Job Title:  Group Head of Quality

Job Title:  Group Head of Quality

Global Grade:  GG15

Location:   UK Selected Sites - Farnborough, Malvern, Boscombe Down, Portsmouth

Role Type:  Permanent – Full Time

Role ID:  19790

Role Purpose

The Group Head of Quality is responsible for developing and delivering a quality improvement plan across QinetiQ, to realise an effective and efficient delivery in all aspects. The role works closely with Project Management, Engineering and Operations functions to drive, through process improvement, operational efficiencies and robust measures, continually increasing levels of performance. The role drives the highest standards of process and behaviour, to enable the business to operate a safe, right first-time approach.

Key Accountabilities

• Set and drive the strategy for quality across QinetiQ, working across businesses, functions and geographies to set practical and challenging targets to improve quality performance.
• Lead the provision of suitable quality support to bids and projects to ensure plans and delivery are fit for purpose and realise customer contracted expectations
• Own and ensure the efficient operation of standards across the Group, including ISO 9001, TickIT Plus, aviation standards (EASA pt 21J and pt 21G, BS EN 9100), scoping and delivering additional standards as required
• Drive the understanding and practice of quality methodologies across the business, applying tools and techniques to realise improvements
• Working with the People function, enable a strong quality culture, driving for a right first-time ethos across the Group
• Ensure compliance with national/international standards (e.g., ISO) and regulatory requirements, while identifying risks and implementing mitigation actions.
• Oversee quality assurance and control teams, manage quality audits, and manage supplier quality requirements.
• Lead the delivery of initiatives to reduce waste, enhance efficiency, and improve product quality using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.
• Monitor, analyse, and report at senior levels on key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate quality trends and customer feedback.
• Mentor and train quality staff, providing tools and techniques to achieve quality standards.
   

Key Capabilities/Knowledge

• Strong leadership skills, with a proven track record of driving positive change across multiple countries, sites with a mix of services and products.
• Proven track record of delivering a culture of quality and continuous improvement across a range of environments (offices, workshops, labs, etc.).
• A positive and encouraging attitude to challenges, enabling the motivation of direct and indirect teams to achieve goals
• Excellent interpersonal communication in both verbal and written forms, at all levels from operational staff up to and including board level
• A good working knowledge of applicable regulation and associated legislation.
• A pragmatic thinker, able to identify both process improvement opportunities and where to apply flexibility/robustness to deliver outcomes.
• A strong ‘people person’, with the ability to work with and influence many different people.
• Ability to challenge and question people, process and systems in a direct but non-offensive and tactful manner
   

Experience & Qualifications

• At least 10 years’ experience at a leadership level, leading quality in a technical environment
• Experience of multi domain quality organisations, including but not limited to aviation, ordnance, munitions and explosives, high energy systems
• Appropriately aligned technical qualifications (MCQI, IIA) desirable