Quality Manager

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions; Havant; On-site; GBP 60,000 - GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fluid technology company in Havant seeks a Quality Manager to drive the site quality strategy and promote a culture of quality excellence. Responsibilities include leading quality initiatives, ensuring compliance with ISO standards, and managing the quality team. The ideal candidate has experience in a medical/life science manufacturing environment and holds relevant certifications. This role offers a competitive salary, flexible working arrangements, and a commitment to inclusion and diversity.

Benefits

Generous salary

Flexible working arrangements

Generous holiday allowance

Paid volunteering leave

Qualifications

• Experience in a leadership role within a medical/life science manufacturing environment.
• Experience with compliance standards such as REACH and RoHS.
• Certificates in Leading Auditing or Quality Management.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement the site quality strategy aligned with corporate standards.
• Ensure products exceed customer expectations through quality systems.
• Lead and manage the site quality team with performance management.

Skills

Leadership in medical/life science manufacturing

Quality management systems planning

Stakeholder engagement

Compliance with ISO standards

Root cause analysis

Education

Degree or equivalent experience in related discipline

Tools

ISO 9001

ISO 13485

Lean methodologies

Six Sigma

Job description

Overview

Job Title: Quality Manager
Location: Biopure - Havant (On-Site)
Website: https://www.wmfts.com/en/

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions is part of SpiraxGroup, a FTSE100 and FTSE4Good multinational industrial engineering group with expertise in the control and management of steam, electric thermal solutions, peristaltic pumping and associated fluid technologies. When you join us, you will be integrated into a cooperative and encouraging team, participate in challenging yet critical work, and experience ongoing growth opportunities to help you achieve your full potential. Visit our website to learn more.

Key Responsibilities

The Quality Manager is a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, responsible for creating and driving the site quality strategy, fostering a culture of quality excellence to deliver high-quality products that meet customer and regulatory expectations. This role provides strategic quality leadership and tactical oversight, developing a culture of “Right First Time” and driving continuous improvement. You will lead, mentor, coach, inspire and empower our teams to continuously learn, develop and achieve their full potential.

Strategic Leadership

• Define, own, and implement the site quality strategy for the BioPure site and the Cork, Ireland site, aligned with the corporate and global quality strategy and compliance standards.
• Partner to enable change and improvements across the business; contribute to site-wide long-term business planning as part of the senior leadership team.
• Influence senior stakeholders to embed quality into decision-making.
• Represent the Biopure site during certification, supplier and customer audits, and customer quality engagements.
• Champion quality leadership, maintain technical authority and quality alignment across BioPure and Cork sites.
• Shape a culture where quality is integral to all operational and strategic decisions.

Quality Execution & Improvement

• Ensure, through embedding quality into all areas of the business, that products meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Monitor and continuously improve quality systems and processes, ensuring compliance with ISO and other applicable standards and customer quality expectations.
• Drive initiatives to enhance product quality, reduce defects, and improve right-first-time performance.
• Drive improvements in supplier quality, in collaboration with the supply chain team, overseeing supplier qualification, audits and ongoing performance monitoring.
• Lead root cause analysis and ensure the implementation of effective corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Own customer quality investigations and ensure timely completion and communication with customers.
• Ensure product technical transfers are completed compliantly with appropriate oversight and controls for transferred products.
• Collaborate with quality peers across Watson-Marlow to standardise quality processes and drive improvements locally and globally.

Quality Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and manage the site quality team with clear objectives, performance management and professional development.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the quality function.
• Develop succession plans and build capability to ensure high-performing teams for future business needs.

Compliance Oversight

• Maintain site compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements and internal quality standards.
• Ensure site readiness for audits and inspections; educate and guide activities and behaviours for successful audits.
• Lead responses to audit findings with clear and timely communication to auditors.
• Oversee key quality processes such as document management, non-conformance & CAPA management, change management, risk management, and validation; ensure outputs meet business and customer needs.
• Define, implement and monitor robust quality KPIs including real-time dashboards; use data-driven insights to influence strategy and resource allocation.

Training & Competency

• Develop and implement training programs to ensure site-wide competency in quality systems and requirements.
• Promote quality awareness across the site through engagement and education initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Global Head of Quality and other Supply Quality Managers to implement a group Watson-Marlow quality strategy.
• Liaise with customers on quality matters and through the customer audit process; work with site leadership and departments to achieve high levels of 6Right First Time4 and continuous improvement.

Skills/Experience

• Experience in a leadership role within a medical/life science manufacturing environment.
• Experience in a site senior leadership role.
• Planning and implementation of quality management systems; multi-sector experience with emphasis on BioPharmaceuticals and Medical Devices.
• Experience implementing quality management systems: ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and awareness of GxP legislation and guidance.
• Experience with compliance standards such as REACH, RoHS.
• Building quality capability; leading and receiving quality management system audits.
• Successful engagement of multiple levels of stakeholders across geographies and functions.
• Degree or equivalent practical experience in a related discipline.
• Certificates in Leading Auditing, Quality Management, and process improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean or Six Sigma).

Benefits

At Watson-Marlow, we offer a generous benefits package, including:

• A competitive salary
• Flexible working arrangements
• A generous holiday allowance
• Three days’ paid volunteering leave
• Additional support through our Everyone is Included Group Inclusion Plan

Inclusion & Diversity

Everyone is Included at Spirax Group. We are committed to creating inclusive and equitable working cultures where everyone can be themselves and achieve their full potential. We will consider flexible working requests. We have Group Inclusion Commitments including gender-neutral parental leave, caregiver leave, support for pregnancy loss or domestic abuse, menopause-friendly workplace principles, and more. Learn more at spiraxgroup.com/inclusion.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer and an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodations during the application process, please let us know.

Company Overview

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions, part of Spirax Group, focuses on innovation and inclusion. We are a world leader in peristaltic pumps and related fluid path technologies for life sciences and process industries, offering products for tubing, filling systems and single-use applications. Our shared purpose is to create sustainable value for all stakeholders as we engineer a more efficient, safer, and sustainable world. We operate in 116 countries across diverse industries and cultures.