IATF Technical Manager

Role Purpose

Provide the coordination and product leadership needed to ensure compliance to the IATF scheme. Provide expert technical advice to key business partners, including SDS, SD, Sales, GCC etc. to resolve queries and to assist them to be strategically and commercially aligned whilst preserving LRQA’s accreditation and other regulatory requirements. Scope includes LRQA’s IATF audit services and includes acting as UKI IATF SME. Establish product/scheme frameworks that will ensure the consistent delivery of the IATF product, globally, and monitor key performance indicators, working collaboratively across Business Assurance identifying opportunities for improvement. Support the Transportation Product Manager in liaison with SMMT activities including leading the weekly IATF management meetings and monthly SME meetings and ensure they cover IATF management review requirements, manage IATF waiver process, manage external and internal NC responses, ensure field monitoring and CPD requirements are met, monitor red supplier management.

Oversight of specific product/scheme specialism by focusing on the training, integration, and business wide communication to ensure compliance and governance by effectively interfacing with international contacts and networks within Management Systems as defined within the Global, Area and Local Product Specialist guidance document.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure that required technical standards are maintained.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to Global, Area and Hub Management Teams and other Management Systems departments to share best practice and help ensure processes are effective within the area of responsibility.
• Provide technical support and interpretation on legislation, standards and management system processes, products, and procedures to the QA&G Team, SDS, Sales and SD Teams.
• Ensure that the systems, processes, and procedures are effective, are communicated, and that objectives are defined and reported on to meet the scheme and business requirements for both internal and external clients for the area of responsibility.
• Ensure effective liaison with the external scheme owner for the product and the accreditation bodies overseeing the product.
• Ensure that key governance and system monitoring activities are undertaken within the area of responsibility to support local/global accreditation requirements and LRQA management systems corporate governance e.g., Internal audits, management review and management of product audit activity for specified product/scheme.
• Assist QA&G colleagues to make recommendations for and represent LRQA’s business interests on local external accreditation standards and sector scheme committees to build and maintain a strong network and credibility within the industry.
• Support the training of auditors, technical reviewers, and other parties to ensure that CPD, capability and compliance needs are met.
• When required provide technical expertise and advice to Training both External and Internal.
• Interpret regulatory rules to ensure that technical decisions strike a balance between meeting client and business needs, and adherence to accreditation requirements.
• Within agreed authorised area of specialism and knowledge, undertake third party assessments in line with policy and fee earning objectives.

Technical/Professional Requirements

• Degree or business qualification, with management experience within a technical area of specialism ideally across a geographic region.
• Experience in providing technical support and advice within a technical and field audit environment.
• Experience in driving change, supporting risk management initiatives, and building technology readiness being able to travel across the region and to meet area requirements.
• Flexible and results-oriented approach to meet varying and competing client and business demands.
• Experienced in developing, delivering, and integrating technical processes, building, and sustaining positive commercial and client relationships.
• Possess effective business networks in the relevant industry and regulatory bodies that will impact the business operations.
• Have a high level of English both written and spoken.
• An assertive approach to problem solving with strong communication and diplomacy skills to guide, negotiate, influence, and persuade at all levels.
• A wide breadth and depth of knowledge of project management with proven skills in dealing with medium to high complexity through the mentoring of direct and indirect team members.
• Intrinsic dedication to safe working practices and a leading example of a mature safety culture.
• Experienced in development, delivery and needs based analysis of training requirements and processes ideally within an area / global environment is an advantage and using a variety of electronic media.