Head of Quality Assurance - MEC at Wood · Abu Dhabi

Head of Quality Assurance - MEC

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Provides regional leadership for all aspects of quality management, ensuring consistent, compliant, and efficient delivery of products and services that meet regulatory, industry standard, client, and business requirements. Working closely with the wider technical & delivery team.

Our Clients and Projects

Designing the future. Transforming the world.

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. We have experienced teams, a proven delivery model and a strong reputation.

We are the market-leading provider of integrated and innovative solutions that challenge the status-quo in the oil and gas upstream and midstream, onshore and offshore, gas to liquids and decarbonization and electrification markets. We pride ourselves in steady and predictable delivery, setting our sights on an exciting growth trajectory.

Energy security, transition and supply have never been more important. You, our enabling teams, are at the very forefront of transformative projects that are providing sustainable power to generations to come. We are the ones to bring low-carbon concepts to reality.

What we can offer

• Meaningful and interesting projects: Delivered to high profile clients across the Energy Sector
• Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: We are an organization actively committed to diversity and inclusion across our business
• Competitive remuneration package: With regular reviews to ensure we are rewarding at the right level in line with the market
• Medical Insurance: Ensures inpatient, and outpatient medical care is available should you require treatment
• Group Life and Personal Accident Insurance: The company provides Life Assurance cover
• End of Service Gratuity: In line with UAE Labor Law, all employees are eligible for an End of Service benefit
• The Employee Share Plan: Gives you the opportunity to purchase Wood shares and receive a match from the company
• Long Service Award: Wood values the commitment and loyalty of our people. Celebrating Long Service provides an opportunity for the business to demonstrate their appreciation of the hard work, dedication and many years’ services of our employees at 5 - year service milestones
• Commitment to continued professional development: Development plans that are tailored to your individual needs and interests
• Global connections: Join experts around the world who are at the leading edge of our industry, shaping the standards of our profession
• Energy Transition Academy: Join a community of experts sharing your knowledge and gaining more exposure to a variety of existing and emerging energy systems - delivered by experts in their field

Job Objective

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.

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 (eg ISO 9001).
• Ensure appropriate quality governance and management system review, bringing visibility to regional & functional management of quality performance, contractual compliance and customer satisfaction.
• Working closely with technical governance, acting as the primary contact for monitoring quality related risks and data (including COPQ), identifying trends and proactively intervening and supporting regions to prevent high potential incidents

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, understood with controls and mitigations identified at the tendering stage and that proposed quality teams are sufficient to address tendered scopes.
• Ensure effective project start up support including resource mobilisation, quality planning and system set up 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 and support mitigation of enterprise quality risks.
• Implement regional assurance plans to address key risks, validate operational discipline and BMS compliance (including Quality standard expectations).
• Support third party certification ISO 9001 audits in the region
• Support incident investigations, root cause analysis and IRPs 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 (eg lean, value stream mapping, etc.) 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/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 and provide regular input to enterprise quality networks.

Qualifications:

• 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 (desirable)
• Formal training in recognised root cause analysis techniques (essential)
• Lean/six sigma certification – minimum green belt (desirable)

Knowledge, skills and experience:

• 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/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
• Demonstrated ability to manage change and thrive in a highly dynamic work environment
• Comprehensive understanding of ISO 9001
• Demonstrated ability to deliver continuous improvement initiatives
• An effective change facilitator who thinks and acts decisively around process improvement efficient, 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
• A 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.