Quality Management Specialist in Bristol

Venesky Brown Recruitment are currently looking for a Quality Management Lead to join work with the Sizewell C team. This role is a contract position (day rate) which can be based in Suffolk, London or Bristol offices, with hybrid working.

Job Purpose / Overview:

The role of the Quality Management Lead (QML) is to ensure Sizewell C (SZC) Project quality requirements are complied with across the full project life-cycle (Contract award, Design, Procurement, Manufacture, Test, Shipping, Construction/Installation, Test/Commission and Contract close out). The primary purpose of the Quality Management Lead role is to ensure supply-chain adherence to the contracted quality assurance and quality control requirements. QMLs sit within the PDO Quality Team and are deployed to Programmes to serve this primary purpose. In so doing, day to day reporting is to the Quality Delivery Manager (QDM) who sets out their Programme quality requirements. This includes development and implementation of Project Quality Control Plans and associated inspection and surveillance activities.

Their secondary purpose is to support the PDO Quality Director, the Quality Delivery Manager and their programme in achieving adherence with the Integrated Management System arrangements, putting in place additional project-specific arrangements as required and managing quality for all activities within the scope of the programme. For a given portfolio of work, the Quality Management Lead is the single point of contact (SPOC) for all quality related elements associated with the supply chain. The QML will, on behalf of the Quality Delivery Manager, act as ‘Intelligent Customer’ in the capacity of ensuring that arrangements are in place, and effectively implemented by the supply chain, building on the lessons learned from the Hinkley Point C (HPC) project.

Quality Management Leads will also support the Quality Delivery Manager and their respective Multi Discipline Team (MDTs) by the provision of quality management expertise to meet the quality requirements. This is to ensure products and/or services are provided Right First Time (RFT) in line with the SZC Project Goals, and in support of RFT, ensure effective resolution of issues and implementation of corrective actions to prevent recurrence. During manufacturing or construction, the Quality Management Lead shall, as ‘Intelligent Customer’, ensure that manufactured equipment or construction conforms to the contract design and technical specifications.

The Quality Management Lead will work with inspection and surveillance bodies and the respective suppliers to ensure appropriate mechanisms and arrangements are in place to manage inspection and surveillance activities in the supply chain, and ensure appropriate inspection and surveillance is planned and executed commensurate with the associated risks. The Quality Management Lead shall also carry out their own surveillance on select manufacturing or construction documentation in accordance with the Surveillance Strategy and, where applicable, perform joint inspections with contracted inspection entities, in line with their own Surveillance Plans to oversee inspection performance.

As part of demonstrating their ‘Intelligent Customer’ role, the QML shall measure and report quality metrics to the project, Quality function and Supply Chain Management and perform regular audit of the supplier and the management of their sub-contractors to ensure supplier performance is maintained.

Principal Accountabilities

• General Support the development of quality (QA/QC) arrangements for deployment across the SZC organisation.
• Implement key quality arrangements related to the following topics:
• Manage Quality Execution
• Support Technical Assessment of Suppliers
• Conduct Supplier Audit
• Conducting Manufacturing and/or Construction Surveillance
• Management of Non-Conformances
• Quality Release Certificate Process (where applicable);
• Undertake actions to resolve issues relating to the implementation of quality and to bring about improvements and support others in these actions.
• Primary accountability:
• Review, accept and monitor Contractors Quality Assurance Plans (CQAP) provided by the supply chain.
• Identify needs for supply chain audits, perform audits and resolve findings.
• Produce Project Quality Control Plans (PQCP) for each contract/project.
• In compliance with the PQCP, ensure deployment of key quality contractual arrangements including the General Quality Assurance Specification (GQAS), Lifetime Quality Records (LTQR) Specification, Quality Release Certificate and the Inspection & Test Plan Specification etc.
• Provide relevant guidance to contractors, including contractor’s CQAPs, LTQR partitioning strategies and the arrangements for identifying and planning for Quality Related Activities.
• Lead the implementation of LTQR reviews.
• Support the determination and application of strategies for progressive provision of LTQRs by contractors.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders including contracted inspection entities.
• Ensure manufacturing and construction surveillance per contract is applied in a graded approach of safety function and project importance through surveillance offers and performance monitoring of the inspection agencies used.
• Ensure overall effectiveness of ITPs submitted by the suppliers, checking that they are fit for purpose from a quality perspective and have been correctly distributed to the relevant internal parties for review and mark-up of the activities they wish to witness.
• Where applicable, establish and check planned inspection witness and hold points marked in the supplier Inspection and Test Plans (ITP) / Quality Plans / Follow Up Documents (FUDs) and monitor their completion.
• Coordinate, monitor and improve the efficiency of manufacturing documentation review and where applicable, inspection activities performed by contracted inspection entities.
• Coordinate and lead the NNB review and acceptance of relevant manufacturing and construction documentation provided by contractors.
• Perform joint inspections, surveillance and audit when required.
• Support the monitoring and technical resolution of non-conformances including the management of corrections and corrective actions.
• Support the review and acceptance of End of Manufacturing Reports (EoMR), End of Construction Status Reports (ECSR) and End of Erection Status Reports (EESR).
• Responsible for the review and delivery of the end of manufacturing records, leading to the quality release of equipment to the SZC construction site, or handover of rooms/buildings/areas.
• Produce quality documentation (e.g. specifications, procedures) as required.
• Secondary accountability:
• Implement the quality execution plan within the Programme and undertaken reviews and checks to ensure quality is delivered by the supply chain efficiently and in accordance with programme quality requirements.
• Identifying potential Quality issues before they arrive to enable mitigating actions.
• Ensure supplier quality control requirements are adequately specified within contract documentation submitted in the Invitation To Tender (ITT).
• Ensure quality management processes are correctly applied.

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Essential

• Position requires experience in project delivery, preferably in the nuclear power sector, with significant focus on project quality, with a solid understanding of the Quality Assurance and Quality Control in major projects across engineering, procurement, manufacturing, construction and commissioning.
• A clear and considerable understanding of quality management best practice for deployment by large, complex and contract-led organisations.
• Knowledge of Quality Systems, ISO 9001, ISO 19443, IAEA GSR-2 and interrelated standards.
• Confident and articulate communicator, able to prepare presentation material, and comfortable addressing individuals, small groups and very large audiences.
• Able to support and implement practical solutions, whilst remaining open to the ideas of others.
• Experience of interfacing with project teams and with supply chain organisations.
• Analysis of data, preparing reports and making recommendations.
• The ability to influence and to provide constructive challenge which is accepted by others.
• The ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the nuclear sector, ideally new build.
• Knowledge & understanding of nuclear site license conditions.
• Ability to speak French is advantageous.
• Knowledge of pressure and nuclear codes.
• Knowledge of Welding, Non Destructive Testing (NDT), Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE).

Qualifications & Experience

• HNC/HND qualification or degree in a relevant science or engineering subject, or equivalent qualification.
• Broad experience of implementing a variety of quality related solutions.
• Proven track record of delivering results.
• Proven leadership experience working in a quality assurance/control environment within the nuclear industry or other relevant safety critical industry.
• Proven experience of interaction and resolving issues with a wide range of stakeholders in a multi cultural environment.
• Experience performing supplier audits.

Desirable

• Hold a professional accreditation including IRCA certified auditor.
• Corporate Member or working towards membership of the Chartered Quality Institute & Chartered Quality Professional.
• Commercial exposure, especially supplier management.
• Experience of interacting with regulators e.g. the ONR.
• Knowledge of Improvement Methodologies, Tools & Techniques eg. Lean 6 Sigma.