Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager

Overview:

North builds stronger networks and creates smarter places. Our intelligent technology solutions and robust network infrastructures transform the way people, places, and organisations work. And we focus our expertise on working in three specialist sectors: public services, enterprise & data centres, and defence & justice.

Our people are industrious and inventive. We collaborate closely with our clients to understand their unique needs and challenges and take pride in delivering impactful solutions that make their environments better connected, simpler to manage, safer to be in, and more efficient to run.

The work we do at North is pioneering and fun. We build meaningfully, we think bigger and we always advance. Our diverse range of customers and services make every day different. We always look at things from the customer’s point of view. Our values are know your craft, know your colleagues, know your customers and know how to connect.  At North, we know and value the power of connecting people, skills and technologies in new and exciting ways.

ROLE SUMMARY:

The Quality and Continuous Improvement (Q&CI) Manager will play a pivotal role in defining, planning and executing the quality and technical safety strategy across North’s sectors and group functions. This role involves collaborating with sector leadership teams, project teams, contractors, and customers to create best in class processes and instructions, identify and resolve quality issues, develop robust business continuity plans, and maintain business critical accreditations and certifications. The Q&CI Manager will champion a culture of quality and continuous improvement, coaching and collaborating with colleagues to identify opportunities for process standardisation and risk mitigation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Management Systems and Performance

• Be the architect and custodian of the integrated management system, ensuring the system remains efficient and effective and compliant to the requirements of ISO 9001 / 14001 / 22301 / 27001 / 45001.
• Create, manage and update policies, manuals, procedures, work instructions, and forms in collaboration with Process Owners.
• Administer North’s Operational Assurance System (SafetyCulture), creating and maintaining inspection templates
• Ensure documentation is managed in accordance with North’s document control procedures.

Audit and Compliance

• Develop a risk based internal audit schedule covering all relevant standards.
• Conduct regular process inspections and audits, identifying non-conformities and best practice.
• Design, update and distribute compliance reporting to all relevant stakeholders.

Change Management

• Assess the impact of proposed change to safety, process, people, technology and data.
• Ensure change is effectively communicated.
• Carry out inspections and audits to ensure change is being sustained.

Engineering & Project Quality

• Write, maintain and execute Project Quality Plans (PQP) when contractually required.
• Work with Project Managers and Operational Leaders to identify and reduce Cost of Non-Quality (CONQ).
• Develop standardised non-conformity and problem solving processes across projects.

Supplier Quality

• Collaborate with Procurement to develop a risk based Supplier Quality Plan, including a schedule of inspections and audits.
• Investigate supplier technical safety, reliability and quality issues.
• Coach and develop supply chain partners on North’s requirements and standards.

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR)

• Identify, review and maintain business continuity and disruption risk and impact assessments.
• Create and maintain Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR) Plans in accordance with ISO 22301.
• Lead the testing an exercising of BCDR Plans, ensuring learnings are incorporated within the management system.

Training and Education:

• Provide Quality, Business Continuity, and Continuous Improvement training to colleagues and relevant stakeholders.
• Stay informed about new developments and innovations in quality and continuous improvement and share best practices with sectors and functions.

Continuous Improvement

• Manage and coordinate the Opportunity Management process, ensuring opportunities are identified, analysed and exploited to realise North’s strategic goals.
• Lead structured Problem Solving workshops (PPS/8D) to identify root causes of issues and define corrective and preventive actions.
• Manage and lead continuous improvement projects.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Quality Management, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Proven experience as a Quality / Continuous Improvement Manager or Specialist 
• In-depth knowledge of Quality Management standards, tools and techniques.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a proactive approach to risk management.
• Professional certifications in Lean, Six Sigma or Change Management are preferred.
• Lead auditor qualified for ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001 (27001 and 22301 also desirable).
• Experience leading a Quality / Engineering team
• Proficient in using quality management software and other relevant tools.

COMPANY VALUES:

At North we embrace the following values:

• Know Your Craft: We strive for excellence in our work, continuously learning and adapting to stay at the forefront of our industry.
• Know Your Colleagues: We value collaboration, diversity, and mutual respect, fostering a workplace where everyone's contributions are recognized and celebrated.
• Know Your Customers: We are dedicated to understanding and exceeding our customers' expectations, delivering products/services that make a positive impact on their lives.
• Know How to Connect: Building meaningful connections is at the core of our success. We value open communication, teamwork, and relationships that go beyond the surface.

North rewards colleagues with a competitive market salary with an excellent benefits package and offers fantastic opportunities for progression throughout the company. Further details of the package on offer will be discussed at the application stage. North is an equals opportunity employer; we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. For further detail on the company and what it is like to work for North, please visit our website: North.tech