Quality & Product Assurance Manager

Guildford
3 days ago
Create job alert

Quality & Product Assurance Manager | Space/Aerospace | Guildford | Hybrid | Competitive salary & package

We are seeking a Quality & Product Assurance Manager with a track record of management of a quality or product assurance in management systems environments, to join a leading Spacecraft company in Guildford.
You will be responsible for ensuring excellence in the fields of quality and product assurance is achieved across the business. You will be responsible for galvanising all levels, to embody a continuous improvement culture and reap the benefits of an effective management system. You will coach, mentor and develop the Quality Assurance & Product Assurance team and drive improvement throughout the organisation.
 
Key Tasks

Drive change to improve delivery of missions on time, on cost and on quality through continuous improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of processes
Galvanise the business, at all levels, to embody a continuous improvement culture and reap the benefits of an effective quality management system
Functionally manage Quality & Product Assurance team, ensuring high quality outputs and the delivery of excellence, through enthusing, coaching, mentoring and development of the team.
Manage relationship with external certification bodies for ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO27001 and ensure continued certification
Ensure internal audit, non-conformance, calibration and environmental management processes are effective
Ensure process owners genuinely own their processes, delivering effective outcomes that result in improved business process at process and overall company level through coaching, mentoring and provision of QA support.
Report on quality, product assurance and environmental metrics to the business and to the Executive
Facilitate ISO9001 / 14001 / 27001 management system reviews with the Executive and use to help the Executive drive the business forward
Manage the internal audit programme ensuring the process owners and business at large use the results to drive on-cost, on schedule, on quality delivery of missions
Provide product assurance engineering resource to high assurance programmes were required
Support bid activities providing guidance on what quality and product assurance resources may be needed to meet project requirements
Interface with institutional, government and commercial customers on quality and product assurance topics ensuring our unique approaches are understoodPrevious Experience

Proven track record of effective functional management of a quality or product assurance team, including effective mentoring and coaching resulting in team excellence
Proven track record of driving improvements resulting in improved business performance and providing Product Assurance support to missions
5 years+ experience of working within ISO9001, ISO14001 & ISO27001 management systems environment
5 years+ years experience of Quality Systems Engineering Management in a high technology development and/or manufacturing and test environment. (Experience in space or aerospace technologies would be an advantage)
Qualifications Knowledge & Skills
A degree or equivalent in an engineering or technical discipline, ideally Aerospace
A deep understanding of ISO9001/14001 and an ability to apply it to achieve business success is essential.
A good working knowledge of ISO27001 would be an advantage
Good working knowledge of space industry quality and product assurance standards (e.g. ECSS / IPS) would be an advantage
Excellent inter-personal and communication skills, able to influence, persuade and negotiate with people at all levels (externally & internally) as well as to assist in reaching compromises when there are conflicting requirements
Good knowledge of MS Office Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Microsoft ProjectBenefits

Highly competitive Salary
Flexible working policies
32 days annual leave + BH
Annual Company Bonus Scheme
Up to 8% employer pension contribution
Life Assurance (6X salary)
Private Health Care
Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave
Multiple Discount, Memberships schemes

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Engineering Project Manager

Senior Manager AI & Automation

Technical Architect

Embedded Software Quality Engineer

Configuration and Document Management Coordinator

Commercial & Experience Manager

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

What Hiring Managers Look for First in Space Sector Job Applications (UK Guide)

The space industry is one of the most exciting and multidisciplinary sectors in technology and engineering today. Whether you’re applying for roles in spacecraft design, aerospace systems, robotics, satellite communications, mission operations, payload engineering, space software, ground systems, or scientific research, your application must quickly show hiring managers that you are relevant, technically credible and ready to deliver. In the UK space jobs market — spanning organisations from startups to defence primes, agencies, research labs and commercial constellations — hiring managers do not read every word of your CV. They scan applications rapidly, often making a judgement about whether to read further within the first 10–20 seconds. This guide breaks down exactly what hiring managers look for first in space sector applications, how they assess CVs and portfolios, why specific signals matter, and how you can position your experience to stand out on www.ukspacejobs.co.uk .

The Skills Gap in UK Space Jobs: What Universities Aren’t Teaching

The UK space sector is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing high-tech industries in the world. From Earth observation and satellite communications to space robotics, launch systems and deep-space exploration, the breadth of opportunity is enormous. The UK Government’s ambition to capture a significant share of the global space economy has driven investment, policy support and a wave of innovative companies — both established and start-up. Yet despite strong academic programmes and a pipeline of graduates with relevant degrees, employers in the UK space sector consistently report a persistent problem: Many graduates are not prepared for real-world space industry jobs. This is not a matter of intelligence or motivation. Rather, it reflects a growing skills gap between what universities are teaching and what employers actually need from space professionals. In this article, we’ll explore why that gap exists, what universities are doing well, where they fall short, what employers want, and how jobseekers can bridge the divide to build thriving careers in the UK space sector.

UK Space Jobs for Career Switchers in Their 30s, 40s & 50s (UK Reality Check)

The UK space sector is no longer a niche reserved for astronauts and rocket scientists. It is a broad, fast-growing industry covering satellites, Earth observation, navigation, telecoms, space data, launch services, space sustainability and defence-related capability. That breadth creates genuine career opportunities for professionals switching careers in their 30s, 40s or 50s — especially in roles where delivery, quality, operations, safety, regulation and customer outcomes matter as much as pure engineering. This article gives you a UK reality check: what space jobs actually look like, which roles are realistic for career switchers, what skills UK employers value, how long retraining tends to take and whether age is a barrier (usually far less than people fear).