Job description
We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.
As strategies, technologies and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity.
Our diverse teams of experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough use of technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.
An innovation and transformation consultancy, we are over 4000 specialists in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport. Our people are strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers and technologists.
We operate globally from offices across the UK, US, Netherlands and Nordics.
PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.
PA’s Design, Engineering and Science function supports our client base by providing design, rapid prototyping, innovation strategy and applied R&D. Made up of around 200 technologists, the group has the opportunity to work across a wide range of industry verticals then encompasses life sciences, consumer, healthcare and defence and involves software, electronics, hardware engineering, data science and strategy services.
We work with both established and start-up organisations in this space and need a Quality Manager to maintain and develop our QMS and provide leadership for quality to the wider technology group. Our QMS is certified to both ISO9001 and ISO13485 under which we operate a wide range of projects and need to ensure that both our QMS and the development projects comply with best practice, regulations and standards.
What we’re looking for
The ideal candidate will be enthused by innovation, competent in quality systems, knowledgeable about regulations and be driven to use their knowledge of product development to ensure that our scientists, engineers and developers deliver a fantastic service that meets the highest standards of quality. This will involve broad duties across the product design and development group to provide a central point of leadership for internal QMS activities to ensure that we capture best practice and we remain compliant. We are looking for a natural leader to engage with the management group in PA and with technology staff performing the work. Applicants are not expected to have gained experience across all the industries sectors noted but must have a thorough understanding of ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 quality systems. Coaching and external training will be available.
Core duties
- Front external audits from ISO certification bodies for the QMS and from clients undertaking supplier approval audits for work
- Be the point of contact to maintain the QMS, provide leadership and engage and help empower staff to take ownership of best practice and codify it in the QMS
- Usage and deployment of eQMS systems to drive change in the business that support staff and improve compliance
- Develop and deliver the internal audit plan with stakeholders and undertake audits to assess effectiveness of both work and QMS, managing the CAPA process
- Develop quality metrics and assess performance against and report findings
- Arrange management review meeting and author the summary reports to assess effectiveness of the business and help develop the strategy and long-term plans
- Train staff on QMS processes and develop innovative ways to train and engage staff to improve fluency to meet PA’s growth targets
- Support client projects, specifically in regulated industries, ensuring activities meet relevant Quality standards / design controls for medical / drug delivery devices
- Serve as a subject matter expert on quality/design controls on jobs
- Oversee product release and CE marking (for self-declaration) where applicable (e.g. for machinery)
- Competent Quality Practitioner, e.g. PCQI or equivalent
- Proven experience in operational quality assurance within a regulated environment
- Strong working understanding of ISO standards either ISO9001 or ISO13485
- Great communication skills for both business and training staff
- A willingness to interface in a multi-disciplinary environment
- Great leadership skills to help inspire staff and coach where needed in a matrix managed organisation
- The ability to develop, learn and broaden out across many industrial sectors to get to grips with best practice and applicable regulations
If you are looking for a challenging role in QA covering a wide range of disciplines and diverse projects, where you will have internal and external-facing duties, and the chance to work across a broad range of industry sectors, then this role might be what you are looking for.
Additional Information
Life At PA encompasses our peoples' experience at PA. It's about how we enrich peoples’ working lives by giving them access to unique people and growth opportunities and purpose led meaningful work.We believe diversity fuels ingenuity. Diversity of thought brings exciting perspectives; diversity of experience brings a wealth of knowledge, and diversity of skills brings the tools we need. When we bring people together with diverse backgrounds, identities, and minds, embracing that difference through an inclusive culture where our people thrive; we unleash the power of diversity – bringing ingenuity to life.
Find out more about Life at PA here.
We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of our people. Check out some of our extensive benefits:
- Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare for you and your family
- 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days
- Generous company pension scheme
- Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives
- Annual performance-based bonus
- PA share ownership
- Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn)
We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief veteran status, or other by any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We are on a journey towards ensuring our workforce is diverse at all levels and that our firm is representative of the world around us. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
Adjustments or accommodations - Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us.