Head of Quality Assurance

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Head of Quality Assurance

Company: COLAS RAIL UK

Job Location: LONDON, GBR

Type of Contract: Permanent

Posting Start Date: 04/03/2026

Make your mark with Colas Rail UK

At Colas Rail, differences matter. Join a team where being your authentic self is respected, encouraged, and vital to our success. At Colas Rail you'll be at home. You'll be welcomed into an inclusive team where there's a role for every talent and a close-knit, familial culture. You will also get the opportunity to help us transform transportation, set new standards, and dare to be different.

This is true because...

• We value everyone as part of the same team.
• We treat everyone as equals - and everyone is approachable, from the CEO down.
• We put you in control of your career to lead and grow in any way you want.
• We have a culture of care, from safe working environments to diversity and inclusion.
• We're renowned for innovation, adopting new ideas, and daring to be different.
• We are building a more sustainable future and our projects impact infrastructure for generations.

About Us

Step into the world of Colas Rail, where a century of expertise merges with a daring spirit to shape the future of rail infrastructure.

At Colas Rail, we deliver transport solutions for sustainable mobility. We are a leading rail infrastructure business with on track plant and freight capabilities. As a subsidiary of the Colas Group, we are part of over a hundred years' experience in delivering major innovations across our sector. Every day, thousands of trains run on tracks built, designed, or maintained by Colas Rail.

Leading by our Values

Our values, Respect, Commitment, Pioneering and Sharingare at the heart of everything we do. These values feed into our main strategies and accompany us daily in realising our ambitions.

We Respect our employees, celebrate diversity and foster a culture of safety, care and respect for everyone we interact with. We care about our employee's wellbeing and create an environment of inclusivity and support.

We Commit by showing up wholeheartedly. When we commit together, we invest in everyone's success. We invest in our customers, our teams and our colleagues, and we lead with safety, integrity, passion, purpose, ethics and transparency.

We Share as we all hold knowledge that could and should be shared, enabling us to grow and making us a strong collective. We have a passion for excellence, celebrating achievements and nurturing talent.

We Pioneer to push boundaries, imagine what does not yet exist and dare to do what others do not. We innovate with ambition, and we find solutions.

Even if you don't meet every requirement, please don't rule yourself out, we still encourage you to apply if your skills, values, and experience align to the role.

Job Description:

Purpose of the Role

The Quality Management Lead - Overhead Catenary System (OCS) is accountable for establishing, implementing, and maintaining the Quality Management arrangements for the design, installation, inspection, testing, commissioning, and handover of the OCS works on HS2.

The role provides independent quality leadership, reporting at director level, and ensures that all activities are delivered in full compliance with the Contract Works Information, WI 600 - Quality Management, ISO 9001, ISO/TS 22163 (IRIS), and applicable railway, electrical, and safety standards.

Acting as the competent authority for quality, the postholder ensures the effective operation of the Quality Management System, drives a risk-based "right first time" culture, and provides assurance that defects, nonconformities, and systemic risks are proactively identified, controlled, and eliminated.

The role safeguards the integrity, traceability, and compliance of OCS plant, materials, special processes, and documentation, ensuring that quality governance is embedded across the supply chain and throughout the project lifecycle.

Through independent challenge, audit, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives, the Quality Management Lead provides confidence to HS2 Ltd that the OCS works are delivered safely, compliantly, and to the highest standards of performance and reliability.

Person Specification

• Demonstrable experience leading quality management within rail systems, preferably Overhead Catenary Systems (OCS) or electrification programmes.
• Proven experience operating as an independent quality authority on major infrastructure or high-speed rail projects.
• Strong working knowledge and practical implementation experience of:
  ISO 9001
  ISO/TS 22163 (IRIS)
  ISO 10005 (Quality Plans)
  ISO 10006 (Quality in Projects)
  ISO 9004 (Organisational Maturity)
  ISO 19011 (Auditing Management Systems)
• Experience establishing and maintaining certified QMS arrangements on complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
• Experience managing quality across the full lifecycle: design, procurement, installation, testing, commissioning and handover.
• Competent quality auditor (IRCA or equivalent), with experience leading internal and external audits.
• Demonstrable experience managing nonconformity processes, root cause analysis, corrective actions and systemic improvement programmes.
• Experience overseeing material certification, traceability (EN 10204), and special process control (e.g. ISO 3834, ISO 9712).
• Experience working within regulated railway environments and engaging with assurance bodies and regulators.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, challenge delivery functions constructively, and operate at director level.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Management System

• Ensure the Contractor's QMS is certified to ISO 9001 and compliant with ISO/TS 22163 (IRIS), valid for the OCS scope and accepted by the Project Manager prior to commencement of works.
• Maintain QMS compliance throughout the project lifecycle, including certificate renewals, surveillance audits, and scope extensions where required.
• Make QMS documentation, registers, certification records, and assurance evidence available to HS2 upon request.
• Ensure laboratory testing and calibration activities are undertaken by appropriately accredited bodies (e.g., ISO/IEC 17025) where required.

Quality Planning

• Develop, implement, and maintain the OCS Quality Plan in accordance with:
• ISO 10005
• WI 600
• HS2 Quality Plan Requirements for Providers
• Ensure the Quality Plan covers design, installation, inspection, testing, commissioning, and handover.
• Submit the Quality Plan and revisions for HS2 acceptance within contractual timescales.

Independent Quality Leadership

• Act independently from delivery functions with authority to challenge activities and halt works where quality or compliance is compromised.
• Provide professional and technical challenge to design, construction, and testing teams to prevent defects and nonconformities.
• Promote a strong quality culture across OCS engineering, construction, and supply chain partners.
• Ensure the quality function maintains an independent reporting line to director level.

Design Quality Assurance

• Define, implement, and evidence robust design assurance processes for OCS works.
• Oversee self-certification, design verification, technical assurance, and system certification records.
• Ensure compliance with HS2 standards, interoperability requirements, railway norms, and contractual obligations.
• Monitor configuration control and design change governance processes.

Inspection, Testing & Commissioning

• Ensure Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs), surveillance plans, forms, and templates are developed and accepted prior to works commencing.
• Verify witness and hold points are included within the Accepted Programme.
• Ensure compliance with WI 0700 and applicable OCS testing standards.
• Oversee quality assurance of commissioning and handover documentation.

Plant, Materials & Traceability

• Develop and maintain the Material Certification and Traceability Plan in accordance with EN 10204.
• Ensure OCS materials (e.g., conductors, cantilevers, insulators, fixings) are fully traceable throughout the lifecycle.
• Ensure inspection documentation is verified, approved, and traceable to installed assets.
• Segregate, quarantine, and report suspect, defective, or counterfeit materials immediately to HS2

Audits & Assurance

• Ensure audits are conducted by competent, IRCA-qualified auditors in accordance with ISO 19011.
• Submit audit schedules and reports to HS2 in accordance with contractual requirements.
• Facilitate HS2, regulatory, and third-party audits, ensuring timely closure of findings.

Nonconformance, Defects & Corrective Action

• Implement and manage the defect and nonconformance control process in accordance with:
• WI 600
• ISO 9001
• HS2 Non-Conformance and Corrective Action Requirements
• Lead structured root cause analysis and ensure effective corrective and preventive actions
• As you will expect the organisation may change from time to time and you will be expected to meet the operational requirements.
• Any other reasonable duties as required from time to time

What We Offer
• Competitive Salary
• 26 days Annual Leave
• Industry leading Life Assurance
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Wellbeing Employee Assistant Programme
• Pension Scheme
• Eye Care Vouchers
• Long Service Award
• Season Ticket Loan

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diversity drives innovation and creativity, and we actively seek to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, heard, valued and respected. Regardless of background, disability, age, race, religion, or gender, everyone is welcome at Colas Rail.

We strive to promote equity and eliminate discrimination, actively seeking to create a workforce reflective of communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, offering flexible and inclusive adjustments to the interview process.

As part of a positive action drive to address under-representation we encourage applications from women, ethnically diverse individuals and people with disabilities, along with all candidates who identify with protected characteristic groups under the Equality Act 2010.

We are proudly part of the Disability Confidence Scheme, and as such we operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme if you meet the minimum requirements.

On joining Colas Rail you'll have access to our growing Employee Network Groups including Railbow (representing the LGBTQ+ community), BeyonDisability (representing those with disabilities) and Cross Culture (representing people from ethnic backgrounds). Everyone is welcome to join our network groups whether you are part of the community or an ally.

Work life balance is important to us; flexible working options are available where feasible and dependant on the role. Please discuss this during the interview process.

Join us in making a positive impact! Apply and be part of a team that values diversity and embraces unique perspectives.

Information at a Glance