Quality Manager - Utilities in Manchester

Responsible for promoting, leading, and embedding quality best practice across utility and infrastructure projects, ensuring delivery is right first time and meets client, regulatory, and business requirements.

Lead quality assurance activities across a portfolio of projects, supporting operational teams in the effective implementation of quality standards, inspection processes, testing requirements, evidence capture, compliance, and continual improvement initiatives. This is a site-facing role focused on quality management throughout the project lifecycle, including excavation, service protection, installation, inspection, testing, commissioning, reinstatement, defect management, and project handover. The role operates primarily within ISO 9001 quality management principles while maintaining awareness of environmental, health and safety, client, and industry-specific requirements.

Principal Responsibilities

• Health & Safety
  • Promote safe working practices and quality-driven safety awareness across all activities.
  • Adhere to health, safety, and environmental procedures during site visits, audits, and project support activities.
  • Lead by example in promoting safe behaviours and compliance standards.
  • Support project teams in identifying quality issues that could create operational, safety, or service risks.
  • Ensure quality assurance activities contribute to the safe and effective delivery of projects.
• Client & Stakeholder Management
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, contractors, suppliers, and project teams.
  • Act as a senior point of contact for project quality matters.
  • Provide guidance on quality standards, specifications, contractual requirements, and compliance obligations.
  • Support project teams in the preparation and management of inspection records, test documentation, commissioning records, completion packs, and handover documentation.
  • Ensure project documentation is complete, compliant, and delivered in accordance with client requirements.
  • Support the resolution of quality concerns and client issues.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Provide leadership, coaching, and support to project teams on quality-related matters.
  • Promote consistency in the application of quality standards and procedures across projects.
  • Support the development of quality personnel and those involved in quality assurance activities.
  • Encourage proactive reporting of defects, non-conformances, quality concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
  • Work collaboratively with operational, engineering, commercial, procurement, and support teams to resolve quality issues efficiently.
• Quality Assurance & Compliance
  • Champion a culture of quality excellence and right-first-time delivery.
  • Lead investigations into defects, non-conformances, and quality concerns.
  • Conduct root cause analysis and support the implementation of corrective and preventative actions.
  • Monitor quality performance indicators and identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
  • Maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive commercial, client, or employee information.
  • Prepare quality reports and provide regular updates to senior management.
• Operational Excellence
  • Plan and undertake project audits, inspections, and quality reviews.
  • Assess compliance with project specifications, quality plans, industry standards, and management system requirements.
  • Review project documentation, including quality plans, inspection and test plans, commissioning records, as-built information, handover packs, and supplier submissions.
  • Identify process weaknesses and opportunities for improvement through audits and project engagement.
  • Support continual improvement initiatives aimed at strengthening quality culture, delivery standards, and project outcomes.
• Continuous Improvement & Sustainability
  • Support the ongoing development and effectiveness of management systems.
  • Contribute to continual improvement programmes through the identification and implementation of best practices.
  • Assist with quality input into tender submissions and pre-construction activities where required.
  • Support internal, external, client, and certification audits.
  • Promote long-term improvements in quality performance and assurance capability.
  • Support environmental and sustainability objectives where they interface with project quality, material traceability, waste management, and project handover requirements.

Person Specification

• Qualifications & Experience
  • HNC, Level 4 qualification, Degree, or equivalent experience in Quality Management, Civil Engineering, Construction, Utilities, or a related discipline.
  • ISO 9001 Internal Auditor qualification.
  • Lead Auditor qualification desirable.
  • Professional quality management membership or chartered status desirable.
  • CSCS Card or equivalent site access qualification.
  • Strong Microsoft Office and digital reporting skills.
  • Experience within utilities, infrastructure, civil engineering, or regulated construction environments.
  • Proven experience leading or coordinating quality assurance activities across multiple live projects.
  • Experience supporting excavation, installation, testing, commissioning, reinstatement, defect management, and project handover activities.
  • Experience developing, reviewing, and assuring quality plans, inspection records, test documentation, completion packs, and handover evidence.
• Skills & Knowledge
  • Strong understanding of ISO 9001 quality management systems.
  • Awareness of environmental and occupational health & safety management systems.
  • Knowledge of utilities, infrastructure, or civil engineering project delivery.
  • Understanding of quality risks associated with excavation, buried services, service protection, testing, commissioning, reinstatement, and asset handover.
  • Ability to interpret specifications and translate requirements into effective site controls.
  • Knowledge of street works, utility accreditations, and industry standards desirable.
  • Experience conducting audits and producing detailed reports.
  • Ability to analyse quality data, identify trends, and implement improvements.
  • Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
  • Experience delivering training sessions, briefings, and toolbox talks.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards.
• Personal Attributes
  • Strong commitment to health, safety, environmental, and quality excellence.
  • Positive, proactive, and solution-focused approach.
  • Practical and site-oriented mindset.
  • Strong team player with the ability to lead and influence others.
  • Honest, reliable, and professional.
  • Diplomatic and effective when dealing with stakeholders at all levels.
  • Committed to continuous improvement and business success.
  • Adaptable and responsive to changing priorities.
  • Ambitious and motivated to develop professionally.