Deputy Quality Manager (CR1949)
| Posting date: | 23 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £33,350 per year |
| Additional salary information: | Pro-rata for job share |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 09 February 2026 |
| Location: | KT15 3NB |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 445368/1 |
Summary
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), and works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. Our diverse teams of over 3,000 skilled and committed professionals come together to provide research, advice and support to UK Government for safeguarding animal, public and plant health for benefit of the environment and economy.
APHA is a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, because it helps us be more innovative and make better decisions. We are dedicated to being an inclusive employer, offering equitable opportunities for all individuals. Our goal is to build a diverse workforce, and we hope to attract applications from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
The Science Directorate (SD) delivers high quality, high impact and highly relevant multidisciplinary science. Our People are diverse, talented, engaged and inspired to deliver innovative outcomes.
The Virology department is a multi-disciplinary team with a statutory remit in named reportable, endemic, notifiable and exotic diseases for the delivery of research, diagnostic services and surveillance programmes. As the Deputy Quality Manager in the Virology department, you will support the Virology Quality Manager maintain the quality standards across the department. This will involve ensuring the department meets ISO9001:2015 certification, ISO/IEC17025:2017 accreditation requirements and Good x Practice (GxP) compliance through performing audits and investigating non-conforming work.
Main areas of work will include:
- Provide support to the Quality manager to ensure all Virology quality system processes under ISO:9001, ISO:17025 quality standards, GxP compliance and the DEFRA Joint Codes of Practice for Research (JCoPR) for research areas are adhered to locally.
- Assist with third party quality audits by providing support to teams in preparing for external assessments and preparing responses.
- Undertake training to become an auditor. Assist with internal Quality audits, ensure that reports are completed in full and effectively close out actions for all Virology quality system auditing including test witness, vertical, directed audits and additions to ISO17025 scope.
- Minute the Virology Quality Management Team meetings and QualVMT
- Manage all departmental documentation on Central Records Management System (CRMS) ensuring compliance with document control in line with quality standards.
- Assist with the editing and publishing Virology Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) on Content Cloud+ ensuring the established document control systems are adhered to.
- Assist with the departmental utilisation of the Ideagen Quality Management (IQM) System (for logging and monitoring non-conforming work and complaints) in Virology.
- Assist with the management of the department equipment database.
- Identify opportunities for efficiency gains and continual improvement through appropriate harmonisation of methods and procedures across the department.
- Review and monitor action progress from Quality audits and non-conformances raised, ensuring implemented actions are appropriate, effective and implemented within documented deadlines.
- To fulfil responsibilities for Health and Safety as defined in the APHA Health and Safety Policy and appropriate standards, Risk Assessments and SOPs. Ensure any Health and Safety issues identified during Quality audits are raised. Maintain a safe and productive working environment.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme