Head of Quality Assurance in Bedford

About Us

We are a global company with a strong footprint within the United Kingdom and South Africa Business Processing outsourcing market (BPO). Due to our business expanding there is a need to appoint a Head of Quality Assurance to support our business leaders. This role will be reporting to the MD of Operations. There will be a requirement for occasional travel to South Africa & India.

Purpose of the Role

We’re hiring for an exceptional Head of Quality Assurance to lead the QA strategy for our Financial Services Outsourcing division. This is a high‑impact role where you’ll shape how quality is defined, measured, and continuously improved across a complex, regulated service environment. You’ll be the creator and custodian of the Quality Management Framework (QMF) ensuring our outsourced services meet the highest standards of accuracy, compliance, customer experience, and risk control. You will ensure the framework aligns to all Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules and expectations to ensure good customer outcomes. You will need to be able to create the QMF, thrive in a fast‑paced, customer and client‑centric environment and know how to build a culture of quality from the ground up.

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Strategy & Frameworks: Develop and own the enterprise QA strategy for outsourced financial services operations, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and client SLAs.
• Operational Assurance: Oversee quality monitoring, sampling methodologies, root‑cause analysis, and continuous improvement programmes across multiple service lines.
• Regulatory & Risk Alignment: Ensure QA processes meet FCA and other relevant regulatory standards, embedding robust controls and audit readiness.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing QA team, fostering a culture of accountability, curiosity, and continuous improvement across multiple geographical locations both on and offshore.
• Client & Stakeholder Engagement: Act as a senior point of contact for clients on quality matters, presenting insights, trends, and improvement plans with clarity and confidence. Manage internal and external audits.
• Data‑Driven Insights: Use analytics to identify performance trends, operational risks, and opportunities to enhance service delivery.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Proven leadership experience in Quality Assurance within Financial Services, ideally in an outsourcing environment.
• Deep understanding of regulatory frameworks, operational risk, and compliance expectations.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Experience designing and implementing QA frameworks at scale.
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to influence at senior levels.
• A passion for operational excellence and a track record of driving measurable improvements.
• In-depth knowledge of the United Kingdom’s regulatory framework, (Consumer Duty, Vulnerable Customers, Treating Customers Fairly etc).
• Minimum of 3 years Head of Quality experience.

Desired Experience and or Qualifications

• Project or change‑management qualifications (e.g., PRINCE2).
• Proven leadership experience in QA within Financial Services, ideally including outsourced operations.
• Deep understanding of FCA frameworks, Consumer Duty, TCF, Vulnerable Customer expectations, GDPR, AML/CTF and other sectoral regulations.
• Experience designing and implementing QA frameworks at scale across multiple service lines.
• Strong knowledge of operational risk, regulatory alignment, and audit readiness.
• Experience developing consistent MI suites, sampling methodologies, and quality controls.
• Ability to build and lead a high‑performing QA team across multiple geographic locations (on/offshore).
• ICA certifications (compliance, AML, conduct).
• IRCA Lead Auditor (ISO 9001 or equivalent).