Head of Quality

The Head of Quality will lead the Quality function, ensuring a robust Quality Management System and driving operational excellence, client confidence and a continuous improvement mindset throughout the organisation. They will champion a culture where quality and continuous improvement are shared responsibilities across the organisation, connecting business support functions and project delivery to ensure quality is embedded throughout the value chain. The role drives Quality beyond compliance and into practical project support, standardisation, lessons learned, audit discipline and measurable improvement., Quality Leadership

• Develop and visibly lead the overall direction, culture, and behaviour for quality and Continuous Improvement across the business.
• Promote a culture where quality and continuous improvement are embedded in day-to-day work and result in the prevention of rework, increased efficiencies, protection of margin and improved client confidence.
• Foster collaboration across all the business to support high quality standards and continuous improvement in line with Kane's Values.
• Act as the senior quality representative for Kane at key events, meetings and inspections.
• Address quality concerns transparently and professionally at all times.
Quality Management System
• Own, maintain and develop the Quality Management System (QMS) compliance and continuous improvement where site intelligence and /or internal audits indicates gaps or opportunities and alignment with ISO 9001 requirements.
• Lead the development and roll-out of quality strategies aligned to Company objectives.
• Provide governance over departmental quality and project QA activities.
• Ensure quality practices remain aligned with ISO 9001 requirements.
• Support business readiness for external audits and maintain a consistent approach to all quality processes.
Project Quality Control
• Act as the senior internal authority for MEP installation quality, providing governance, technical guidance and challenge to project teams to drive consistent quality standards across all projects.
• Work closely with Operations to support project set-up, quality planning, hold points, inspection requirements, quality risks and project-specific quality controls.
• Attend selected live projects, audits, client walks and quality reviews to understand the detail of what is happening on site rather than relying only on reports.
Standardisation, Documentation and Project Quality Planning
• Drive standardisation across project quality documentation, inspection templates, checklists, NCR close-out evidence, PQPs, ITAPs and quality handover expectations.
• Support the development of practical quality controls that reduce ambiguity and make it easier for site teams and subcontractors to get it right first time.
• Ensure project quality requirements are identified early enough to be planned, resourced and embedded into the programme.
• Ensures QMS documentation aligns with operational needs and audit outcomes.
Aftercare Interface & Defects Prevention
• Work with the Aftercare/Defects Team to review defect trends and identify root causes.
• Ensure lessons from Aftercare flow back into delivery teams, subcontractors, and design. Drive the prevention of repeat issues by putting controls and improvements in place before the next project cycle.
Audit Programme Management and Assurance:
• Provide independent quality oversight and challenge where project, commercial or programme pressures risk compromising agreed quality standards.
• Own/oversee, develop and monitor the quality audit programme, including project audits, departmental audits, trend analysis and audit score reporting ensuring it drives continuous improvement.
• Oversee the audit and inspection approach, ensuring all required audits and inspections are planned, conducted and documented, with a proactive focus on identifying issues early and driving timely corrective actions
• Analyse audit data, NCRs, FieldView data, aftercare feedback and project close-out learning to identify issues, drive corrective actions and inform decisions relating to projects, products, subcontractors, processes and capability development.
• Review project and departmental audit outcomes, trends, recurring issues and improvement opportunities, ensuring actions are closed out in a timely manner through driving change with project / department leads.
• Support external audits and business readiness activities, ensuring evidence is available and improvements are followed through.
External Stakeholder Engagement Subcontractor and Supply Chain Engagement
• Work with Operations and Procurement to build capability and increase awareness of Kane's quality standards and expectations with subcontractors before and during delivery through coaching, feedback, and technical guidance.
• Support subcontractor quality briefings, onboarding, workshops and improvement plans where recurring issues are identified.
Client Engagement
• Represent Kane on quality matters with clients, principal contractors and consultants when required.
• Support major projects where client quality expectations are high, ensuring the project team has a clear and consistent quality approach.
Continuous improvement support
• Lead business critical lessons-learned processes to ensure continual improvement.
• Provide leadership and oversight of the CI agenda and initiatives, working closely with the Continuous Improvement Lead, ensuring actions are visible, owned and effectively closed out.
• Own the lessons learned loop from project delivery, aftercare, commissioning, commercial, procurement and document control, ensuring issues are captured, reviewed, actioned and communicated.
Engagement, Training & Communications
• Support and contribute to workshops and internal training activities
• Oversee and lead quality workshops, toolbox sessions, key quality initiatives (e.g. world quality week) and lessons learned events across the business.
• Coach managers, supervisors, engineers, project quality leads and subcontractors on what good quality looks like and how to evidence it properly. to enhance quality capability.
• Oversee and approve internal quality communications prior to release, consulting with relevant Directors on communications with significant business, operational or reputational impact.
• Lead, manage and develop direct reports driving high standards of performance and actively building capability through coaching, mentoring and structured learning and development.
• Ensure the Quality and Continuous Improvement team has clear priorities aligned to business risk and project need, effective ways of working and the capability to support current and future organisation requirements.
• Analyse and review Quality data, adding explanatory narrative before submitting in a report to senior management.
• Escalate challenges with proposed solutions to Technical and Compliance Director in a timely manner.
Team Leadership & Development
• Ensure your own continuous professional development by participating in external networking/conferences/associations/groups, to stay abreast of industry changes and best practice in quality management.
Reporting & Analysis
• Analyse and review Quality data, adding explanatory narrative before submitting in a report to senior management.
Escalate challenges with proposed solutions to Technical and Compliance Director in a timely manner.

Essential
• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent in Mechanical and/or Electrical installations or Quality Management
Desirable
• BSc in Engineering, Quality Management or a related discipline.
• Recognised formal auditor certification such as ISO 9001 Internal Auditor and / or Lead Auditor
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt., A minimum of 3 years experience working at a senior level within the building services / construction or MEP environment in a quality/quality engineering role.
• Experience leading, managing or developing a team across multiple projects, regions or business areas.
• Significant expertise in ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems, including implementation, optimisation and audit.
• Successful track record in identifying and implementing quality improvements that have had a positive impact on the business.
• Demonstrable experience building relationships with external stakeholders including clients, principal contractors, subcontractors and audit bodies, engaging credibly with both technical and non-technical audiences to implement initiatives and / or address key issues.
• Experience in conducting root cause analysis using recognised methodologies and implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Experience using QA and Document Control platforms.
Desirable
• Previous relevant M&E experience.
• CQI membership
• Experience using 4P, FieldView, Procore, Snag R, PlanGrid, Autodesk/BIM 360, Dalux
| ABILITIES & SKILLS |
• Strong leadership and people management capability.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Strong communication, presentation and facilitation skills, with the confidence and credibility to effectively influence across all levels of the business.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities while working to deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail and a solution-oriented approach to work, providing open and honest feedback.
• Demonstrable understanding of the relationship between quality performance, rework costs, productivity, programme delivery, risk and client satisfaction.
• IT Proficient.
• Willingness to travel between NI and the UK.
• Full valid driving licence.
  
  Kane Group are an established, and successful multi-disciplinary building-services solution contractor, with our Head Office based in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.
  
  Cash Health Plan to include Employee Assistance Programme
• 4 x Salary Death in Service cover
• Auto Enrolment Company Pension scheme (Salary Sacrifice)
• Company Sick Pay Scheme, which is available upon successful completion of probation, and increases with service
• Enhanced maternity & paternity benefits
• Paid professional subscriptions
• Variety of employee discounts
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Corporate Gym discount for Kane employees
• Branded clothing
• Active Social and Wellbeing Committees
• Annual Health Checks
• Awards for long service
• Additional annual leave based on length of service
• Training and development opportunities
Kane is an Equal Opportunities Employer. If you think you have the expertise and knowledge to fulfill this role.