Head of Quality in Chelmsford

Safran is an international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment and interiors), space and defense. Its mission is to contribute sustainably to a safer world, where air transport becomes ever more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Present on every continent, the Group employs 110,000 people and generated €31.3 billion in revenue in 2025. Safran holds, either independently or through partnerships, leading global or European positions in its markets.
Safran was ranked second in the Aerospace & Defense sector in TIME magazine's ''World's Best Companies 2025'' ranking.
Join Safran Aerosystems: an international leader in aviation safety, fluid management and fuel systems. Our strength? Innovating to enhance flight safety (oxygen systems, evacuation systems, flotation systems) and driving the transition toward decarbonized aviation through sustainable fuels. 6,200 employees, operations in 7 countries, and one shared objective: a safer sky. Safran Aerosystems Services UK is seeking an experienced Head of Quality to lead our Quality function and ensure the highest standards of compliance, safety, and operational excellence across our aerospace maintenance and repair operations.
This is a key leadership role responsible for maintaining regulatory approvals, managing the Quality Management System, leading audit activities, and acting as the primary interface with aviation authorities, customers, and senior stakeholders.
If you're passionate about aviation safety, regulatory compliance, and building a culture of continuous improvement, this is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of quality within a world-leading aerospace organisation.
About the Role
As Head of Quality, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for all Quality and Compliance activities across the business.
You will be responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements including Part 145, CAA, EASA, and FAA approvals, while driving continuous improvement across quality systems, processes, and operational performance.
Working closely with Operations, Engineering, Customers, Suppliers, and Regulatory Authorities, you will play a critical role in safeguarding compliance, customer confidence, and flight safety.
Key Responsibilities
Quality & Compliance Leadership - Lead the Quality Management System and ensure ongoing regulatory compliance. - Act as the primary quality focal point for regulatory authorities and customers. - Maintain and manage Part 145 approvals and quality certifications. - Ensure compliance with AS9100, EN9110, CAA, EASA, FAA, and company requirements. - Provide independent oversight of operational quality performance.
Audit & Regulatory Management - Develop and manage internal and external audit programmes. - Lead regulatory, customer, and certification audits. - Manage audit findings through to effective closure. - Ensure the organisation remains audit-ready at all times. - Monitor regulatory changes and implement required actions.
Flight Safety & Risk Management - Lead quality investigations and root cause analysis activities. - Manage occurrence reporting and safety-related quality events. - Identify, assess, and mitigate quality and compliance risks. - Promote a strong quality and safety culture throughout the organisation.
Leadership & Continuous Improvement - Lead, coach, and develop the Quality team. - Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the business. -Partner with operational leaders to improve quality performance and process effectiveness. - Establish meaningful quality KPIs and performance metrics. - Support strategic business objectives through robust governance and compliance.
Why Safran?
A global presence: Be part of a global aerospace, defence & space business with over 100,000 Colleagues, across 300 sites in 30 countries.
Inclusive & empowering environment: We celebrate our differences and believe they make us stronger.
Innovation at the core: Join our mission to decarbonise aerospace and make the world a safer place. Your ambitions can take us further.
Mobility & training opportunities: We can support your ambitions with training, development, a personalised career plan and mobility opportunities. If you have big dreams, we'll support you to make them a reality.
Get involved:
We have a number of groups and forums across our sites that you can get involved with, including Women at Safran, Diversity at Safran, Sports Clubs, STEM ambassadors, Employee Forum, Charity Partnerships and Wellbeing Programs. Looking after the people who make Safran great is our priority. We offer a range of flexible benefits designed to support you, both in and out of work, including: Competitive salary Company performance bonus scheme Pension scheme - up to 10% employer contribution Private medical insurance Comprehensive health cash plan 25 days annual leave + bank holidays Flexible benefits programme We support your ambitions with training, development, a personalised career plan and mobility opportunities. Essential Requirements - Significant aerospace Quality leadership experience. - Strong experience within a Part 145 maintenance environment. - In-depth knowledge of CAA, EASA, FAA, AS9100, and EN9110 requirements. - Experience managing Quality Management Systems and regulatory approvals. - Internal and external audit management experience. - Proven leadership and people management capability. - Strong stakeholder management and communication skills. - Experience conducting investigations and root cause analysis.
Desirable Skills - Lead Auditor qualification. - Experience dealing directly with regulatory authorities. - Continuous Improvement or Lean Six Sigma experience. - Engineering, Aerospace, or Quality-related qualification. - Experience leading quality transformation or business improvement programmes.
We understand that diversity and inclusion make teams stronger. We are committed to fair and equitable employment practices for everyone.
We know that some candidates may be put off applying for jobs where they don't meet 100% of the criteria outlined in the advert. We encourage anybody to apply if you can demonstrate a variety of skills and experience relevant to the requirements of this role. Please let us know if you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to the hiring process that may better facilitate your participation.
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