Quality Manager

Role & responsibilities

1. Quality Management System (QMS) Ownership

• Develop, implement, and maintain the QMS in line with ISO/IEC 17025:2017, ISO/IEC 17020:2012, and (where applicable) ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17021-1 or sector-specific normative documents.
• Own and maintain the Quality Manual, SOPs, work instructions, forms, and quality records; ensure version control and document accessibility across all sites.
• Act as the designated Quality Manager / Management Representative for accreditation purposes, holding the authority and organizational independence required by the standard.
• Define and monitor quality objectives, key performance indicators (KPIs), and quality risk registers; report performance to senior management at management review meetings.

2. Laboratory Competence ISO/IEC 17025

• Method validation & verification: review and approve test/calibration methods, ensure appropriate use of standard, non-standard, and laboratory-developed methods.
• Measurement traceability: ensure calibration and measurement traceability to SI units through accredited/national metrology institutes; manage the equipment calibration and maintenance schedule.
• Measurement uncertainty: oversee estimation and application of measurement uncertainty across relevant test and calibration methods.
• Proficiency testing & inter-laboratory comparisons: plan and evaluate participation in PT/ILC schemes (ISO/IEC 17043) to demonstrate ongoing technical competence.
• Sampling & handling: ensure sampling plans, sample handling, and chain-of-custody controls meet the standard's requirements where sampling is within scope.

3. Inspection Body Competence ISO/IEC 17020

• Impartiality & independence: identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks to impartiality arising from ownership, relationships, or commercial pressure, in line with the inspection body's Type A/B/C classification.
• Inspector competence & judgment: define competence criteria, authorize inspection personnel, and oversee the use of professional judgment in pass/fail decisions.
• Inspection methods & reporting: review inspection procedures, checklists, and report formats to ensure consistency, objectivity, and completeness of findings.
• Equipment & facilities: ensure inspection equipment is fit for purpose, calibrated, and maintained in accordance with the standard.

Preferred candidate profile

• In-depth working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 – General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.
• In-depth working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17020:2012 – Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection.

– Working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17011 (requirements for accreditation bodies) and the ILAC/IAF framework, to understand how accreditation bodies assess conformity assessment bodies.

– Familiarity with related conformity assessment standards such as ISO/IEC 17021-1 (management systems certification bodies), ISO/IEC 17065 (product certification bodies), and ISO/IEC 17043 (proficiency testing providers), where applicable to the organization's scope.

• Working knowledge of ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems) and ISO 19011 (Guidelines for auditing management systems).

Preferred Certifications / Professional Qualifications

• CQI & IRCA (or Exemplar Global/RABQSA) certified Lead Auditor – QMS (ISO 9001) or a relevant management systems scheme.
• Certified internal auditor for ISO/IEC 17025 and/or ISO/IEC 17020 (accredited training provider).
• ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA) or Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), or equivalent national-body certification.
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) – preferred for process improvement and root-cause analysis capability.

– Sector-specific certifications where relevant to the organization's scope, e.g., APSCA-certified Social Compliance Auditor (for firms conducting social/ethical audits), HACCP/Food Safety Auditor, NDT/metrology certifications, or welding/civil inspection certifications.

– Metrology/calibration-specific training (measurement uncertainty, traceability, calibration methods) for organizations with calibration laboratory scope.