Element has an opportunity for an experienced Quality Manager within our Reaction to Fire laboratory in Warrington to join our team and take responsibility for ensuring that our services meet the highest quality standards. You will have a strong background in quality management and a proven track record of implementing and maintaining quality management systems. This includes the Element management system and will require a sound working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025 requirements in relation to product testing. Experience in a Technical or Quality role within the TIC industry would be an advantage.
The successful colleague will be involved in leading quality at a local level to ensure that Element quality policies, processes and procedures are effectively implemented and complied with. This is a multidimensional role where you will be a contributor, an analyst, facilitator, improver, planner, trainer, auditor, and inspector. In this role, you will interact with internal Element stakeholders, customers, and our Accreditation Body.
Responsibilities Implement and maintain the management system in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 and applicable regulatory requirements, ensuring the necessary controls are in place to govern the product testing requirements, meet or exceed customer expectations and retain our competitive position as a leader in product testingEstablish and maintain a culture of integrity and ethical behaviour within the organisation by promoting awareness and values of our quality vision and goalsEstablish and implement appropriate QA/QC programs to enable early detection of issues reducing the likelihood of defects or errors in the final service, reduce the cost of poor quality, and improve compliance to applicable standards and regulationsWith zero tolerance for non-adherence, monitor daily lab activities to ensure strict adherence to testing protocols, calibration procedures, and operational workflowsMonitor process performance by gathering relevant data and report performance against agreed performance indicators to the business leads and other relevant stakeholdersDefine, manage, and maintain quality procedures in conjunction with operating staff.Manage equipment calibration program in conjunction with maintenance team to ensure all equipment is fit for purpose, valid to use and ensures the validity of test resultsLiaise with other managers and staff and provide training, tools, and techniques to enable the organisation to achieve quality standardsIdentify, mitigate, and manage any potential risks that may impact the validity of testing and compliance with the management systemPlan and ensure delivery of the internal audit programme, including witnessed audits across the accredited business to monitor effectiveness, identify areas of weakness, recommending and implementing improvementsManage UKAS visits and other regulatory body activities as required and ensure that any findings from assessments are responded to, in line with accreditation requirements.Ensure all audit findings are investigated and responses are submitted to make sure that findings are closed within deadlinesProvide reports, advice, and support as necessary to local and senior leadership team to enable shortfalls to be corrected, and to warn about major problems in order for informed decisions to be madeAdvise and participate in quality investigations, undertaking root cause analysis, developing corrective action plans, and assuring the effectiveness of actions undertakenInvestigate any complaints that are received and ensure that they are dealt with in a timely manner in line with company proceduresWork with operational team to appropriately challenge – where appropriate - accreditation body requirements where necessary which reduce efficiency or effectiveness, and which do not directly support the company’s objectives and standardsLiaise with business leaders to ensure they are made aware of regulatory changes and developments to enable plans and timely actions to be made to address any changesMaintain good working, collaborative relationships with operational colleagues within Element and with the wider quality communityStay current with industry best practices and regulations related to quality management
Skills / Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Quality Management, Engineering, Chemistry, or related disciplines), or equivalent experienceMinimum 10 years of experience in quality management, with extensive experience in ISO/IEC 17025 accreditationExperience in construction or similarly regulated environmentsStrong ability to lead and influence without direct line management authority, driving strict adherence to quality standards across multiple laboratoriesExceptional communication skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership, regulatory bodies, and operational teams to maintain accountability and consistencyA strategic approach to work with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and dynamic environmentAnalytical problem-solving skills with experience in driving corrective actions and implementing preventive measures in high-stake testing environmentsRequirement to keep up to date with changes in the quality landscape and maintain personal professional development.
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Company OverviewElement is one of the fastest growing testing, inspection and certification businesses in the world. Globally we have more than 9,000 brilliant minds operating from 270 sites across 30 countries. Together we share an ambitious purpose to ‘Make tomorrow safer than today’.
When failure in use is not an option, we help customers make certain that their products, materials, processes and services are safe, compliant and fit for purpose. From early R&D, through complex regulatory approvals and into production, our global laboratory network of scientists, engineers, and technologists support customers to achieve assurance over product quality, sustainable outcomes, and market access.
While we are proud of our global reach, working at Element feels like being part of a smaller company. We empower you to take charge of your career, and reward excellence and integrity with growth and development.
Industries across the world depend on our care, attention to detail and the absolute accuracy of our work. The role we have to play in creating a safer world is much bigger than our organization.
Diversity StatementAt Element, we always take pride in putting our people first. We are an equal opportunity employer that recognizes diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our Vision of becoming “the world’s most trusted testing partner”.
All suitably qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective work related criteria and without regard for the following: age, disability, ethnic origin, gender, marital status, race, religion, responsibility of dependents, sexual orientation, or gender identity or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws or other characteristics in accordance with the applicable governing laws.
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
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