Head of Quality Assurance - MEC

Role Overview

Head of Quality Assurance - MEC at Wood PLC. This regional leadership position ensures consistent, compliant, and efficient delivery of products and services that meet regulatory, industry standard, client, and business requirements, working closely with the wider technical and delivery team.

Company Overview

Wood's Oil, Gas & New Energies business is built on a strong legacy of delivering large and complex projects for national and international energy companies across the globe. The company is the market-leading provider of integrated and innovative solutions in the oil and gas upstream and midstream, onshore and offshore, gas to liquids and decarbonization and electrification markets. Wood is known for steady and predictable delivery and has a strong reputation with experienced teams and a proven delivery model.

Role Purpose

The Regional Quality Manager is accountable for deploying quality strategy, governance, resources and systems across the region, driving assurance, risk management, and continuous improvement to enhance operational performance, customer satisfaction, and business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Leadership

• Ensure regional alignment and deployment of quality strategy, policy, standards, and objectives, ensuring quality is integrated into business planning and decision-making at all regional levels
• Lead the regional quality organisation, role modelling behaviours that drive operational excellence across the region

Quality Governance & Systems

• Ensure regional deployment of the Wood Business Management system and ATRAC including induction, maintenance, governance and compliance with international standard requirements (e.g. ISO 9001)
• Ensure appropriate quality governance and management system review, bringing visibility to regional and functional management of quality performance, contractual compliance and customer satisfaction
• Monitor quality related risks and data including Cost of Poor Quality, identifying trends and proactively intervening and supporting regions to prevent high potential incidents
• Work closely with technical governance as the primary contact for quality risk management

People & Capability Development

• Manage all elements of regional quality resource including recruitment, succession, utilisation, performance management, competence, development and compensation to meet business needs

Delivery Support

• Provide in-region support to tenders and proposals ensuring quality requirements and risks are known and understood with controls and mitigations identified at the tendering stage
• Ensure proposed quality teams are sufficient to address tendered scopes
• Ensure effective project start-up support including resource mobilisation, quality planning and system setup and deployment
• Ensure quality arrangements are in place for workshare and are effectively deployed
• Collaborate with technical functions to drive efficiency and right first-time delivery

Risk Management & Assurance

• Identify, assess, and oversee mitigation of regional risks to quality
• Support mitigation of enterprise quality risks
• Implement regional assurance plans to address key risks, validate operational discipline and Business Management System compliance including Quality standard expectations
• Support third party certification ISO 9001 audits in the region
• Support incident investigations, root cause analysis and Incident Response Plans for significant quality issues in the region, ensuring systemic learning is embedded

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Utilise outputs from ATRAC and assurance activities and other sources to drive data-driven decisions, systemic improvements and operational excellence
• Drive continuous improvement through the use of quality tools such as Lean and value stream mapping to increase tangible enhancements to effectiveness and efficiency savings
• Foster a culture of quality excellence through education, awareness and engagement supported by leadership commitment

Stakeholder & Client Engagement

• Lead or support Quality Community of Practice across the region
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, regulators, certification bodies, and other key stakeholders
• Use client feedback to inform improvements and enhance customer satisfaction
• Maintain an effective regional quality network to drive collaboration and sharing of best practice
• Provide regular input to enterprise quality networks

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or local equivalent in quality management or related discipline (desirable)
• Lead Auditor qualification by recognised industry body (essential)
• Membership of CQI/ASQ or country specific body (desirable)
• Formal training in recognised root cause analysis techniques (essential)
• Lean/Six Sigma certification, minimum Green Belt (desirable)
• 20+ years relevant experience, preferably in the associated industry
• Significant level of progressive relevant leadership experience with a solid blend of strategic and operational execution capabilities
• Experience building and managing relationships with customers and key stakeholders
• Experience in cost centre or budget responsibility with a solid track record of delivery and sound business decisions
• Experience of project delivery with a focus on quality support during execution
• Experience working with multifunctional, multinational or global teams
• Comprehensive understanding of ISO 9001

Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrated ability to manage change and thrive in a highly dynamic work environment
• Demonstrated ability to deliver continuous improvement initiatives
• Effective change facilitator who thinks and acts decisively around process improvement, adapting positively to change
• Strong leadership abilities and relationship management skills, able to communicate, influence and collaborate with others to deliver business activities successfully
• Results-driven, comfortable and experienced at working operationally and strategically to drive continuous improvement and efficiency
• Strategic thinker with ability to diagnose complex problems and structure solutions
• Skilled in influencing without authority through knowledge, skills, and relationships
• Excellent communication and negotiating skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to work well under pressure, managing tight timescales and conflicting demands
• Strong team player with a proactive, flexible and mature approach to the role
• Role model who upholds the highest standards of ethics and integrity, aligned to Company values

Additional Information

• Meaningful and interesting projects delivered to high profile clients across the Energy Sector
• Competitive remuneration package with regular reviews to ensure rewarding at the right level in line with the market
• Medical Insurance covering inpatient and outpatient medical care
• Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance with Life Assurance cover provided by the company
• End of Service Gratuity in line with UAE Labor Law, available to all employees
• Employee Share Plan offering the opportunity to purchase Wood shares and receive a match from the company
• Long Service Award recognising commitment and loyalty at 5-year service milestones
• Commitment to continued professional development with development plans tailored to individual needs and interests
• Global connections with experts around the world at the leading edge of the industry
• Energy Transition Academy providing access to a community of experts sharing knowledge and gaining exposure to existing and emerging energy systems
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion across the business