Product Assurance Manager in Oxford, Oxfordshire

We are working with an innovative space technology business to find a Product Assurance Manager based in Oxfordshire. The salary ranges from the mid-£40,000s to mid-£50,000s, depending on skills and experience.

This is a role with real ownership. You’ll run Product Assurance across multiple projects, chair the boards and gate reviews, and be the main PA contact for customers on high-reliability flight hardware.

Benefits

• Mid-£40ks to mid-£50ks, depending on skills and experience

• Work on flight hardware in a highly regulated sector

• Ownership of PA across multiple projects, from design review through to delivery

• A growing technology business where PA has a real voice

Product Assurance Manager Responsibilities

• Own the non-conformance review (NCR) process, driving identification, correction and prevention of non-conformances

• Chair PA boards and gate reviews, including design, assembly, test and readiness reviews

• Manage project configuration: approving changes and producing as-designed/as-built configuration lists

• Own project PA documentation, including PA plans, Declared Lists, Requests for Waiver/Deviation and CoCs

• Perform or approve project and product inspections: incoming inspection, key and mandatory inspection points, and final inspection

• Monitor and support production, reviewing manufacturing, assembly, integration and test procedures and observing on-site activities

• Act as main point of contact with the customer’s PA function, attending and supporting customer project meetings

• Advise project teams on PA best practice and make sure they follow the project PA plan and QMS processes

• Ensure project deliverables are in line with the project PA plan

• Deliver training on Product Assurance methods and procedures where appropriate

• Develop the supply chain through supplier audits and inspections

• Provide PA input to new bids with the business development team

• Drive continuous improvement of the QMS, conduct internal audits, and track and share quality KPIs

• Flexibility on hours when schedules need it, such as the occasional long day or weekend

Product Assurance Manager Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant subject, or HNC with relevant practical experience

• Product or Quality Assurance experience, ideally in space or aerospace, or another highly regulated sector

• Working knowledge of ECSS (or equivalent) and lean commercial PA/QA approaches

• Good understanding of the mechanical, thermal and radiation tolerance properties of materials and how they apply in practice

• Strong root cause analysis skills and a pragmatic, logical approach to problem solving

• Clear technical communication and presentation skills, with ownership from issue to resolution

• Detail-oriented, able to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines

• Desirable: internal auditor experience and/or ISO 9001

• Desirable: experience delivering projects against ECSS and MIL standards

• Desirable: hands-on experience in mechanical or RF engineering or production

• Desirable: configuration management knowledge

• Desirable: advanced Excel (functions, pivot tables, macros, charts) and MS Visio

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.