Associate Director - Quality

The opportunity

Project: Building two new nuclear reactors, the first in a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK providing low-carbon electricity for around six million homes. The £19bn project is due to start generating electricity in 2026 and is currently the largest construction project in Europe.

Marking a significant milestone in the revitalisation of our nuclear power industry, this project will make a major contribution to the UK’s move to reduce carbon emissions. The electricity generated by its two reactors will offset 9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year over its 60-year lifespan.

The associate director/quality control lead is responsible for ensuring that NNB performs surveillance in an effective manner in its role as the intelligent customer, licensee and principal contractor. The associate director/quality control lead will set out the strategy and arrangements to provide direction for the surveillance team. The associate director/quality control lead will work with the NEC supervisors to assess whether the pre-defined level of surveillance is correct and will recommend adjustments where necessary so that NNB satisfy the requirements.

The role is responsible for developing the strategy and arrangements for performing construction surveillance activities on-site and related off-site activities. These arrangements shall be consistent with the requirements that NNB comply with. The role will work with the NEC supervisors to ensure that these arrangements are realistic and achievable in line with the capabilities of the surveillance team.

The role works within the site construction directorate and interfaces with the NEC supervisors and the NNB surveillance team on matters of surveillance. The quality control lead will also interface with the project-specific construction delivery leads to provide guidance on developing surveillance programmes and quality leads to communicate any trends in surveillance. There will also be links with the quality and learning as well as assurance functions to work on matters that affect quality on site.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing and maintaining the project’s construction surveillance strategy to be consistent with NNB requirements.

• Developing and maintaining the NNB arrangements that describe how surveillance is performed by the NNB surveillance team for onsite and offsite construction activities.

• Providing guidance and support to the construction delivery leads and NEC supervisors in developing surveillance programmes and guidelines which are consistent with the principles set out in the strategy and complying with the NNB arrangements.

• Monitoring implementation of the surveillance programmes that are currently being used in order to confirm whether the NNB surveillance team is complying with the required frequencies for surveillance.

• Monitoring the achievement of key performance indicators for surveillance and determine improvements needed to meet/exceed the targets.

• Providing guidance to the surveillance team on applying a graded approach whilst implementing the surveillance programmes.

• Providing training to the NNB surveillance team on the surveillance strategy and arrangements as required.

• Ensuring the consistency between the arrangements and IT system for surveillance (QCFC).

• Monitoring the management of inspection requests from contractors by the NNB surveillance team.

About you

You have a degree or equivalent qualifications. You have experience working as a quality control professional on large projects. You have an understanding of planning and performing inspections on contractor work from a client/third party inspection agency perspective in construction, engineering or industrial context. You have the ability to interpret codes, standards and technical specifications. You can write informative, concise and meaningful reports. You can speak the French language is beneficial.

You are digitally savvy, can build lasting client relationships and lead strong, motivated teams. You have experience of delivering projects within a technically complex and dynamic environment whilst ensuring high levels of safety, security and environmental responsibility, ideally possess a large process industry (chemicals, oil and gas), rail, or nuclear energy sector in a similar regulated environment in a construction or consultancy background and be hungry to grow your career and enjoy the opportunities Mace has to offer.