Business Area Manager Certification in Northampton

VACANCY Role: BUSINESS AREA MANAGER – CERTIFICATION Location: Kettering, NN16 8SD Salary: £40-50K DOE Hours: 37.5 per week

Ref:48/26 We
have a full-time vacancy for a Business Area Manager in our Certification department.

About The Role To lead and inspire the PRC and STE teams to deliver and exceed budgetary and customer expectations whilst ensuring compliance with quality standards and health and safety thereby enhancing the SATRA brand and reputation.

Our PPE Certification team spans the UK, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Finland, Turkey and China and is responsible for the technical assessment of PPE against both the EU and UK PPE Regulations.

The technical assessments conducted by our expert team ensure that products are fit for purpose and comply with the relevant UK or European Regulations.

If successful in their assessment, the manufacturer of these products may affix the CE/UKCA mark to their product.

This business is heavily guided by regulation, and it's required to operate a robust UKAS and INAB accredited ISO 17065 quality management system (QMS).

About The Role

• Lead, motivate, and develop the Certification teams to achieve sustainable year-on-year growth in revenue, profitability, and customer satisfaction.
• Manage departmental performance against budgets, operational KPIs and strategic objectives.
• Take ownership of departmental financial performance, including forecasting, budget management, expense allocation, purchasing and month-end reporting activities.
• Support the Divisional Manager in developing and implementing strategies to improve operational efficiency, service delivery, revenue generation, and business growth.
• Create and maintain a target driven culture focused on productivity, accountability, quality, and customer service excellence.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the business area, empowering employees to identify opportunities, implement changes, and measure outcomes.
• Develop team capability through effective performance management, coaching, training, and succession planning.
• Ensure appropriate resource planning and workload management to meet customer demands and business objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customer, industry stakeholders, regulators, and trade associations.
• Actively engage with senior industry representatives to identify new business opportunities and strengthen SATRA's market position.
• Foster effective collaboration between Certification, Testing, Sales, China, and other supporting departments to ensure a seamless customer experience.
• Promote a customer-focused culture, ensuring high levels of service delivery and responsiveness are maintained.
• Oversee the maintenance and ongoing compliance of ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation with UKAS and INAB requirements.
• Maintain effective quality management processes and supporting infrastructure across the department.
• Ensure all corrective actions, preventative actions, and improvement initiatives are implemented and monitored to completion
• Support the introduction of new certification schemes, services, and market opportunities.
• Actively promote the SATRA brand through customer interactions, industry engagement, and professional representation.
• Represent SATRA through the delivery of presentations, webinars, technical events, exhibitions, and industry forums.
• Contribute to business development activities by identifying new opportunities, supporting sales initiatives, and maintaining strong customer relationships
• Travel regularly between UK and Ireland offices and undertake international travel, including visits to China, exhibitions, industry events, committee meetings, and customer locations as required.

About You Essential

• Proven leadership and people management experience, with the ability to motivate, develop, and lead high-performing teams.
• Strong operational management skills, with experience managing departmental performance against KPI's, service targets, and business objectives.
• Technical knowledge of certification activities and the ability to understand and interpret complex technical standards and regulatory requirements
• Strong commercial awareness, with experience managing budgets, forecasts, and financial performance
• Demonstrable business development and customer relationship management skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and networking abilities, capable of engaging effectively with customers, industry stakeholders, and employees at all levels.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build productive relationships internally and externally.
• Effective decision-making and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess risk and implement practical solutions
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organisational planning skills, with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to delegate effectively, establish clear expectations, and hold teams accountable for delivery.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives and implementing operational change.
• Customer-focused mindset with a commitment to service excellence.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, Power Point, and Teams
• Inspirational and approachable leader who leads by example
• Results-orientated and highly motivated individual with a strong drive to achieve business objectives
• Resilient and adaptable, with the ability to perform effectively in a changing environment
• Collaborative team player capable of working across departments to achieve shared goals
• Professional, diplomatic, and confident when dealing with challenging situations
• High levels of integrity and accountability
• Proactive and self-motivated, with a strong focus on continuous improvement
• Committed to promoting a positive culture of quality, compliance, health, safety, and wellbeing
• Resident of the UK or Republic of Ireland
• Full driving licence and willingness to undertake regular UK, Ireland, and international travel
• Relevant technical background within a certification, conformity assessment, testing, or regulated industry environment.

Desirable

• Leadership or management qualification.
• Experience managing teams within an accredited certification or laboratory environment
• Knowledge of ISO/IEC 17065 and accreditation requirements
• Experience working with UKAS and/or INAB accredited activities
• Technical expertise in PPE certification processes and relevant legislation
• Experience of quality management systems and audit processes
• Health & Safety management experience or recognised H&S qualification
• Understanding of international regulatory frameworks and product certification schemes.

Benefits Include Staff benefits include 25 – 30 days (service related) annual leave; life assurance; a group personal pension plan; income protection; free parking; flexible working hours.

Closing date for receipt of applications is 13 th
November 2026 First stage interviews will be held via MS Teams on 20 th
November
2026 Second stage interviews will be held in person on 25 th
November 2026
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