Head of Infrastructure Quality in Nottingham

Fusion energy offers the potential for significant quantities of low-carbon, inherently safe, abundantly fuelled, baseload energy, supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence. While the technical challenge remains high, confidence is increasing, and the rewards of realising fusion are almost incalculable. Anticipated to come online for commercial purposes in the middle of this century, fusion offers a viable means to sustainable net zero in the UK and globally, as well as to increased energy security. The UK is currently a world leader in fusion research and development and in the drive to realise commercially viable energy from fusion, a sector with an estimated value of £tns per year.

STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is the UK’s flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion. STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experience in delivery. STEP is supported by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, which has breadth and depth of expertise in fusion science, engineering and operations built over decades. UK Fusion Energy Ltd. (UKFE) is a relatively new organisation established to focus on the delivery of the prototype and, in so doing, the development of a fusion supply chain. UKFE will lead a collaborative team of industrial Whole Plant Partners who bring expertise in engineering and construction, plus UKAEA who will remain as strategic Partner providing fusion expertise.

The Role: Reporting to the Director of Safety, Quality & Mission Assurance, you will be accountable for setting the vision and leading the delivery of the Infrastructure Quality Strategy across UKFE. This is a senior leadership role with significant influence across programmes, suppliers, and partners. You will ensure that quality management systems, assurance approaches, and behaviours enable safe, efficient, and effective delivery of highly complex infrastructure. You will lead and develop a high‐performing team of quality professionals and work closely with engineering, assurance, SHE, procurement, and programme teams to embed quality as a core enabler of mission success.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• Infrastructure Quality Strategy & Leadership: Develop and implement a scalable Infrastructure Quality Strategy aligned with UKFE’s mission and objectives; Champion quality as a critical driver of safety, efficiency, and performance; Provide visible leadership across all infrastructure‐focused delivery activities.
• Quality Culture, Capability & Training: Lead cultural change to build a proactive, learning‐led quality culture; Define and deliver quality training and awareness programmes; Grow quality maturity across UKFE and its infrastructure supply chain.
• Quality Assurance, Governance & Performance: Ensure effective deployment of quality assurance through a three‐lines‐of‐defence model; Establish and report quality KPIs, monitoring performance and driving improvement; Manage embedded quality resources across major programmes and projects.
• Management Systems & ISO Compliance: Maintain and continually improve ISO 9001:2015 compliant management systems; Ensure management system controls are robust, scalable, and fit for future phases of delivery; Provide expert advice on quality standards and regulatory expectations.
• Stakeholder, Supplier & Programme Integration: Define supplier quality requirements and support procurement and tendering activities; Engage with internal teams and delivery partners to meet customer and stakeholder needs; Use audits, investigations, and lessons learned to drive preventative action and improvement; Represent UKFE externally with credibility across industry and professional forums.
• Leadership & Values: Act as a role model for inclusive, ethical, and values‐led leadership; Foster a collaborative, respectful, and high‐performing team environment; Embody UKFE’s mission and culture at every level.

Salary: £86,758 + excellent benefits including outstanding pension.

Qualifications: You will be an accomplished quality leader with deep experience operating in complex engineering or major infrastructure environments. You bring a strong track record of building and leading quality functions at scale, applying ISO 9001‐based management systems within large, regulated programmes, and influencing senior stakeholders across multidisciplinary teams. You are comfortable working across the full project lifecycle — from strategy and governance through to supplier assurance and delivery — and are passionate about developing people, maturing organisational capability, and embedding a proactive, learning‐led quality culture. Experience in construction, manufacturing, or safety‐critical sectors, along with formal audit credentials, will further strengthen your ability to succeed in this role.

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Degree (or equivalent) in engineering or a science discipline, or Chartered Quality Professional.
• Significant experience (typically 10+ years) leading quality assurance in major engineering or infrastructure environments.
• Deep knowledge and practical application of ISO 9001‐based quality management systems.
• Experience operating at scale within major or mega‐projects.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire quality teams.
• Strong audit experience across internal processes and supply chains.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills at senior levels.

Desirable Experience:

• Lead Auditor qualification.
• Background in construction, manufacturing, or off‐site / modular delivery.
• Experience with DfMA or advanced manufacturing approaches.
• Experience in regulated or safety‐critical sectors.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success. UKFE is committed to being accessible. Please email if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information. This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKFE.

As we work towards our mission and goals, guided by our principles, STEP has six behaviours that are intended to capture the spirit of how we work:

• We champion safety
• We all matter
• We act as one
• We embrace change
• We are pioneering
• We deliver

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: Criminal Records Checks for Overseas Applicants.