet contractual, regulatory, technical and quality requirements. The role will support supplier qualification, technical validation, project delivery, procurement activities and ongoing assurance of supplier performance to reduce technical, safety, quality and commercial risks.

Supplier Technical Validation

• Lead technical assessment and approval of new and existing suppliers.
• Review supplier engineering capability, competence, processes and certifications.
• Validate supplier technical submissions, design data, specifications and approval evidence.
• Ensure supplier products and services comply with CAF standards, customer requirements and industry regulations.

Supplier Assurance and Auditing

• Develop and maintain a supplier technical assurance programme.
• Conduct supplier audits, inspections and technical reviews.
• Monitor supplier compliance against engineering, quality and safety requirements.
• Identify supplier risks and develop corrective action plans.

Engineering and Technical Support

• Provide technical assurance support to engineering, maintenance and overhaul projects.
• Review design changes, modifications and technical deviations raised by suppliers.
• Support engineering investigations, root cause analysis and corrective actions.

Quality and Product Validation

• Validate First Article Inspection (FAI) activities where required.
• Verify compliance with applicable standards, specifications and contractual requirements.
• Support investigations relating to product defects, failures and non-conformities.

Procurement and Supply Chain Support

• Work closely with Procurement to embed technical assurance requirements into supplier contracts.
• Define technical acceptance criteria for products and services.
• Support tender evaluations and supplier assessment activities.

Governance and Assurance

• Develop assurance processes, procedures and reporting mechanisms.
• Maintain supplier assurance records and technical compliance evidence.
• Produce assurance reports and performance metrics for senior management.

What salary will you be paid for this role?

As a Real Living Wage Employer, we are proud to pay competitively at CAF. For this role you will be offered a salary in the region of £48,000 and £50,000 per annum.

What will make you successful in this position?

To succeed in this role, you will need:

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering or related technical discipline.
• Experience within rail, manufacturing, rolling stock or engineering environments.
• Experience conducting supplier audits and technical assessments.
• Strong understanding of quality management systems and assurance methodologies.
• Knowledge of supplier quality assurance and supply chain management.
• Experience supporting engineering investigations and technical problem solving.
• Knowledge of ECM requirements and railway standards.
• Experience within rolling stock maintenance, overhaul or manufacturing operations.
• Awareness of product assurance and systems assurance principles.

ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER

A Real Living Wage employer and proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, RSSB Mental Health Charter and Women in Rail EDI Charter, we’ve a lot to shout about at CAF.

Creating a culture of inclusivity and belonging is really important to us and we’re proud to offer our people a range of benefits to support wellbeing including 25 days annual leave, an excellent workplace pension scheme (with up to 10% contribution from us), not forgetting to mention our generous health care cash plan and Bike2Work scheme just to name a few!

Looking for career development? Our Professional Sponsorship scheme will help you to achieve your goals while our Flexible Working policy and Family Friendly culture mean everyone is supported to thrive at CAF.

As a socially responsible business, we offer paid volunteering days and promote a variety of social value initiatives, including tree-planting, company-wide donation drives, and providing support to the homeless community and refugees. We’re creating waves of positive change through delivering meaningful social value impact on and off the tracks!