Senior Quality Manager in Leatherhead

Defence & Nuclear Technology Solutions (DNTS UK), part of KBR’s Mission Technology Solutions portfolio, is seeking a Senior Quality Manager to establish, lead and embed a fit‐for‐purpose quality capability across the UK business. Reporting to the Head of Business Excellence, the role is accountable for the development, maintenance and continual improvement of the DNTS UK Integrated Management System (IMS), ensuring that quality arrangements are proportionate, risk‐based and support successful delivery across business development, bidding and execution.

The Senior Quality Manager provides pragmatic quality leadership, advice and assurance to delivery teams and leadership, ensuring contractual, regulatory and certification requirements are met while driving continuous improvement in ways of working. Following organisational changes associated with the Mission Technology Solutions spin, this role offers an exciting opportunity to help shape and establish the DNTS UK Quality function for the next phase of growth. The role will contribute to defining how quality supports delivery outcomes, customer confidence and future expansion, with an aspiration over time to support work beyond the UK as the business grows.

Location
Leatherhead – the role requires a minimum of 3 days per week on site, with agile working arrangements supported. UK‐wide travel and occasional international travel will be required.

Security Requirements
Due to project security requirements, candidates must be eligible for UK security clearance. This typically requires sole British citizenship and 5-year footprint in the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Integrated Management System (IMS) Management
  • Manage, maintain and improve the Integrated Management System (IMS) processes and procedures, working closely with functional process owners to ensure alignment with business objectives and compliance with ISO9001 and other relevant standards.
  • Provide Quality support to effectively monitor, measure and continuously improve business processes and procedures to enhance overall performance.
  • Deliver quality induction and refresher training and provide coaching to teams on effective use of the IMS.
  • Act as Process Owner for the Quality Assurance process, ensuring regular review, update and improvement.
• Quality Management
  • Develop and deliver a risk‐based annual audit and assurance programme covering processes, projects and, where applicable, supply chain activities.
  • Manage all audit findings to ensure effective timely closure of actions across portfolio of project within DNTS, escalating to the Senior Leadership Team as necessary.
  • Maintain and improve the Q Hub in liaison with Information Management.
  • Manage the measurement, analysis, and appropriate reporting of quality KPI’s and potential automation.
  • Conduct internal project and process audits against external and internal requirements.
  • Act as the DNTS focal point for all external audits from registration bodies, government quality assurance representatives and clients.
  • Facilitate and encourage quality improvements; lessons learned, customer feedback measurement, data analysis and reporting to aid senior management decision making.
  • Conduct the annual Management System review with appropriate senior managers, ensuring the outputs are monitored and actioned.
  • Lead, coach and develop the quality team.
• Bid, Project and Customer Support
  • Provide quality input to bids and proposals to ensure quality requirements are understood and responses are compliant and deliverable and adequate quality resources for the project are identified.
  • Develop and support the production of bid and Project Quality Plans proportionate to the contract scope, risk and complexity. Review internal and external submitted Quality Plans and provide advice on all aspects of quality planning.
  • Ensure all supplier quality assurance is up to date and effective including flow down of quality requirements, evaluation of supplier responses, and audits as appropriate.
  • Support the monitoring and reporting of quality performance and customer feedback, ensuring actions are identified and closed.
  • Support use of the P3M Hub and monitor the Gateway process.
• Stakeholder Management
  • Build strong working relationships across operations, growth and functional teams, acting as a trusted partner that enables delivery.
  • Liaise with global and regional quality teams to ensure alignment with KBR principles and initiatives.
  • Provide regular communications to DNTS personnel and quality topics e.g newsletters, lunch and learns.

What we Need

Experience & Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of ISO 9001 and quality management standards (ISO 9001 Lead Assessor qualified).
• Proven experience leading, mentoring, and developing quality teams.
• Background in Quality Management Systems and auditing against standards.
• Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in quality tools, techniques, and MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to prioritise effectively.
• Proactive, adaptable, and a collaborative team player.

Desirable

• Degree in Quality Management or related field (or equivalent experience), Undergraduate degree or master's degree is advantageous.
• Certifications such as Six Sigma, RCA, APQP, FMEA, 8D.
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. CQI).
• Experience in a regulated industry is preferred.
• Knowledge of data analytics tools (e.g. Power BI).