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Senior Quality Engineer

£45,000–£55,000
Horsham, UK
Full time, Permanent

Are you an experienced Quality Engineer looking for a role where you can influence quality strategy, lead improvement initiatives and support the development of others?

We’re recruiting a Senior Quality Engineer to provide technical leadership across quality management, compliance and continual improvement within a design, development and manufacturing environment.
Reporting to the Head of Quality, you’ll act as the quality subject matter expert for designated programmes and business areas. You’ll combine hands-on investigation and assurance activities with the opportunity to shape processes, guide colleagues and drive improvements across the business.

The Role

You’ll take a leading role in developing and improving the Business Management System, ensuring it remains effective, compliant with BS EN ISO 9001 and aligned with customer, regulatory and business requirements.
Working closely with engineering, manufacturing, programme teams and customers, you’ll provide independent quality assurance throughout the programme lifecycle and help embed a proactive approach to quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the governance, development and continual improvement of the Business Management System, including processes, procedures, work instructions and controls.
• Provide expert guidance on quality management principles and best practice across the organisation.
• Lead the internal audit programme, analyse findings and trends, identify systemic risks and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Lead complex investigations into product, process and system non-conformances, customer returns and field-related issues.
• Apply structured root cause analysis to deliver effective corrective actions and recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Provide quality leadership at design reviews, programme reviews and lifecycle gate reviews.
• Review contracts, specifications and bid documentation to interpret and address customer quality requirements.
• Build effective customer relationships, support issue resolution and assist with external audits and regulatory compliance activities.
• Mentor and coach Quality Engineers and wider business teams.
• Support the development of quality strategy, objectives and improvement roadmaps aligned with business goals.

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience developing, implementing and improving quality management systems within a design, development and manufacturing environment.
• Extensive experience managing audit programmes and conducting internal, customer, supplier and third-party audits.
• An HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in an engineering-related discipline, supported by professional experience in quality engineering and management.
• Strong practical knowledge of structured problem-solving methods, including 8D, 5 Whys, Ishikawa, root cause analysis and risk-based thinking.
• Leadership and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and drive organisational change.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including working with customers, suppliers, senior leaders and cross-functional teams.

Desirable Experience

• A background in defence, aerospace or highly regulated electro-mechanical manufacturing.
• Working knowledge of ISO 9001, AQAP 2110, AQAP 2210, AS9100, ISO 27001 or ISO 14001.
• Experience in Design Assurance, Product Assurance or Quality Assurance leadership.
• CQI membership, Chartered Quality Professional status, IRCA Registered Auditor qualification or equivalent accreditation.
• Experience leading teams, mentoring technical professionals or delivering cross-functional improvement programmes.
• Good health and safety awareness, ideally supported by an IOSH certificate.

To apply, please submit your CV outlining your relevant quality engineering, audit and continuous improvement experience.

Site Director – Facilities, EHS & Site Operations

Location: Chelmsford, Essex
Employment type: Permanent, full-time
Salary: Dependent on Experience

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Site Director to provide strategic and operational leadership across Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS), Facilities Management, Security, Business Continuity and site infrastructure at a complex manufacturing site.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant, efficient and reliable operation of the site. Working closely with functional managers and the wider Site Leadership Team, you will raise operational standards, strengthen leadership capability and embed a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence.

About the role

You will take overall responsibility for the safe and effective operation of the site, leading established teams across EHS, hard and soft facilities services, security and business continuity. You will ensure compliance with UK legislation, corporate standards and regulatory requirements, while identifying opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, service quality and cost effectiveness.

This role will suit an experienced operational leader with a strong background in Facilities Management and EHS within manufacturing, engineering or another regulated environment.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and lead the site EHS strategy, ensuring compliance with UK legislation, corporate standards and regulatory requirements.
• Promote a proactive safety culture, oversee risk assessments, COSHH compliance, safe systems of work, incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Take overall responsibility for site buildings, utilities, infrastructure, plant and critical systems, including planned preventative maintenance, statutory inspections and asset management.
• Lead hard and soft facilities services, including maintenance, cleaning, catering, waste management, reception and grounds maintenance.
• Manage outsourced service providers, supplier contracts, service-level agreements and performance standards.
• Oversee site security arrangements, emergency preparedness, Business Continuity Plans and incident-response procedures.
• Provide strategic oversight of facilities and EHS-related capital projects, infrastructure upgrades and Management of Change processes.
• Take responsibility for operational and capital expenditure budgets, supplier negotiations, cost optimisation and commercial performance.
• Lead, coach and develop functional managers, establishing clear performance standards, governance and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Act as a key member of the Site Leadership Team, contributing to strategic planning, operational risk management and site-wide improvement.

Skills and experience

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience across Facilities Management, covering both hard and soft services, and Environmental, Health & Safety.
• Experience within manufacturing, engineering or another highly regulated environment.
• Strong working knowledge of UK health and safety legislation, statutory facilities compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to lead and develop management teams, improve performance and implement organisational change.
• Experience managing complex facilities operations, infrastructure and contractor-intensive environments.
• Experience overseeing outsourced services, supplier relationships and contractual performance.
• Strong commercial and financial management capability, including responsibility for operational budgets and capital expenditure.
• Excellent stakeholder-management, communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to challenge existing practices and drive accountability.

Desirable

• Previous responsibility for site security, emergency preparedness and Business Continuity Management.
• Knowledge of ISO management systems and recognised compliance frameworks.
• Experience in highly regulated, high-reliability or safety-critical manufacturing environments.
• Experience managing infrastructure-improvement programmes or capital-investment projects.