Director, Integrated Management Systems

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The Director, Integrated Management Systems, is here to drive the strategic direction and operational excellence of our CQHS systems across a major business unit. You'll make sure our ISO certifications are solid, our risks are managed proactively, and our processes actually work on the ground. You're not just maintaining; you're transforming how we approach compliance and safety. This directly impacts our operational resilience, reputation, and ability to win new business, especially with clients who demand robust certifications. Day-to-day, you'll be balancing long-term strategic planning with overseeing the execution of complex programmes. You'll spend a lot of time talking to senior leaders, making sure they understand the 'why' behind our systems and getting their buy-in for significant investment. When this role is done well, our business unit operates without major incidents, passes every audit with flying colours, and uses its certifications as a competitive advantage. When it's not, we face regulatory fines, reputational damage, and potentially serious safety incidents. The challenge is keeping a large, diverse business unit aligned and engaged with compliance, especially when they're focused on hitting revenue targets. The reward is seeing your strategic vision translate into tangible improvements in safety, quality, and environmental performance, knowing you're genuinely protecting our people and our planet.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: VP, EHSQ Systems & Compliance
• Direct reports: Roughly 25-50 people, including managers and senior specialists
• Matrix relationships: Head of IMS & Compliance, Divisional EHSQ Systems Director, Director of Quality & Safety Systems,

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• Business Unit Managing Directors
• Heads of Operations, HR, and Engineering for your business unit
• Finance Leadership (for budget reviews)
• Legal and Regulatory Affairs teams
• Internal Audit Committee

External:

• External Certification Bodies (e.g., BSI, SGS, DNV)
• Regulatory Authorities (e.g., HSE, Environment Agency)
• Key Clients (especially during tenders)
• Industry Associations

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role directly shapes the operational integrity and risk profile of a multi-million-pound business unit. Your decisions influence everything from our environmental footprint to employee safety, and ultimately, our ability to operate and grow. You're a critical defence against regulatory non-compliance and reputational damage, making sure we're not just ticking boxes, but building a genuinely resilient and responsible organisation.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) Reduction
2. Desc: Reducing the financial costs associated with quality failures, reworks, incidents, and non-conformances within the business unit.
3. Target: Achieve a 15-20% year-over-year reduction in COPQ for the business unit.
4. Freq: Quarterly, reported to the Business Unit MD and VP.
5. Example: If our COPQ was £5M last year, we'd aim to bring it down to £4M-£4.25M this year by optimising processes and preventing incidents.
6. Metric: External Audit Performance & Recertification Success
7. Desc: Ensuring 100% successful recertification across all ISO standards (9001, 14001, 45001) for the business unit, with zero major non-conformances (NCs) and a reduction in minor NCs.
8. Target: Zero major NCs; <5 minor NCs per certification cycle; 100% on-time recertification.
9. Freq: Annually (surveillance audits) and Triennially (recertification audits).
10. Example: Successfully completing the ISO 45001 recertification for our manufacturing sites with only 2 minor observations, down from 7 last cycle.
11. Metric: Leading Indicator Engagement & Improvement
12. Desc: Increasing proactive engagement with safety and quality reporting (e.g., near-miss reporting, safety observations, hazard identification) and ensuring these lead to preventative actions.
13. Target: 25% increase in safety observations/near-miss reports submitted per employee; 90% closure rate of associated preventative actions within agreed timelines.
14. Freq: Monthly, reviewed in Management Review meetings.
15. Example: Seeing a consistent month-on-month rise in near-miss reports, from 50 to 65, with 92% of identified actions completed within 30 days.
16. Metric: IMS Platform Adoption & Data Quality
17. Desc: Ensuring high adoption rates of our EHSQ/GRC platforms across the business unit and maintaining excellent data quality for reliable reporting.
18. Target: 95% active user engagement with key modules; <2% data entry error rate in critical fields.
19. Freq: Quarterly, via system analytics and data audits.
20. Example: Our incident reporting module showing 98% of all incidents logged directly in the system, and a spot check revealing only 1% of mandatory fields were incomplete.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Strategic Influence & Buy-in
2. Desc: Being seen as a trusted advisor by business unit leadership, with your strategic input actively sought and incorporated into business planning.
3. Evidence: You're regularly invited to strategic planning sessions, not just operational ones. Business leaders proactively ask for your input on new projects or acquisitions. Your recommendations for system improvements or policy changes are adopted without significant resistance, often with strong sponsorship from the top.
4. Metric: Organisational Resilience & Preparedness
5. Desc: The business unit's ability to quickly recover from unforeseen events (e.g., regulatory changes, major incidents) due to robust systems and proactive planning.
6. Evidence: When a new regulation drops, your team has already identified the impact and started planning the response. During a significant incident, the response is swift, coordinated, and follows established protocols, leading to minimal disruption. External auditors comment on the maturity and effectiveness of our systems.
7. Metric: Team Leadership & Development
8. Desc: Building and leading a high-performing IMS team, fostering a culture of expertise, collaboration, and continuous professional growth.
9. Evidence: Your direct reports are consistently hitting their targets and showing clear career progression. Retention rates within your team are excellent. You're known for developing future leaders, and your team is seen as a 'centre of excellence' within the wider organisation.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Strategic Architect
• Manifestation: You don't just see the individual processes; you see how they all fit together to form a cohesive, resilient system for a whole business unit. You're thinking 3-5 years ahead, anticipating regulatory shifts and technological advancements. You can translate complex compliance requirements into a clear, actionable roadmap that the business actually understands and buys into. People come to you for advice on how to build robust, future-proof systems, not just fix today's problems.
• Benefit: At this level, it's not enough to implement; you need to design. Without a strategic vision, our IMS will become a patchwork of reactive fixes, unable to support the business's growth or adapt to new challenges. You're building the infrastructure that protects our entire business unit, so that long-term vision is absolutely critical.
• Trait: Influential Leader
• Manifestation: You can walk into a room of sceptical senior managers and, without direct hierarchical authority over their operations, convince them that investing in a new safety system or changing a core process is not just necessary, but beneficial. You build strong relationships across the business unit, earning trust through expertise and a pragmatic approach. You're comfortable challenging assumptions, even from the top, always backing it up with data and a clear business case. You get people to *want* to do the right thing, not just because they have to.
• Benefit: This role relies heavily on influence. You're often asking busy operational teams to change how they work, which can feel like a burden. If you can't effectively communicate the value, build consensus, and get buy-in from diverse stakeholders, your strategic plans will just sit on a shelf. You need to be a force for change, not just a policy enforcer.
• Trait: Resilient under Pressure
• Manifestation: When a major incident happens, or a critical external audit uncovers a significant issue, you're the calm in the storm. You can absorb pressure from regulators, the board, and internal teams simultaneously without losing your head or your objectivity. You're able to deliver difficult news (like a non-conformance) without taking it personally, and you can push back constructively when necessary. You see setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve, rather than personal failures.
• Benefit: The world of compliance and safety can be tough. You'll face resistance, criticism, and the occasional crisis. If you're not resilient, you'll burn out quickly, or worse, compromise standards under pressure. We need someone who can stand firm, make tough decisions, and guide the business unit through challenging times, always keeping our people and our principles at the forefront.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Decisive Pragmatist
• Desc: You know when 'perfect' is the enemy of 'good enough' and can make sound decisions quickly, even with incomplete information, always balancing risk with business needs. You're not afraid to make a call.
• Trait: Organisational Navigator
• Desc: You understand the political landscape of a large organisation, knowing who to talk to, when to push, and when to pull back. You can get things done by working through the informal networks as much as the formal ones.
• Trait: Visionary Communicator
• Desc: You can articulate a compelling future state for our IMS, inspiring your team and senior leaders to invest in and adopt new ways of working. You can simplify complex technical and regulatory information for any audience.
• Trait: Mentorship Mindset
• Desc: You genuinely enjoy developing your team, coaching managers, and helping individuals grow their careers. You see your success tied to the success of those you lead.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Driving Strategic Impact
2. Daily: You'll be leading multi-year programmes to transform our CQHS systems, seeing your vision become reality across a large business unit. This means chairing steering committees, presenting strategic roadmaps, and making decisions that genuinely move the needle on safety and quality.
3. Motivator: Building High-Performing Teams
4. Daily: You'll be responsible for the growth and development of a substantial team, including managers. This involves setting clear objectives, mentoring future leaders, and fostering a culture of excellence and accountability. You'll get to see your team members thrive and take on bigger challenges.
5. Motivator: Solving Complex Organisational Challenges
6. Daily: You'll be tackling intricate problems that span multiple departments, sites, and regulatory jurisdictions. This isn't about simple fixes; it's about untangling complex issues, designing elegant solutions, and implementing them at scale. Think M&A integration challenges or responding to significant regulatory shifts.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone. You'll spend a fair bit of time dealing with 'audit fatigue' from operational teams who just want to get on with their day job. You'll probably have to fight for budget for preventative measures that don't have an immediate, obvious ROI. The 'urgent' crisis that takes over your week might turn out to be a false alarm, or the perfect system you designed might get watered down by business constraints. If you need constant, immediate gratification from every single project, or if you struggle with the political aspects of driving change in a large organisation, you'll find it tough going.

Common Frustrations

1. The constant battle to justify investment in 'non-revenue generating' compliance systems.
2. Dealing with the 'check-box' mentality where people do the bare minimum for an audit, missing the spirit of continuous improvement.
3. The political dance required to get buy-in from different business unit leaders who have competing priorities.
4. The sheer volume of regulatory changes and trying to keep up across multiple jurisdictions and business lines.
5. Inheriting legacy systems and fragmented data from acquisitions, making it a nightmare to get a 'single source of truth'.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A quiet, predictable routine with minimal stakeholder interaction.
2. A role where you only focus on technical implementation without strategic oversight.
3. The ability to avoid difficult conversations or challenging senior leaders.
4. A guarantee that every single initiative you champion will be implemented exactly as planned.

ADHD Positives

1. The strategic, high-level problem-solving and constant need to connect disparate systems can be highly engaging and stimulating, playing to strengths in pattern recognition and innovative thinking.
2. The need to manage multiple complex programmes simultaneously can be a strength, as long as there's good support for delegation and structured oversight.
3. The dynamic nature of responding to regulatory shifts or incidents can provide the novelty and challenge often sought.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. The extensive documentation and meticulous detail required for ISO standards and board reporting can be challenging. We can provide templates, AI drafting tools, and dedicated administrative support to help manage this.
2. Maintaining focus on long-term, multi-year strategic programmes amidst daily operational 'fires' might need structured check-ins and clear prioritisation frameworks.
3. Managing a large team requires consistent, structured communication. We can support with executive coaching on delegation and meeting management strategies.

Dyslexia Positives

1. Strengths in big-picture thinking, problem-solving, and verbal communication are highly valued in this strategic leadership role.
2. The ability to see connections and patterns across complex systems can be a significant advantage in designing integrated management systems.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. Producing extensive written reports (audit findings, board packs, policy documents) is a core part of the role. We offer access to advanced grammar and spell-checking software, AI-powered drafting tools, and support from a dedicated executive assistant for final reviews.
2. Reading dense regulatory text can be time-consuming. We encourage the use of text-to-speech software and provide access to regulatory summary services.

Autism Positives

1. A deep commitment to logical systems, process integrity, and adherence to standards (like ISO) can be a huge asset in this role.
2. The ability to focus intensely on complex problems, analyse data meticulously, and identify systemic flaws is highly valued.
3. A direct and honest communication style, focused on facts and data, can be very effective in driving compliance and addressing issues.

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. The role involves significant stakeholder engagement, influencing, and navigating organisational politics, which can be draining. We can support with pre-meeting briefs, post-meeting debriefs, and executive coaching on communication strategies.
2. Managing a large team requires constant social interaction and emotional labour. We can provide training on leadership styles and offer a quiet space for focused work and recovery.
3. Sensory considerations: Our offices are modern, open-plan spaces, but we can provide noise-cancelling headphones, quiet zones, and flexibility for hybrid working to manage sensory input.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Director, Integrated Management Systems (16-20 years)
2. Responsibilities: Define and drive the multi-year strategic roadmap for Integrated Management Systems across a significant business unit, making sure it aligns with broader company goals and anticipates future regulatory changes.
3. Own the business unit's CQHS budget (typically £2M-£10M+), making critical decisions on resource allocation, technology investments, and external vendor contracts to maximise impact.
4. Lead, mentor, and develop a large team of IMS professionals, including managers and senior specialists, fostering a culture of high performance, accountability, and continuous learning.
5. Act as the primary point of contact and presenter for IMS performance and strategic initiatives to the Business Unit Managing Director and, occasionally, the Board, articulating complex issues clearly and concisely.
6. Oversee and provide strategic direction for all major internal and external audits within the business unit, ensuring robust preparation, effective response to findings, and successful recertification across all ISO standards.
7. Drive significant organisational change programmes related to IMS, such as post-acquisition integration of new companies' systems or major platform migrations, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum compliance.
8. Represent the business unit externally on matters of CQHS, engaging with key clients, regulatory bodies, and industry groups to enhance our reputation and influence best practices.
9. Supervision: You'll be largely autonomous on execution, with strategic alignment discussions happening monthly with the VP, EHSQ Systems & Compliance. Your performance will be reviewed against quarterly and annual business unit objectives.
10. Decision: You'll have full strategic authority within your domain for the business unit, including P&L responsibility for £2M-£10M+ budgets, significant hiring and firing decisions, and approval of major vendor contracts (e.g., EHSQ platform licences). Decisions impacting overall company policy or requiring significant capital expenditure (above £500K) will need VP or C-suite alignment.
11. Success: Success here means your business unit consistently meets or exceeds all regulatory and certification requirements, experiences a demonstrable reduction in incidents and non-conformances, and can confidently use its robust IMS as a competitive differentiator. Your team will be seen as a high-performing, trusted partner to the business, and you'll be recognised as a key strategic leader within the organisation.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Strategic IMS Roadmap for Business Unit
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Recommends strategic options to IMS Director.
• Type: Business Unit CQHS Budget Allocation (£2M-£10M+)
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Manages project budgets up to £50K, consults Director on larger spend.
• Type: Major IMS Platform Selection & Vendor Contracts
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Evaluates technical aspects of vendors, provides input to Director.
• Type: Organisational Design for IMS Team (within BU)
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Provides input on team structure and resource needs.
• Type: Response to Major External Audit Findings
• Entry: N/A
• Mid: N/A
• Senior: Leads the response for specific audit findings, reports to Director.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

At this Director level, we're looking for a leader who not only possesses deep functional expertise but also demonstrates exceptional strategic leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. These aren't just 'nice-to-haves'; they're the bedrock of your ability to drive change and influence at an executive level.

• Category: Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Skills: Ability to define and articulate a multi-year strategic vision for IMS that aligns with broader business objectives.
• Proven track record of driving large-scale organisational change and transformation programmes.
• Capacity to make high-stakes decisions under pressure, balancing risk, compliance, and business continuity.
• Skill in building and leading high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Category: Executive Communication & Influence
• Skills: Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical and regulatory information clearly and concisely to C-suite and Board members.
• A natural talent for influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority, building consensus and gaining buy-in for strategic initiatives.
• Skilled in negotiation and conflict resolution, particularly in situations involving competing business priorities and compliance requirements.
• Ability to represent the organisation externally with confidence and authority to clients, regulators, and industry bodies.
• Category: Complex Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
• Skills: A demonstrated ability to diagnose and solve complex, ambiguous organisational problems that span multiple departments and functions.
• Expertise in applying advanced root cause analysis techniques to systemic issues, not just individual incidents.
• Capacity to anticipate future risks and regulatory shifts, developing proactive strategies to mitigate potential impacts.
• Strong analytical skills, capable of interpreting complex data sets to drive strategic decisions and demonstrate ROI.
• Category: Organisational Development & Mentorship
• Skills: Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain top talent within the IMS function.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring managers and senior specialists, helping them grow their careers and leadership capabilities.
• Skill in fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment, promoting knowledge sharing and cross-functional teamwork.
• Ability to delegate effectively, empowering team members while maintaining strategic oversight and accountability.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

You'll need a deep, practical understanding of integrated management systems, not just theoretically, but how they actually work (and sometimes don't work) in a large, complex organisation. This includes mastery of relevant frameworks and the ability to apply them strategically.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: Enterprise Integrated Management Systems Design & Architecture
• Desc: Expertise in designing, implementing, and optimising comprehensive IMS across multiple ISO standards (e.g., 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001) for a large business unit. This isn't just about compliance; it's about creating a truly integrated, efficient system.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Advanced Risk Management Frameworks (ISO 31000, COSO ERM)
• Desc: Deep understanding and practical application of enterprise-level risk management frameworks, including developing risk appetite statements, conducting strategic risk assessments, and integrating risk management into business decision-making processes.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Organisational Change Management for Compliance
• Desc: Proven ability to lead and manage large-scale change initiatives related to compliance, quality, and safety, overcoming resistance and embedding new behaviours across a diverse workforce.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Process Optimisation & Lean Methodologies (at Scale)
• Desc: Expertise in applying Lean principles, Six Sigma, and PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) at an organisational level to continuously improve CQHS processes, reducing waste and increasing efficiency across the business unit.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: M&A Integration for CQHS Systems
• Desc: Experience in assessing, planning, and executing the integration of acquired companies' compliance, quality, health, and safety systems into the existing organisational framework, ensuring continuity and compliance.
• Level: Advanced

Digital Tools

• Tool: EHSQ/IMS Platforms (Intelex, Cority, VelocityEHS, Enablon)
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Leading the selection, negotiation, and strategic roadmap for enterprise-level IMS platforms, ensuring they meet the business unit's evolving needs and integrate seamlessly with other systems. You'll be the ultimate decision-maker on how these platforms are used and developed.
• Tool: GRC Platforms (ServiceNow GRC, LogicGate, Archer GRC Suite)
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Architecting the enterprise risk and compliance framework within these platforms for the business unit, ensuring alignment with global standards and providing strategic oversight of their deployment and optimisation.
• Tool: BI & Reporting (Power BI, Tableau)
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Defining enterprise-wide CQHS KPIs and dashboards for the business unit, presenting data stories to the board and executive leadership, and ensuring robust data governance for all compliance data.
• Tool: Doc Control & Collab (SharePoint, Confluence, Veeva QualityDocs)
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Setting the enterprise document management policy for controlled and uncontrolled information within the business unit, selecting and overseeing the implementation of platforms to ensure data integrity and audit readiness.
• Tool: Exec/Board Reporting (Diligent Boards, Nasdaq Boardvantage)
• Level: Strategic
• Usage: Directly managing the CQHS section of board packs, using these platforms to communicate critical risk and compliance information to the Board and C-suite, ensuring clarity and impact.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Global Regulatory Landscape & Compliance Trends
• Desc: In-depth knowledge of relevant national and international CQHS legislation, standards, and emerging regulatory trends impacting your business unit's operations (e.g., REACH, GDPR, industry-specific safety regulations).
• Area: Business Unit Operations & Value Chain
• Desc: A comprehensive understanding of your specific business unit's operational processes, products/services, supply chain, and key business drivers, enabling you to tailor IMS solutions effectively.
• Area: Enterprise Risk Management Principles
• Desc: Expertise in identifying, assessing, mitigating, and monitoring enterprise-level risks, integrating CQHS risks into the broader organisational risk framework.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 (and relevant industry-specific standards)
• Usage: You'll be the ultimate authority for the business unit on these standards, ensuring not just compliance but strategic integration and continuous improvement. You'll lead the certification process and represent the business to external auditors.
• Reg: Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (UK)
• Usage: Deep understanding of UK health and safety legislation, ensuring all business unit operations are compliant and proactive measures are in place to protect employees and others.
• Reg: Environmental Protection Act 1990 (UK) & relevant EU directives
• Usage: Comprehensive knowledge of environmental legislation, driving the business unit's environmental management strategy, pollution prevention, and sustainable practices.
• Reg: Industry-Specific Regulations (e.g., Construction Design and Management Regulations, COMAH, etc.)
• Usage: Depending on the specific business unit, you'll need expert knowledge of its unique regulatory landscape, ensuring tailored compliance programmes and risk mitigation strategies.

Essential Prerequisites

• Extensive experience (12-16+ years) in Integrated Management Systems or a closely related CQHS leadership role, with a proven track record of managing large teams and significant budgets.
• Demonstrated success in leading and achieving ISO certifications (9001, 14001, 45001) for complex organisations or business units.
• Significant experience in designing, implementing, and optimising EHSQ/GRC platforms at an enterprise level.
• Proven ability to influence and engage senior executive stakeholders, including C-suite and Board members.
• Strong understanding of enterprise risk management principles and their application within a CQHS context.
• A track record of driving cultural change and embedding a proactive approach to safety, quality, and environmental management.

Career Pathway Context

You're likely coming from an IMS Manager (L5) role, or perhaps a similar Director-level position in a highly regulated industry. We expect you to have already mastered the operational aspects of IMS and are now ready to step up to a strategic leadership role, shaping the future of CQHS for a major part of our business.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: AI-Powered Predictive Compliance & Risk Management
• Why: Regulators are getting smarter, and the volume of data is exploding. We can't just react to incidents; we need to predict them. AI will shift our focus from retrospective analysis to proactive intervention, identifying 'hotspots' before they become problems. Competitors are already using this to gain an edge.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection', 'description': 'Using algorithms to spot unusual patterns in incident, audit, and sensor data that indicate emerging risks.'}, {'concept_name': 'Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Regulatory Intelligence', 'description': 'Automating the scanning and summarisation of regulatory updates to quickly identify impacts on our business unit.'}, {'concept_name': 'Predictive Modelling for Incident Forecasting', 'description': 'Building models that forecast the likelihood of specific incidents based on a range of internal and external factors.'}, {'concept_name': 'Ethical AI in Compliance', 'description': 'Understanding the biases and limitations of AI, ensuring its responsible and fair application in compliance and risk assessments.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Attend an executive briefing on AI in GRC/EHSQ. Understand the art of the possible.
• Next 6 months: Work with our Data Science team (or an external consultant) to pilot one predictive model for a specific risk area within your business unit.
• Next 12 months: Develop a business case for integrating AI capabilities into our core IMS platforms, focusing on ROI and risk reduction.
• Ongoing: Encourage your team to experiment with AI tools for routine tasks and share best practices.
• QuickWin: Start using AI tools (like ChatGPT or Claude) to draft initial policy summaries, audit report sections, or brainstorm root cause analyses today. No formal approval needed for personal productivity gains.
• Skill: ESG Reporting & Strategy Integration
• Why: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors are no longer just 'nice-to-haves'; they're critical for investor relations, client tenders, and talent attraction. Our IMS needs to seamlessly support robust, auditable ESG reporting, moving beyond just environmental compliance to a broader sustainability agenda.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Sustainability Reporting Frameworks (GRI, SASB, TCFD)', 'description': 'Understanding the different global standards for reporting on ESG performance and their relevance to our business.'}, {'concept_name': 'Carbon Accounting & Net Zero Roadmapping', 'description': 'Knowledge of methodologies for measuring, reporting, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain.'}, {'concept_name': 'Social & Human Capital Metrics', 'description': 'Understanding how to measure and report on employee welfare, diversity, equity, and inclusion within the IMS context.'}, {'concept_name': 'ESG Due Diligence in M&A', 'description': 'Integrating ESG risk assessment into acquisition processes to identify potential liabilities and opportunities.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Review our current ESG reporting (if any) and identify gaps against leading frameworks.
• Next 6 months: Partner with our Corporate Affairs/Sustainability team to understand their strategic ESG priorities and how IMS can support them.
• Next 12 months: Develop a plan to integrate key ESG data points and reporting requirements into our existing IMS platforms and workflows.
• Ongoing: Stay informed on evolving ESG regulations and investor expectations.
• QuickWin: Identify one or two key ESG metrics (e.g., energy consumption, waste generation) that you can start tracking more rigorously within your existing IMS data, even if it's just in a spreadsheet for now.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Digital Transformation Leadership for IMS
• Why: Simply digitising old paper processes isn't enough. We need true digital transformation – rethinking how we use technology to fundamentally improve our CQHS outcomes, from real-time data collection via IoT to automated workflow orchestration.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'IoT Integration for Real-time Monitoring', 'description': 'Understanding how sensors and connected devices can feed real-time safety and environmental data into IMS platforms.'}, {'concept_name': 'Workflow Automation & Robotic Process Automation (RPA)', 'description': 'Identifying opportunities to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks within IMS processes to improve efficiency and reduce human error.'}, {'concept_name': 'Cloud-Native IMS Architectures', 'description': 'Understanding the benefits and challenges of cloud-based IMS solutions, including scalability, security, and data residency.'}, {'concept_name': 'Data Mesh & Data Fabric Concepts', 'description': 'Exploring how to create a more distributed and accessible data architecture for CQHS data, enabling self-service analytics.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Research leading examples of digital transformation in CQHS within our industry or similar sectors.
• Next 6 months: Engage with our IT leadership to understand our enterprise digital strategy and how IMS can align.
• Next 12 months: Identify 2-3 high-impact digital transformation initiatives for your business unit's IMS and develop pilot projects.
• Ongoing: Challenge your team to think beyond current tools and processes, fostering an innovative mindset.
• QuickWin: Identify one manual, repetitive IMS task in your business unit that could be automated with a simple workflow tool (e.g., Microsoft Power Automate) and task a manager to pilot it.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Occupational Health & Safety, Business Management, or a closely related field.
• Alts: Extensive (20+ years) and demonstrable experience in a senior IMS leadership role, with a proven track record of strategic impact, may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MSc in Safety Management, Environmental Management, or Quality Management).
• Alts: Relevant professional certifications (e.g., Chartered Fellow IOSH, CEnv, CQI Chartered Quality Professional) combined with significant leadership experience.

Experience Requirements

You'll need roughly 16-20 years of progressive experience in Compliance, Quality, Health & Safety, with at least 5-7 years in a senior leadership or management role (e.g., IMS Manager, Head of EHSQ) overseeing a significant team and budget. This should include extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing integrated management systems across multiple sites or a large business unit, and a proven track record of engaging with senior executive stakeholders.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety
• Prod: NEBOSH
• Usage: Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of occupational health and safety management, crucial for robust IMS.
• Cert: IEMA Lead Environmental Auditor / Practitioner
• Prod: IEMA
• Usage: Shows advanced capability in environmental management systems and auditing, which is a key part of our IMS.
• Cert: Certified Quality Professional (CQP)
• Prod: CQI (Chartered Quality Institute)
• Usage: Indicates a deep expertise in quality management principles and their application, essential for driving quality within the IMS.
• Cert: Project Management Professional (PMP) or PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Prod: PMI / AXELOS
• Usage: Useful for managing the complex, multi-year programmes and projects inherent in this Director role.

Recommended Activities

• Regularly attend industry conferences and seminars (e.g., IOSH, IEMA, CQI events) to stay abreast of emerging trends and network with peers.
• Actively participate in professional bodies and special interest groups, contributing to the advancement of CQHS practices.
• Undertake continuous professional development (CPD) in areas such as leadership, digital transformation, and advanced risk management.
• Seek out opportunities for executive coaching or mentorship to further refine your strategic leadership and influencing skills.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: From IMS Manager (L5) within a large organisation
• Time: 3-5 years as an IMS Manager
• Path: From Director of EHS or Quality in a smaller/mid-sized company
• Time: 5-8 years as a Director, looking for a larger scope
• Path: From a Senior Management Consultant specialising in GRC/EHSQ
• Time: 8-10 years in consulting, with significant project leadership

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: VP, EHSQ Systems & Compliance (L7)
• Time: 3-5 years in the Director role
• Pathway: Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) / Chief Risk Officer (CRO)
• Time: 5-8 years in the Director role, potentially with an interim VP step

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
• Time: 10-15 years post-Director, leveraging deep operational and risk management expertise.
• Title: Board Member / Non-Executive Director (NED)
• Time: 15-20 years post-Director, leveraging extensive governance, risk, and compliance experience.
• Title: Specialist Consultant / Advisor to Private Equity
• Time: 15+ years post-Director, leveraging deep industry and systems expertise.

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.