Head of Quality & Assurance

As Head of Quality & Assurance, you will lead Heathrow Development's integrated approach to quality and assurance across a complex capital portfolio. Working closely with senior leaders, programme teams and delivery partners, you will help ensure major investment programmes are delivered right first time, driving excellence, consistency and value across Heathrow's transformative projects.

As Head of Quality & Assurance, you will lead Heathrow Development's integrated approach to quality, assurance and programme capability across a diverse portfolio of capital investments. Acting as the custodian of quality frameworks, methods and standards, you will help ensure projects are delivered right first time while providing tools and guidance for programme and project teams to effectively self-assure through Line of Defence 1. You will also lead assurance reviews to provide confidence in project delivery, governance, compliance and investment decisions. Through championing continuous improvement, organisational learning and the consistent application of best practice across Heathrow and its supply chain, you will play a key role in enhancing delivery performance and driving successful outcomes across the capital portfolio. 

• Lead and continuously enhance Heathrow Development’s Quality Framework, ensuring quality standards, governance and assurance practices support the successful delivery of capital programmes and align with the organisation’s strategic objectives.
• Establish and oversee a consistent quality management approach across the capital portfolio, driving best practice, monitoring performance through key quality metrics, and leading investigations into quality issues to identify lessons learned and improvement opportunities.
• Be the guardian of programme governance methodologies, standards, templates, guidance and training, ensuring the Programme Governance Framework and Heathrow Gateway Lifecycle are effectively embedded across all programmes and projects.
• Lead and strengthen the Line of Defence 1 (LOD1) self-assurance framework, equipping programme and project teams with the tools, guidance and capability needed to assess compliance, manage risks and deliver right-first-time outcomes.
• Direct Heathrow’s Line of Defence 2 (LOD2) independent assurance activities, providing objective oversight, constructive challenge and actionable insights to improve governance, delivery confidence, investment efficiency and decision-making.
• Champion programme and project management capability across Development by delivering learning, coaching, knowledge-sharing and continuous improvement initiatives that drive consistent standards, organisational learning and delivery excellence across the portfolio. 

• Degree qualified (or equivalent professional experience), with significant leadership experience in quality management, assurance, continuous improvement, or the delivery of complex capital programmes.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and engage senior leaders, delivery partners and external stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.
• Proven ability to develop collaborative internal and external networks, working effectively across diverse teams to drive alignment, share best practice and deliver common goals.
• Strategic thinker and excellent communicator, capable of understanding business priorities, navigating ambiguity and taking a long-term view to support organisational success.
• Inspirational leader with high levels of integrity, resilience and a values-driven approach, able to create a clear vision, motivate teams and foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence. 

Ideally you’ll also have

• Demonstrates deep subject matter expertise, with the ability to evidence Heathrow's compliance with industry best practice and regulatory expectations during internal and external reviews, including engagement with regulators such as the CAA.
• Strong knowledge of industry standards, frameworks and specifications across design, procurement and construction, with experience applying best practice within complex, multi-disciplinary engineering and capital delivery environments.