Safety, Quality & Assurance Manager

Safety, Quality & Assurance Manager

Location: Derby (Hybrid Working)

Contract: Permanent

Company: Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS)

Who We Are Are you passionate about driving quality, compliance and continuous improvement? Do you have the experience and leadership skills to help us deliver a game-changing 5-star service for our customers? If you're looking for a role where you can influence business performance, shape operational standards and make a genuine impact, we'd love to hear from you. At Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS), we exist to prove that alternative transport can be better than the journey it replaces. Every year, we deliver over 80,000 rail replacement journeys, facilitate more than 20,000 train crew taxi journeys, and provide dedicated frontline support to customers across the UK. As we continue to grow, we're looking for a Safety, Quality & Assurance Manager to lead our quality, compliance and assurance agenda, ensuring the highest standards of governance, operational performance and continuous improvement across the business.

Reporting to the Head of Safety - Rail Services, with a matrix reporting line into the Head of Operations, you'll be responsible for leading ARTS' quality assurance, compliance, audit and performance functions. This is a highly visible leadership role that combines quality management, regulatory compliance, operational assurance and performance improvement. You will play a key role in ensuring ARTS remains audit-ready, compliant and focused on delivering exceptional service for customers and stakeholders.

What You'll Be Doing Quality Assurance & Management Systems

• Own and continuously improve the organisation's ISO management systems, including ISO 9001
• Ensure quality systems remain embedded within operational delivery and aligned to business objectives
• Maintain effective document control processes and governance standards
• Lead internal audits, external certification audits and surveillance audits
• Manage non-conformances, corrective actions and preventative actions to completion

Audit & Regulatory Compliance

• Develop and deliver an organisation-wide audit and assurance programme
• Act as the primary point of contact for regulatory and external audits
• Ensure compliance with contractual, regulatory and operational obligations
• Provide assurance across suppliers, operational functions and key stakeholders

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Create, review and report on KPI and SLA performance across the business
• Identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement
• Lead investigations into performance issues and implement sustainable corrective actions
• Provide meaningful insight and reporting to senior leadership teams
• Develop and drive continuous improvement initiatives that support operational excellence

Governance, Risk & Data Protection

• Support governance frameworks and assurance processes across ARTS
• Act as the lead Data Protection Officer for the business
• Support wider compliance, risk and assurance activities
• Ensure policies, procedures and controls are applied consistently across the organisation

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead, coach and develop team members where required
• Provide guidance to operational managers on quality and compliance requirements
• Build strong relationships across the business to drive standards and accountability
• Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to support continual improvement and assurance activities

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience in a quality assurance, compliance, audit or performance management role
• Experience managing ISO management systems, particularly ISO 9001
• Strong experience leading internal and external audits
• A track record of managing KPI and SLA performance and driving improvement
• Strong analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing capabilities
• The ability to translate data, audit findings and performance trends into meaningful business improvements
• Strong communication and leadership skills

Desirable Experience

• Experience within transport, rail, logistics or another regulated industry
• Knowledge of ISO 14001, ISO 45001 or other management system standards
• Experience working with regulatory bodies and client compliance frameworks
• NEBOSH or equivalent health and safety qualification

Why Join Arriva Road Transport Services?

At ARTS, you'll join an ambitious and growing business where quality, compliance and operational excellence are central to everything we do.

We offer:

• Competitive salary
• Hybrid working
• Free travel on Arriva branded rail services across the country
• Arriva Village employee discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme with 24-hour confidential support
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression

Arriva is a leading provider of passenger transport across Europe, employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys. With buses, trains, coaches, trams, waterbuses, bike-sharing systems, on-demand transport solutions and a rolling stock leasing company, Arriva proudly connects people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably across 11 countries, delivering these services in a better way, every day. The activities of Arriva are divided into four business units: UK Bus, UK Trains, The Netherlands and Mainland Europe. Arriva has passenger transport operations in the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom, and also operates a rolling stock leasing company in Romania.