Audit & Accreditation Manager

Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values. Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there; we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity and across the poverty divide.

About the role: We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced professional to join our Safety, Health, Environmental Quality (SHEQ) Team as the Audit & Accreditation Manager. This is a key leadership role where you will be instrumental in driving a culture of excellence, safety, and compliance in our Housing Services. This is a new and pivotal role where you can build a function from the ground up and embed best practice.

As our Audit & Accreditation Manager, you will lead the charge on two strategic objectives:

• You will design, implement, and manage a comprehensive internal audit and inspection programme, covering our directly employed staff and external contractors. Your work will be fundamental in ensuring the quality, safety, and compliance of all construction and maintenance works.
• You will lead our accreditation agenda, securing and maintaining recognised standards such as UKAS, BM TRADA, or equivalent certifications. This will demonstrate our competence and commitment to quality across all service areas.

This is a unique opportunity to shape a critical function, embedding best practice and driving continuous improvement that directly impacts the safety and well-being of our residents.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and manage the annual and quarterly audit plans, prioritising high-risk areas and ensuring a robust framework is in place.
• Lead a team of Quality Assurance Inspectors and an Accreditation Officer, providing coaching, support, and ensuring they are trained and competent.
• Oversee the entire audit lifecycle, from scoping and developing checklists to reporting findings and ensuring issues are addressed promptly.
• Own the accreditation roadmap, preparing for audits, coordinating evidence, and acting as the main point of contact for external assessors and regulatory bodies.
• Champion a culture of proactive compliance and continuous improvement, working collaboratively across departments to embed required standards and policies.
• Produce detailed reports with clear analysis and recommendations for both operational teams and strategic decision-makers.
• Monitor industry standards and legislative updates to ensure our auditing criteria and accreditation requirements are always current.

About you: You will be a seasoned audit and quality assurance professional with a proven track record in a construction, housing, or safety-related environment.

You will have:

• Proven experience and demonstrable success in leading and managing audit programmes and achieving or maintaining accreditations (e.g., UKAS, ISO, BM TRADA).
• Experience in managing and developing a high-performing team.
• The ability to influence and lead across teams without direct line management is essential.
• In-depth knowledge of assurance frameworks, risk-based auditing, and the full audit lifecycle (planning, delivery, technical review, and reporting).
• A relevant auditing or quality assurance qualification (e.g., ISO Lead Auditor, CQI/IRCA-certified) and a NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent construction-related certification are essential.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., CQI, IOSH, CIOB) is required.

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation. We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud. In order to achieve this, we are seeking individuals who embody our “PROUD” values: Purpose and Respect, Ownership, and Unity and Diversity.

Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working. We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs.