Introduction

Together, we're working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join Heathrow's Development team and you'll be part of this, making every journey better for millions each year, now and in the future.

We're the team responsible for our multi-billion-pound programmes to successfully transform Heathrow into an extraordinary airport while delivering outstanding value for passengers and airlines.

Development covers project management, process improvement, business change, master planning, infrastructure and our ambitious capital investment programmes. This includes Heathrow Expansion, the UK's biggest privately funded infrastructure project and a flagship for delivering lasting economic growth.

It brings together people with the skills to deliver prestigious projects that make a lasting impact, from transforming terminals to making significant reductions in carbon emissions.

Every day will test your skills and give you the opportunity to make your mark.

Job Info

Job Overview

As Head of Quality & Assurance, you will lead Heathrow Development's integrated approach to quality and assurance across a complex capital portfolio. Working closely with senior leaders, programme teams and delivery partners, you will help ensure major investment programmes are delivered right first time, driving excellence, consistency and value across Heathrow's transformative projects.

As Head of Quality & Assurance, you will lead Heathrow Development's integrated approach to quality, assurance and programme capability across a diverse portfolio of capital investments. Acting as the custodian of quality frameworks, methods and standards, you will help ensure projects are delivered right first time while providing tools and guidance for programme and project teams to effectively self-assure through Line of Defence 1. You will also lead assurance reviews to provide confidence in project delivery, governance, compliance and investment decisions. Through championing continuous improvement, organisational learning and the consistent application of best practice across Heathrow and its supply chain, you will play a key role in enhancing delivery performance and driving successful outcomes across the capital portfolio.

Principal Accountabilities

• Lead and continuously enhance Heathrow Development’s Quality Framework, ensuring quality standards, governance and assurance practices support the successful delivery of capital programmes and align with the organisation’s strategic objectives.
• Establish and oversee a consistent quality management approach across the capital portfolio, driving best practice, monitoring performance through key quality metrics, and leading investigations into quality issues to identify lessons learned and improvement opportunities.
• Be the guardian of programme governance methodologies, standards, templates, guidance and training, ensuring the Programme Governance Framework and Heathrow Gateway Lifecycle are effectively embedded across all programmes and projects.
• Lead and strengthen the Line of Defence 1 (LOD1) self-assurance framework, equipping programme and project teams with the tools, guidance and capability needed to assess compliance, manage risks and deliver right-first-time outcomes.
• Direct Heathrow’s Line of Defence 2 (LOD2) independent assurance activities, providing objective oversight, constructive challenge and actionable insights to improve governance, delivery confidence, investment efficiency and decision-making.
• Champion programme and project management capability across Development by delivering learning, coaching, knowledge-sharing and continuous improvement initiatives that drive consistent standards, organisational learning and delivery excellence across the portfolio.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Degree qualified (or equivalent professional experience), with significant leadership experience in quality management, assurance, continuous improvement, or the delivery of complex capital programmes.
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and engage senior leaders, delivery partners and external stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.
• Proven ability to develop collaborative internal and external networks, working effectively across diverse teams to drive alignment, share best practice and deliver common goals.
• Strategic thinker and excellent communicator, capable of understanding business priorities, navigating ambiguity and taking a long-term view to support organisational success.
• Inspirational leader with high levels of integrity, resilience and a values-driven approach, able to create a clear vision, motivate teams and foster a culture of continuous improvement and excellence.

Ideally you’ll also have

• Demonstrates deep subject matter expertise, with the ability to evidence Heathrow's compliance with industry best practice and regulatory expectations during internal and external reviews, including engagement with regulators such as the CAA.
• Strong knowledge of industry standards, frameworks and specifications across design, procurement and construction, with experience applying best practice within complex, multi-disciplinary engineering and capital delivery environments.

About us

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow. Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger – not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.

Take the next step

Join Heathrow and discover unlimited opportunities to make a difference