Warringtonfire, part of Element are seeking an experienced Senior Quality Manager to lead quality assurance across our test laboratories in the UK and Europe, including our flagship Fire Resistance testing facility in Birchwood, Warrington. This role is pivotal in ensuring compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 and other applicable standards, driving quality improvements, and embedding a culture of operational excellence across multiple sites.

The successful candidate will champion a zero-tolerance approach to non-adherence, implement robust quality systems, and harmonise processes across laboratories. You will influence senior stakeholders, mentor teams, and ensure consistent, reliable, and high-performance testing operations. This role will also focus on implementing a unified Quality Management System (QMS) across all sites, ensuring standardised systems and tools are in place to deliver consistency and harmonisation across UK and European laboratories.

This is a role for an experienced, decisive quality leader who thrives in environments that demand strict compliance and operational discipline. The successful candidate will be instrumental in transforming the quality culture, driving adherence to the highest standards, and ensuring the long-term integrity of the division’s testing operations

• Implement and maintain a unified QMS across all sites, ensuring compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 and relevant regulatory requirements, and using standardised systems and tools for consistency
• Promote a proactive quality culture, uphold Element Quality Commitments, and promote collaborative relationships internally and externally
• Ensure operational compliance by monitoring daily laboratory activities, calibration procedures, and adherence to systems and testing protocols
• Lead quality assurance programmes, including QA/QC initiatives, internal audits, and UKAS/regulatory assessments, ensuring timely resolution of findings
• Manage risk and performance, identifying potential compliance risks, tracking KPIs, and reporting to senior leadership
• Investigate and resolve issues, including complaints and nonconformances, through root cause analysis and corrective actions
• Provide training and guidance to teams, enabling achievement of quality standards and continuous improvement
• Stay up to date with industry best practice and regulatory changes, advising leadership and implementing necessary updates

Line Management Responsibilities

• Setting clear objectives and priorities aligned with organisational goals and quality standards
• Conducting regular performance reviews, providing constructive feedback, and identifying development needs
• Mentoring and coaching team members to enhance technical expertise and leadership capability.
• Supporting professional development through training plans, career progression opportunities, and succession planning
• Promoting collaboration and engagement within the team and across sites to ensure consistent quality practices
• Managing workload and resource allocation to optimise efficiency and maintain compliance across all laboratories
• Driving accountability and ownership within the team to deliver high standards of performance and continuous improvement

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Quality Management, Engineering, Chemistry, or related disciplines), or equivalent experience
• Minimum 10 years of experience in quality management, with extensive experience in ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation and multi-site quality oversight
• Strong ability to lead and influence without direct line management authority, driving strict adherence to quality standards across multiple laboratories
• Expertise in quality improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, CAPA, RCA), with a focus on maintaining strict compliance while driving operational excellence
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership, regulatory bodies, and operational teams to maintain accountability and consistency
• Analytical problem-solving skills with experience in driving corrective actions and implementing preventive measures in high-stake testing environments

Preferred

• Experience in Fire testing or similarly regulated environments
• Familiarity with European regulatory standards and managing multi-country accreditation processes
• Proven experience in implementing standardised quality systems and strict process discipline across multiple sites

Benefits of working at Element

Car Allowance / 33 days annual holiday, consisting of 25 days annual holiday and 8 days public / x4 Life Assurance  / Legal & General Pension scheme with total contributions up to 12% / Flexible Working / Cycle Scheme / Free Onsite Refreshments / Recommend a Friend Bonus / Perks At Work Discount Scheme

For more information on Element's BUILT division, please take a look at our e-brochure: https://indd.adobe.com/view/7032c5bd-3645-4c48-86d4-b568d53de400

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To apply please email derek.grist@element.com

Element 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.

At 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) 

“If you need an accommodation filling out an application, or applying to a job,  please email Recruitment@element.com”