Operations Director - Quality Assurance

Job description / Role

At Mace, our purpose is to redefine the boundaries of ambition. We believe in creating places that are responsible, bringing transformative impact to our people, communities and societies across the globe. To learn more about our purpose, culture and priorities, visit our strategy site.

Within our Consult business we harness our unique combination of leading-edge practical expertise and project delivery consultancy to unlock the potential in every project.

The project:

A major urban development project comprising of new homes, commercial properties, public spaces and smart urban mobility. Mace have the opportunity to develop and lead and implement the PMO structure to deliver this city development.

Our values shape the way we consult, and define the people we want to join us on our journey, they are:

• Safety first - Going home safe and well
• Client focus - Deliver on our promise
• Integrity - Always do the right thing
• Create opportunity - For our people to excel

Leadership and direction of the implementation of a quality management system and its effectiveness in meeting business, statutory, legal, and contractual requirements.

Responsible for the management and leadership of teams across quality assurance. Engages with business stakeholders to direct compliance to requirements, supporting a resilient business that manages risks effectively.

The role is a key enabler to change and business improvement. Effective leadership of quality assurance and advocates quality and audit requirements. Drives business improvement and champions innovation and transformation.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Manages teams of senior direct reports, demonstrating effective leadership to ensure excellence in delivery against plans, championing a continuous improvement culture throughout all activities.
• Influences strategic development and executes strategy for quality assurance/portfolio.
• Sets priorities and provides input into execution plans on quality assurance.
• Accountable for assessment, management and mitigation of business risk.
• Provides strategic advice and counsel to leadership teams on all quality assurance matters.
• Chairs quality assurance senior leadership meetings.
• Provides leadership and strategic direction through management team.
• Oversees accreditation for an external certification account.
• Business ownership for an external audit programme.
• Accountable for the internal risk-based audit schedule across the business.
• Business ownership for the investigations and root cause analysis of instances of non-conformance.
• Holds accountability for ensuring the effective use of the quality management system and its availability for use by the business and the governance controls and management accountability necessary to drive integration and continual improvement.
• Oversees the production of quality assurance reports, analysis and recommendations to senior leadership teams.
• Drives the delivery of a quality assurance communication strategy to deliver key strategic outcomes and sub-function key performance indicators (KPIs), directly influencing strategic development.
• Oversees the creation, recommendations and presents for consideration, management review data to senior leadership gaining buy in and support.
• Leads the implementation of business development activities to continually review and grow the business.
• Holds accountability for the development and identification of training requirements, development of training materials and training delivery to upskill the business in quality and audit matters.
• Maintains, cultivates, and establishes a strong collaborative network, develops strong partnerships with key senior internal and external key stakeholders.
• Manages, influences, and negotiates with key senior stakeholders (up to C-suite and board).
• Leads the implementation of a systematic performance improvement cycle to continually improve the quality assurance approaches for the business.
• Delivers performance management, technical development, direction and coaching.
• Holds accountability for supply chain performance, and the audit and review of their QMS capabilities.
• Works collaboratively towards the common goal of net zero carbon transition and share responsibility for the proactive identification and management of the associated carbon emissions and reductions during the delivery of work.

You’ll need to have:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent standard of experience.
• Expert knowledge and application of quality assurance management systems.
• Comprehensive knowledge of audit, risk management and mitigation in an operational environment.
• Expert business planning and budgetary control skills.
• Significant people leadership and stakeholder management experience for an organisation of similar scale and complexity to Mace.

You’ll also have:

• Lead auditor training course in one or more.
• Quality assurance experience focussed role.
• Knowledge of how carbon and sustainability considerations will shape the outlook of the projects you are working on.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Even if you feel you do not fulfil all of the criteria, please apply as you may still be the best candidate for this role or another role within our organisation.

We are also open to discussing part time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable within the role. (Dependant on geography with BUD approval).

About the Company

Mace is an international consultancy and construction company that has delivered world class projects since 1990. Today we employ over 6,000 people across five global hubs in Europe, Middle East North Africa and India, North America, Asia Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Four simple values guide our behaviour in our pursuit of a better way; Safety first - going home safe and well, Client focus - deliver on our promise, Create opportunity - for our people to excel, Integrity - always doing the right thing. We aim to attract the best and brightest people, whatever their background, to bring new perspectives to some of the most complex and inspiring projects around the world.

We support our people who are aiming to achieve an academic or professional qualification that will help them develop personally and deliver to the highest standard for our clients. At Mace you can deepen your knowledge, expand your skills and define your own path.