Quality Manager

Department: Forensics & Digital Investigations
Location: Near Junction 12 of the M4
Salary: £53,705 per annum
Closing date: 20/06/2023

The Quality Manager is a new position supporting the fast-paced work of the Forensics & Digital team at a regional level.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the strategic management and maintenance of forensic regulatory and legislative compliance within CTPSE, with considerable working knowledge of ISO quality standards, developing quality management systems, and commissioning audits. They will work closely with the Head of Forensics & Digital Investigations, the Forensics & Digital management team, and with partner agencies so excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. Substantial management experience and project planning and co-ordination are needed because this role acts a lead for the department.

Please note that this role is part of a national, regional and local network and as a result you may be required to travel for business purposes mainly across the south east region and occasionally throughout the UK. Therefore, the successful candidate will require a full UK driving licence.

Security is of paramount importance to us due to the nature of our work and, therefore, it will be necessary to pass and maintain vetting level DV. To achieve this, you must be a British National andhave resided in the UK for the past ten years. Exemptions apply for overseas or other diplomatic service (with HM Government), and studying abroad.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the strategic implementation, management and ongoing compliance of forensic regulation and accreditation requirements across CTPSE Forensic, Digital, Research/Analysis Functions, partner agencies and government Chemical Biological Radioactive Nuclear (CBRN) laboratories. Consulting on the accreditation landscape associated to ISO 17025, ISO17020 and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Codes of Practice and Conduct. Providing specialist advice, leadership and guidance to senior leaders and acting as a single point of contact for internal and external stakeholders in all matters relating to accreditation and quality regulation within CTPSE.
• Accountable for managing the competency of all staff in the associated laboratories. In conjunction with the Forensic Manager and the Digital Investigations Manager, define a staff training framework that supports service delivery and professional development that satisfies regulatory/accreditation requirements. Ensure appropriate delivery of forensic training to Police Officers and staff, including Regional CT Network Satellite Officers.
• Outline and manage the performance and quality of service frameworks within CTPSE and CBRN laboratories at Atomic Weapons Agency (AWE) and Porton Down’s Chemical and Biological Laboratory and Forensic Explosive Laboratory to evidence continued compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements and identify any shortfalls to ensure the best service is delivered and outputs are maximised for customers, including marketplace contract and service delivery engagement.
• Manage and supervise staff including, PDRs, welfare, H&S, motivation and development, discipline, duties and resource management. Be responsible for the recruitment of staff and the identification and allocation of training and CPD to ensure development of staff is maximised and maintained. Also coordinate external resources, including those for UKAS assessments, scrutinising the scope, maximising value for money and delivering services within the budgetary constraints.
• Provide the strategic and/or technical lead on projects involving own business area, particularly relating to business change, innovation and development. Conduct landscape reviews and act with autonomy to keep abreast of national legislative and technical changes. Influence senior stakeholders to implement these in order to ensure the CTPSE gains benefit from the changes.
• Manage and liaise with TVP Quality and Performance Manager for data assurance strategies for all CTPSE Forensic IT systems such as Socrates, Photographic Libraries and QMS software to ensure quality of data and compliance with regulation and legislation including Data Protection, GDPR, MoPI, and Freedom of Information.
• Represent the business at local, regional and national meetings, with internal and external partners and stakeholders providing specialist advice, shared learning and the promulgation of best practice, ensuring that the interests of CTPSE are represented and business relationships, especially national collaboration, are built and maintained. Occasional requirement to chair meetings or attend as a deputy for other colleagues.
• Deputise for Head of Forensics & Digital Investigations in any activities included within their role e.g. meetings, conferences, workshops and project boards.

Further comments

• The role has strategic oversight and advises the Head of Forensics and Digital Investigations and the Principal Analyst in relation to the threats and risks associated with the implementation and maintenance of forensic accreditation and regulation. The risk of not achieving and maintaining accreditation is that CTPSE risk entering questionable evidence into the criminal justice system which may be deemed inadmissible or CTPSE will not be allowed to provide forensic services at all.
• This role has the responsibility for the delivery of forensic regulation and accreditation across CTPSE Forensic, Digital, Research/Analysis Functions and wider stakeholders, including government CBRN laboratories. The scope of accreditation is widening and the post holder will be required to be cognisant of any change and accommodate the additional demands across several forensic units including outside the department. Further complexity is expected in the coming years when Forensic Regulation becomes statutory and is mandated across all disciplines. The current scope of accreditation is highly complex, especially in the digital areas where extensions to scope will be required regularly to keep pace with digital developments in crime investigation. Activities include managing accreditation body activities (e.g. UKAS assessments), review of overarching policy and procedures relating to accreditation activities, assessing risk, acting as a subject matter expert, managing and implementing internal auditing, management of investigations into non-conformances, complaints and quality incidents to ensure continued compliance and service improvement.
• Financial responsibility will include the monitoring of the significant costs for Quality Standards and projection of spend on training and quality standards. In addition the costs relating to the upgrades and maintenance of the quality management system.

Required knowledge/skills
Essential

• Considerable experience of working with ISO quality standards particularly ISO 9001, ISO17025 and ISO17020.
• Substantial management experience.
• Previous experience of the development and maintenance of a Quality Management System (QMS) and commissioning audits from UKAS accredited bodies.
• Proven ability to work on own initiative, work under pressure and to deadlines.
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrate ability to plan and co-ordinate projects and implement change.
• Excellent ICT skills and the ability to extract, analyse and present performance data.

Desirable

• Have undertaken a recognised accreditation organisation’s ‘Lead Auditors Assessor’ course.

Additional comments

Role holders will be required to provide fingerprints and DNA for elimination purposes in order to perform the position offered. DNA will be profiled and held on the Contamination Elimination Database (CED) and will be removed 12 months after termination of service. Fingerprints will be held on the Fingerprint Police Elimination Database PEDb and are removed at the termination of service.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £53,705.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee discount
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person

Reference ID: 20407