Deputy Global Head of Quality
2 days ago
St Albans
SUMMARY A senior quality leadership position within a specialist life sciences consultancy delivering regulatory, clinical, and compliance expertise across global markets. The role focuses on GCP compliance, clinical trial oversight, and quality management system development within a fast-paced consulting environment. Working across UK and European projects, the position combines hands-on audit delivery with strategic quality leadership, supporting both client-facing work and internal quality initiatives within a growing international team. RESPONSIBILITIES • Lead UK and EU compliance service delivery, supporting wider global quality operations, • Plan, manage, and conduct GCP audits including vendor qualification, system audits, trial audits, and inspection readiness activities, • Own audit outcomes, driving structured issue resolution and corrective/preventive actions (CAPAs), • Perform quality management system gap analyses and develop compliant documentation including SOPs and policies, • Provide sponsor oversight for clinical trials, acting as representative with CROs, sites, and vendors, • Deliver GCP training programmes tailored to client requirements, • Support development and execution of global quality assurance initiatives, • Maintain and improve quality management systems and associated processes, • Act as escalation point for complex quality and compliance issues across projects, • Ensure quality documentation, audit reports, training materials, and CAPAs are delivered to a high standard, • Contribute to continuous improvement and service excellence across client engagements, • Maintain billable utilisation through delivery of technical consulting work REQUIREMENTS • Degree in life sciences or related discipline (BSc essential; MSc or PhD preferred), • Minimum 5 years’ experience in GCP auditing within clinical trials, vendors, systems, and inspection readiness environments, • Strong knowledge of ICH-GCP and regulatory compliance frameworks (GCP certification required), • Proven experience writing SOPs and regulated quality documentation, • Experience in clinical trial oversight or sponsor-side quality assurance preferred, • Strong organisational and time management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities, • Demonstrated leadership or mentoring capability within technical teams, • Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills, • Proficient in Microsoft Office and CRM systems, • Comfortable working autonomously and within international teams, • Willingness to travel within the UK, Europe, and occasionally internationally TO APPLY • Submit your CV highlighting relevant experience, • Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK without sponsorship requirements gjohnstone@barringtonjames.com / +441293778666