Technical Assurance Auditor, High Speed Rail

Our client is recruiting two Technical Assurance Auditors to join the team responsible for holding the Tier 1 supply chain to account on one of the largest infrastructure programmes in Europe. The civils and stations contracts are moving from detailed design into construction, and the rail systems work is progressing at pace. This is an interesting moment to be working in technical assurance, with real consequence attached to the job.

There are two roles, one based in London and one in Birmingham. Both roles carry the same core purpose: to plan, chair and report on Technical Assurance Reviews across the Tier 1 contractors, checking that the right technical assurance processes are being followed consistently and feeding the results back into the programme.

The audit cycle runs on a four-yearly basis. You will prepare the review programme, set up the audit files and question sets, chair the reviews, record observations and corrective action requests, and produce the findings reports. Where contractors respond to findings, you will track those responses through to closure. You will also own the reporting on review performance across the contracts you cover, using data to identify trends and to target future review activity on the areas of greatest risk.

This is not quality assurance. A separate team covers that ground. Your focus is on technical assurance processes: whether the right checks are being made, whether the right standards are being applied, and whether the evidence supports the conclusions being drawn. You will work across multiple contracts and disciplines, including civils, stations, mechanical and electrical, architecture and rail systems, and you will coordinate with subject matter experts across the programme to support that work.

What you need to bring
Your background is in technical assurance or quality management on major infrastructure programmes, with experience that covers planning and conducting audits, recording findings, and working with contractors and designers to progress corrective actions. You will understand how assurance frameworks operate on large-scale programmes and how to apply them consistently across different contracts and disciplines.

You will hold, or be close to achieving, Lead Auditor or Principal Auditor certification through IRCA, aligned to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001. Working knowledge of railway technical assurance principles is important, including configuration management, interface management, change control, assumptions and risk management, and BIM. You will also need an understanding of CDM Regulations 2015 and the European Common Safety Methods guidance.

You will be comfortable working in a matrix environment, coordinating across functions and engaging directly with contractors and their technical teams. Strong data and information management skills are needed. You will be expected to own the reporting across your patch, not simply contribute to it.

Useful to have
Experience on HS2 or a comparable high-speed or major rail programme. A background that has taken you across more than one discipline, so that you can engage credibly with civils, rail systems and building environments within the same audit cycle. Familiarity with BIM configuration, requirements management or configuration control processes. Experience of supporting or developing process improvement on large infrastructure programmes.