UK

United Kingdom · Compliance, quality and safety · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports3-8 reports
  • Reports toChief Operating Officer (COO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP, Quality & Compliance · Head of Standards & Assurance · Group Director, EHSQ · Director, Governance & Certification

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
IAO Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management Innovate Awarding · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
ETCAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Engineering Technical Support ETC Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
EAL Level 3 NVQ Extended Diploma in Engineering Technical Support Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
EAL Level 3 NVQ Extended Diploma in Automotive Engineering Excellence, Achievement & Learning Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Level 5 Diploma in the Practice of Process Safety Management
Managing quality and quality systems IAO Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management
Manage Health and Safety in own area of responsibility CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership
Implementing Quality Control Systems and Procedures in an Engineering Environment ETCAL Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Engineering Technical Support

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Managing quality and quality systems Innovate Awarding · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  3. Manage Health and Safety in own area of responsibility Chartered Management Institute · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  4. Implementing Quality Control Systems and Procedures in an Engineering Environment ETC Awards Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Integration
  • AI-Powered Predictive Compliance & Risk Modelling
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) plan as you set up, starting with the free Growth Mindset module. No card.

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

A Director of Integrated Management Systems builds and runs the systems that keep quality, safety and environmental standards working together across a business.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

QMS/EHS Platform (e.g., Intelex, Cority, Veeva QualityDocs) Strategic

Leading platform selection and evaluation, managing key vendor relationships, overseeing system integration with ERPs (like SAP), and using system data for strategic forecasting and board-level reporting. You're defining how we use these tools at an enterprise level.

Document Control System (e.g., SharePoint Online, MasterControl) Architect

Setting the enterprise-wide document governance strategy, approving major structural changes to the system, and ensuring the system meets stringent regulatory data integrity requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11). You're the ultimate owner of our controlled information.

Audit Management Software (e.g., AuditBoard, TeamMate) Strategic

Analysing cross-audit trends to identify systemic risks across the business unit, configuring risk-based audit scheduling, and presenting summary dashboards to the Audit Committee and executive leadership.

Data Analysis & Visualization (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Advanced Excel) Strategic

Defining the key quality, safety, and compliance metrics for executive dashboards. Using data to model risk, predict compliance failures, and justify resource allocation and strategic investments to the board and COO.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP - e.g., SAP S/4HANA) Strategic

Collaborating with IT and Finance leadership to ensure ERP data structures support compliance requirements and that QMS/EHS systems are properly integrated, providing a single source of truth for critical operational data.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
IMS Strategy & Policy Follows established policies and procedures; escalates any proposed deviations. Proposes minor improvements to existing policies; makes routine operational decisions within policy guidelines. Designs and implements new policies and procedures for specific workstreams; recommends strategic policy changes to leadership.
Budget Allocation (IMS) No budget authority; requests resources for assigned tasks. Manages small project budgets (e.g., £1K-£5K) with manager approval. Manages workstream budgets up to £20K; recommends larger investments to Director.
Team Management & Hiring No direct reports; focuses on individual contribution. Provides informal guidance to new joiners; no hiring authority. Mentors 0-2 junior specialists; participates in interview panels.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Major Non-Conformance Rate (External Audits)
Number of Major non-conformances identified by external certification bodies during surveillance and recertification audits.
Target · Zero Major non-conformances annually across all certified standards.

In 2023, we had one Major non-conformance related to a critical process control; your target is to ensure this never happens again by strengthening our IMS.

Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) Reduction
Percentage reduction in costs associated with quality failures (e.g., scrap, rework, warranty claims, customer complaints).
Target · Achieve a 5-10% year-on-year reduction in COPQ for the business unit.

If COPQ was £500,000 last year, you'd aim to bring it down to £450,000-£475,000 this year through targeted IMS improvements.

Safety Incident Rate (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate - LTIFR)
Reduction in the frequency of lost time injuries per 100,000 hours worked, indicating improved safety performance.
Target · Reduce LTIFR by 10-15% annually.

Our current LTIFR is 0.8; your goal is to push it down to 0.7 or lower, showing our safety management system is truly effective.

Management System Maturity Score
Improvement in the overall maturity level of our integrated management systems, often assessed by external auditors or internal benchmarking tools.
Target · Increase the average maturity score from 'Adequate' to 'Effective' within 18 months, aiming for 'Optimised' long-term.

If our last external audit report noted our risk management process was 'adequate but reactive', you'd aim for 'effective and proactive' next time.

Executive Leadership Engagement & Support
Evidence that the executive team actively champions and participates in IMS initiatives, rather than just tolerating them.
  • Regular, proactive engagement in Management Review meetings
  • seeking your input on strategic decisions with compliance implications
  • actively promoting IMS principles across their departments
  • allocating necessary resources without significant pushback.
Cross-Functional Integration & Collaboration
The degree to which different departments (e.g., Operations, Engineering, Sales) genuinely see the IMS as a shared responsibility and actively collaborate on improvements.
  • Departments proactively raising issues and suggesting improvements
  • joint ownership of CAPAs
  • positive feedback from departmental heads on IMS team support
  • clear evidence of IMS principles embedded in departmental processes, not just 'owned' by your team.
Proactive Risk Identification & Mitigation
Our ability to identify potential compliance, quality, or safety risks *before* they become problems, and to implement effective controls.
  • Regular updates to the business unit's risk register with new, emerging risks
  • successful implementation of preventive actions that avert incidents
  • positive feedback from internal and external auditors on our risk-based thinking approach.
Reputational Enhancement
How the business unit's commitment to quality, safety, and sustainability is perceived by key external stakeholders (customers, regulators, industry peers).
  • Customer feedback specifically praising our quality/safety standards
  • positive mentions in industry publications or at conferences
  • successful tender bids where our IMS is a key differentiator
  • strong relationships with certification bodies.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Building and Optimising Systems

You get a real kick out of seeing a complex, disparate set of processes become a lean, integrated system. You'll spend time mapping out new workflows, identifying redundancies, and figuring out how to make everything work together more smoothly.

Successfully integrating the audit schedules and CAPA processes for ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 into a single, streamlined programme that saves 20% of administrative effort.

Driving Tangible Business Improvement

You're not just about compliance for compliance's sake. You want to see your work directly translate into reduced costs, fewer incidents, and better customer satisfaction. You'll be constantly looking for the business impact of your IMS initiatives.

Leading a project that reduces product recall rates by 50% through improved quality controls, directly impacting the company's bottom line and reputation.

Influencing and Leading Organisational Change

You enjoy the challenge of getting people on board with new ways of working, especially at a senior level. You'll spend a lot of time presenting, persuading, and coaching, seeing yourself as a catalyst for positive change.

Successfully championing a new risk-based thinking approach that becomes embedded in all new product development processes, changing how engineering approaches design.

What frustrates people
  • The constant battle against 'we've always done it this way' mentality, especially from long-serving operational managers.
  • Dealing with executive-level lip service to quality and safety, where the words are there but the resources or commitment aren't.
  • The pressure to 'fix' a compliance issue quickly without addressing the true systemic root cause, leading to recurring problems.
  • Managing multiple external audits and certification bodies, each with slightly different interpretations or demands.
  • Finding that critical data needed for strategic analysis is siloed, incomplete, or of poor quality across different departments.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, solitary role focused purely on technical standards; you'll be interacting with people constantly.
  • A role with immediate, direct authority over all operational processes; you'll lead through influence and expertise.
  • A 'set it and forget it' environment; the regulatory landscape and business needs are always evolving.
  • A role where you're solely focused on one specific standard; you'll be integrating multiple disciplines.

8Who you work with

This role is absolutely critical for our business unit's licence to operate and grow. You'll directly influence operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and our market reputation. Your decisions will shape our compliance posture and drive significant improvements in how we deliver products and services, ultimately affecting our P&L (profit and loss) and long-term sustainability. Get it right, and we're a market leader; get it wrong, and we're in serious trouble.

Inside the business
  • COO and Executive Leadership Team
  • Heads of Operations, Manufacturing, and Engineering
  • Legal and Compliance Teams
  • Finance Department for budget oversight
Outside the business
  • Certification Bodies (e.g., BSI, SGS, DNV)
  • Regulatory Authorities (e.g., HSE, Environment Agency)
  • Key Customers (especially those requiring specific certifications)
  • Industry Associations and Peer Groups

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Extensive experience (15+ years) in managing and integrating multiple ISO management systems (QMS, EMS, OHSMS) within a complex operational environment, preferably manufacturing or heavy industry.
  • Proven track record of successfully leading teams of compliance and quality professionals, including managers and senior specialists.
  • Demonstrable experience in driving significant organisational change and cultural transformation related to quality, safety, and environmental performance.
  • Strong financial acumen, with experience managing significant budgets and demonstrating ROI for IMS initiatives.
  • Experience engaging with and presenting to executive leadership teams and external regulatory/certification bodies.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Digital Transformation Leadership for IMS

The shift to digital management systems is accelerating. You'll need to lead the strategy for selecting, implementing, and optimising digital tools (like advanced QMS/EHS platforms) that integrate seamlessly across the business, moving us away from legacy systems and manual processes.

Digital maturity models for IMS · Cloud-based platform architecture · Data governance for digital systems · User adoption strategies for new tech · Cybersecurity risks in digital compliance

  • This quarter: Review our current IMS technology stack and identify key areas for digital improvement.
  • Next 6 months: Research leading IMS software vendors and their integration capabilities with our existing ERP.
  • Next year: Develop a multi-year digital transformation roadmap for the IMS function, including budget proposals.
  • Ongoing: Engage with IT leadership to ensure IMS digital strategy aligns with broader enterprise architecture.

Quick win: Champion the full adoption of existing digital tools within your team, ensuring everyone is using them to their full potential before exploring new solutions.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend industry conferences and seminars on integrated management systems, ESG, and regulatory updates.
  • Maintain active memberships in relevant professional bodies (e.g., CQI, IEMA, IOSH).
  • Participate in peer groups or forums with other IMS Directors to share best practices and challenges.
  • Undertake continuous learning in leadership, change management, and strategic planning.
  • Stay updated on emerging technologies like AI and advanced analytics for compliance and risk management.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Integration

Investors, customers, and regulators are increasingly demanding robust ESG performance. Our IMS needs to seamlessly feed into and support our broader ESG reporting and strategy. This isn't just 'nice to have' anymore; it's fundamental to business value.

  • Materiality assessments for ESG risks
  • ESG reporting frameworks (e.g., GRI, SASB)
  • Metrics for social and governance performance
  • Linking IMS data to ESG disclosures
  • Greenwashing risks and mitigation

AI-Powered Predictive Compliance & Risk Modelling

Instead of reacting to non-conformances or incidents, the future is about predicting them. AI and advanced analytics can identify patterns in vast datasets that humans can't, allowing us to intervene before problems occur. This shifts us from reactive to truly proactive.

  • Machine learning fundamentals (supervised/unsuperv
  • Predictive analytics for incident forecasting
  • Anomaly detection in operational data
  • Data privacy and ethical AI considerations
  • Model validation and interpretability

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Integrated Management System (IMS) Architecture
  • Strategic Risk Management (ISO 31000 & FMEA)
  • Advanced Root Cause Analysis (RCA) & Problem Solving
  • Continual Improvement & Operational Excellence

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Quality Manager (L5) to Director of IMS

    3-5 years as a Quality Manager

    Skills to master

    • Expanding beyond quality into environmental and safety management, developing strategic integration skills, managing larger teams, and influencing at an executive level. You'll need to broaden your scope considerably.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led significant quality improvement programmes with measurable ROI.
    • Demonstrated ability to manage and mentor a team of quality professionals.
    • Proven track record of maintaining ISO 9001 certification with zero Major non-conformances.
    • Experience presenting to senior leadership and influencing cross-functional teams.
  2. 2

    EHS Manager (L5) to Director of IMS

    3-5 years as an EHS Manager

    Skills to master

    • Deepening knowledge of quality management systems (ISO 9001), integrating EHS with quality objectives, and developing a holistic view of business unit performance beyond just EHS metrics. You'll need to show you can think beyond safety and environment.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully reduced incident rates and maintained ISO 14001/45001 certification.
    • Experience managing environmental permits and regulatory relationships.
    • Demonstrated ability to lead EHS improvement projects and manage a team.
    • Strong track record of influencing operational teams on safety and environmental practices.
  3. 3

    Head of Compliance (L5) to Director of IMS

    4-6 years as a Head of Compliance

    Skills to master

    • Gaining deep operational understanding of quality, environmental, and safety management systems, moving from a purely regulatory focus to hands-on system implementation and improvement. You'll need to get into the 'how' of operational compliance, not just the 'what'.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed complex regulatory compliance programmes.
    • Strong understanding of risk management frameworks and their application.
    • Experience in policy development and implementation across an organisation.
    • Proven ability to influence legal and operational teams on compliance matters.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to senior leadership positions, such as Chief Risk Officer or Head of Operational Excellence, or to group-level roles overseeing sustainability and ESG strategy.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety, worked against Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS).

Understand how to comply with the relevant Regulations, Industry Standards and Management Requirements for Process Safety Level 5

Applied to your work in Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)

The objective of this unit is to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of the regulations, industry standards, and management requirements for process safety. Learners will understand the role of the Process Safety Leadership Group, relevant frameworks, legal duties, and the role of the Competent Authority.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)
  • Integrated Management System (IMS) Architecture
  • Strategic Risk Management (ISO 31000 & FMEA)
  • Advanced Root Cause Analysis (RCA) & Problem Solving
  • Continual Improvement & Operational Excellence
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Operating Officer (COO)

    5-8 years as Director of IMS

    L7 (C-Suite)

    • Enterprise supply chain optimisation
    • Global manufacturing strategy
    • Digital transformation across all operations
    • Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) integration

  2. Chief Compliance & Quality Officer (CCQO)

    4-7 years as Director of IMS

    L7 (C-Suite)

    • Enterprise risk management (ERM) framework ownership
    • Global compliance programme design and oversight
    • Crisis management and regulatory response
    • Ethical governance and corporate social responsibility
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be honest, at your level, time is your most precious commodity. You're thinking strategically, influencing leaders, and driving major change. You don't have time for tedious report generation or manual data correlation. Good news: AI can take a huge chunk of that off your plate, freeing you up for what truly matters.

We're not talking about replacing your strategic brain; we're talking about giving you a powerful co-pilot. Imagine having AI sift through mountains of audit reports, regulatory updates, and incident data in minutes, presenting you with actionable insights. This isn't science fiction; it's happening here, now, and it's making our senior leaders more effective.

Strategic Report Generation

Feed AI your quarterly IMS performance data, key risks, and improvement initiatives. It'll draft executive summaries, board reports, and management review presentations, highlighting trends and suggesting narrative points. You'll spend your time refining, not writing from scratch.

Cross-System Trend Identification

Connect AI to your QMS, EHS, and ERP platforms. It can automatically identify subtle correlations between, say, a specific supplier's material batch, a production line, and a spike in customer complaints, or environmental incidents linked to maintenance schedules. These are trends that manual analysis would take weeks to uncover.

Regulatory Impact Analysis

When new regulations or standard revisions drop (e.g., a new version of ISO 14001), use AI to perform a rapid gap analysis against our existing systems. It'll summarise key changes, potential impacts on our operations, and even suggest initial action plans, saving your team countless hours of research.

Stakeholder Communication Drafting

Need to communicate a complex compliance update to the entire business unit? Or draft a sensitive response to a regulatory body? AI can generate clear, concise, and appropriately toned communications, ensuring consistency and accuracy, allowing you to focus on the strategic message.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)?

Common routes in include Quality Manager to Director of IMS (3-5 years as a Quality Manager), EHS Manager to Director of IMS (3-5 years as an EHS Manager) and Head of Compliance to Director of IMS (4-6 years as a Head of Compliance). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Operating Officer (COO) (5-8 years as Director of IMS) and Chief Compliance & Quality Officer (CCQO) (4-7 years as Director of IMS), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Integrated Management Systems (IMS)?

Increasingly, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) Integration and AI-Powered Predictive Compliance & Risk Modelling. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in compliance, quality and safety

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in integrated management systems, risk and operational excellence transfer well to other regulated industries. These include pharmaceuticals, aerospace, automotive and food and beverage. Quality, environmental and safety management systems matter just as much there.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Growth Mindset module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.