Head of Quality (Infrastructure) - Submarines

Full Time – Hybrid, Derby - Raynesway

At Rolls‑Royce we are proud to be a business that has truly helped to shape the modern world and are committed to always being a force for progress – powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere.

Key Accountabilities

• Provide leadership on the development and deployment of the Quality strategy to enable the aligned business area to achieve its goals, enhance reputation and deliver customer satisfaction.
• Develop the people capability (skills & knowledge) and culture of the reporting team as well as employees in the aligned business to ensure process compliance and meet regulatory, customer and business requirements.
• Lead on governance systems including metrics and key performance indicators within the aligned business to maximise efficiency and effectiveness in meeting requirements, business goals and enhancing reputation.
• Where Quality performance diverges from target, drive and coach the business on how to recover.
• Ensure relevant law/regulation, customer requirements and business strategy are understood; agree the compliance strategy and ensure its effective implementation and deployment into the operating system and/or suppliers.
• Where applicable, fulfil a specific role as defined by applicable law/regulation and/or manage the interface with a regulatory body.
• Partner with risk owners, provide proactive assurance for the aligned business area that regulatory, business and customer requirements will be met through an assurance strategy targeted at risks and associated controls.
• Drive change to the operating system, management system and/or supplier quality management systems requirements (e.g., SABRe/GS3001 where appropriate) to mitigate risks, maximise effectiveness and eliminate cost and waste through insight obtained from proactive assurance and problem themes.
• Protect the business and customer through coaching on how to manage high‑impacting and complex problems to reduce impact and ensure the necessary corrective and preventive actions are completed and verified in a timely manner.
• Where applicable, support and manage external customer interfaces to ensure world‑class customer satisfaction.
• Enable the aligned business to achieve Right First Time through coaching and application of defect prevention methodologies, reducing risks from technical, human and organisational factors to our products.
• (Supplier/Partner Facing) Provide Quality leadership to drive supplier maturity and improvement to deliver performance that enables the business to achieve its goals and enhance reputation.
• Also ensure Quality input to the assessment of prospective suppliers for suitability, fit and capability in respect to the commodity/sourcing strategy.
• Discharge leadership accountabilities into the various business areas to ensure Quality is achieved within all engineered product, manufactured product and in‑service supporting activities.

Key Experiences and Qualifications

• Professionally qualified with relevant experience in Quality and Aerospace/Defence/Nuclear/Power Systems/Other Advanced Manufacturing Industry.
• Well‑developed customer and relationship management skills to work as part of the Business and Quality Leadership team, and with other internal and external stakeholders and industry bodies.
• Knowledge of problem‑solving and continuous improvement methodologies, e.g., Six Sigma, Lean and 8D.
• Ability to influence strategy and assess related Quality implications in a challenging operational environment.
• An understanding of human factors and human performance.
• Experience of leading teams, influencing and building relationships at different levels.
• Understanding of a positive safety culture and its promotion.
• Ideally, operational experience of activities within the relevant approved organisation scope.
• Competent on all relevant international/industry standards, such as Part 21/145/AS9100/ISO9001.
• Regional variations for experience and qualifications may apply.

Regional Benefits

• Generous annual leave.
• Retirement savings through the Rolls‑Royce Retirement Savings Trust.
• Group life assurance provides a lump‑sum benefit if you die whilst employed by Rolls‑Royce.
• Group income protection provides an income in the event that you are unable to work due to illness or injury.
• Your shares: Matched is a simple way to own Rolls‑Royce shares and invest in our future – buy one share, get one free!

Rolls‑Royce are committed to being a respectful, inclusive and non‑discriminatory workplace where individuality is valued, diverse perspectives fuel innovation, and everyone can thrive.

As part of the selection process, candidates in certain locations may be asked to complete an online assessment, including cognitive and behavioural aptitude testing relevant to the role.

To work for the Rolls‑Royce Submarines business, an individual has to hold a Security Check clearance. Rolls‑Royce will support the application for Security Clearance if you do not currently have this in place.

Due to the nature of work the business conducts and the protection of certain assets we can only progress applications from individuals who are a UK national or, in MoD approved cases, a dual national.