Lead Quality Assurance Manager

1st Step Solutions are supporting a building services engineering company who have an opportunity for a Lead Quality Assurance Manager based in Grays, Essex.

Our client delivers Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing solutions across commercial, industrial and residential sectors.

Role overview
The Quality Assurance (QA) Manager is responsible for leading and managing all quality-related aspects across the business, including both project delivery and internal company functions.

Reporting directly to the Head of HSEQ, the QA Manager is responsible for the implementation, development, and continuous improvement of the company's Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring alignment with company strategy, ISO standards, and client requirements.

The role provides both strategic and operational leadership for quality, overseeing QA processes across all projects while working closely with project teams to ensure installations are delivered right-first-time and in accordance with design, specifications, and industry standards.

The QA Manager will lead the development of project-specific Quality Management Plans (QMPs) and ensure consistent application of quality processes across all sites and business functions.

Key Responsibilities
* Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Quality Management System (QMS).
* Ensure the QMS aligns with ISO 9001 requirements, company objectives, and client expectations.
* Develop and maintain all quality procedures, processes, templates, and standards across the business.
* Ensure consistent application of the QMS across all projects and internal functions.
* Work under the governance of the Head of HSEQ to ensure integration with wider SHEQ systems.
* Installation Compliance Monitoring: Carry out regular inspections of mechanical and electrical works on site to ensure they are installed in accordance with approved design drawings, specifications, and construction details.
* Snag Identification and Rectification Oversight: Identify non-conformances, poor workmanship, or deviations from design early in the installation process. Work with site teams and sub-contractors to ensure timely resolution.
* Design Validation: Cross-check that installations align with technical submittals, schedules, and construction phase plans, flagging any discrepancies to the Design and Project Managers.
* Provide oversight of QA activities across all projects, ensuring consistency in standards and approach.
* Ensure all projects are operating in line with company QMS and approved Quality Management Plans (QMPs).
* Develop and implement project-specific Quality Management Plans (QMPs) for all projects.
* Ensure QMPs clearly define:
? Inspection and test plans (ITPs)
? Quality control procedures
? Roles and responsibilities
? Hold points and witness points
* Monitor and audit compliance with QMPs across all sites.
* Continuously review and improve QMPs based on project feedback and lessons learned.
* QA Reporting Templates: Use and maintain standardised QA templates to document quality checks. Reports shall include photographs, checklists, written observations, and comments.
* Production of QA Templates: Develop and maintain project-specific QA reporting templates in alignment with the company's quality standards and client requirements.
* Inspection Checklists: Complete detailed inspection and test checklists during critical installation phases and project milestones. Ensure documentation is accurate and auditable.
* Weekly QA Updates: Provide weekly QA summary reports to senior management, highlighting trends, issues, and improvement actions.
* Close-Out Records: Assist with the collation and review of QA documentation required for handover, including as-built QA evidence, manufacturer documentation, and sign-offs.
* Ensure all QA documentation aligns with company QMS requirements and Head of HSEQ standards.
* Oversee standardisation of QA documentation across all projects.
* Provide structured reporting to the Head of HSEQ on quality performance, risks, and trends.
* Quality Benchmarks: Establish quality benchmarks and visual standards for key MEP installations (e.g., containment, pipework, cabling, equipment mounting).
* Benchmark Reviews: Review completed installations against benchmarks during early stages of projects to set the standard and use them as a reference for ongoing QA checks.
* Lessons Learned: Support lessons learned reviews post-project, identifying recurring QA issues and suggesting preventative strategies for future work.
* Training Recommendations: Feedback QA findings into training and briefing sessions to raise quality awareness across project teams and subcontractors.
* Feed quality data and insights into business-wide continuous improvement initiatives led by the Head of HSEQ.
* Identify recurring issues across multiple projects and implement system-level improvements.
* Site Team Integration: Work closely with Project Managers, Site Managers, and Supervisors to ensure QA activities are integrated into daily site operations.
* Subcontractor Interface: Liaise with subcontractors to clarify quality expectations and hold them accountable for compliance with the QA process.
* Client Engagement: Support client or consultant quality inspections, responding to any quality queries and coordinating remedial works where required.
* Act as the central point of coordination for all quality-related matters across projects.
* Support the Head of HSEQ in client-facing quality matters and audits.
* Take responsibility for maintaining and improving quality compliance across all business functions and projects.
* Regulatory Adherence: Ensure all QA procedures comply with relevant construction, safety, and building regulations, as well as our clients internal standards.
* Audit Preparedness: Maintain accurate and traceable QA records in preparation for audits, client reviews, or independent inspections.
* Quality Objectives: Support the delivery of project and company-wide quality objectives, including defect reduction and achieving zero rework.
* Documented Evidence & Reporting: Maintain auditable records demonstrating ongoing compliance, reporting accreditation status, risks, and improvement actions to the Head of SHEQ and senior management.
* Internal Audits & Corrective Actions: Plan and support internal audits against ISO and company requirements, track non-conformances, and drive corrective/preventative actions through to closure.
* Certification Lifecycle Control: Maintain a forward plan for surveillance visits, recertification audits, and renewal timelines; coordinate with certification bodies and internal stakeholders to close actions and prevent lapses.
* Standards Management: Ensure policies, procedures, and project delivery processes align with relevant quality and management system standards including (as applicable) ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety Management).
* Accreditation Oversight: Monitor, maintain, and ensure continual compliance with all quality-related ISO certifications and company accreditations, ensuring they remain valid, current, and fit-for-purpose.
* Report directly to the Head of HSEQ on:
? ISO compliance
? Audit outcomes
? Quality risks and trends
* Ensure all quality processes align with the overall HSEQ management system
* Operate under the strategic direction and governance of the Head of HSEQ.
* Act as the lead authority for quality across projects and business functions.
* Provide leadership and guidance to project teams on all quality-related matters.
* Ensure consistent implementation of quality standards across all projects.
* Support the development of a "Right First Time" culture across the business.
* Implementation of Matterport: Deploy Matterport technology on live sites to create 3D digital twins for accurate visual documentation of installations at key stages.
* Progress Capture: Coordinate scheduled Matterport scans throughout the project lifecycle (e.g., pre-close wall, post-first fix, pre-handover) for quality verification and traceability.
* Visual QA Integration: Link Matterport scans to QA reports and benchmark records to create a visual quality assurance trail for client review, internal audits, and handover.
* Training and Adoption: Promote the adoption of Matterport among site and project teams, ensuring effective use for progress tracking, snag documentation, and design validation.
* Ensure Matterport and digital QA tools are implemented in line with company-wide quality strategy defined by the Head of HSEQ.
Required Skills and Experience
* Experience in quality assurance within the MEP or construction sector
* Strong knowledge of construction drawings, specifications, and installation methods
* Proficient in site inspection, snagging, and QA reporting practices
* Familiarity with construction industry standards, codes of practice, and regulatory frameworks
* Strong attention to detail, documentation skills, and practical problem-solving abilities

On offer:
* Competitive salary (DOE)
* Company car / allowance
* Career progression opportunities
* Training & development support
* Pension scheme
* Holiday entitlement
* Private Health Care