IATF Lead Auditor

Job Description: Lead Auditor - IATF 16949

Role Purpose The Lead Auditor is responsible for performing comprehensive business assurance assessments. The role involves evaluating client management systems to recommend certification, deferral, suspension, or withdrawal of certification, as well as conducting validations and verifications against the IATF 16949 and associated ISO standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Audit Execution: Conduct business assurance assessments within authorized areas of specialism, ensuring adherence to established procedures and agreed-upon timescales.

• Team Leadership: Effectively lead assessment teams during field visits. You will be responsible for coordinating team findings, managing timeframes, and reaching objective conclusions regarding a client's compliance.

• Reporting: Produce high-quality, technical assessment reports that reflect business assurance principles. All documentation must comply with international accreditation requirements and internal quality procedures.

• Stakeholder Management: Maintain clear communication with internal stakeholders regarding audit progress or critical issues, escalating significant risks as appropriate.

• Commercial Awareness: Maintain a broad knowledge of the organization's full suite of products and services. Actively identify opportunities to promote higher-value services to clients and pass sales leads to the appropriate commercial teams.

• Relationship Building: Actively build and maintain strong professional relationships with both clients and internal colleagues.

• Professional Development: Keep abreast of technical developments in the automotive and auditing sectors. Maintain up-to-date CPD (Continuing Professional Development) records, professional registrations, and competence records.

• Collaborative Support: Participate in assessor meetings and support ad-hoc projects such as product development, peer training, or special organizational initiatives.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: A Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in a relevant technical or engineering subject.

• Certification:Mandatory current certification as an IATF Lead Auditor for IATF 16949.

• Audit Experience: Proven substantial experience in conducting third-party audits. This must include both system-level and process-level auditing within the automotive supply chain.

• Technical Knowledge: A thorough understanding of management systems, specific scheme requirements, and their practical application in a manufacturing environment.

• IT Literacy: Competent in the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experienced in using digital audit reporting tools.

Core Competencies

• Analytical Thinking: Ability to synthesize complex process data to reach sound audit conclusions.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of discussing technical findings with senior management.

• Integrity: High level of professional ethics and the ability to remain impartial during difficult assessment scenarios.

• Organization: Strong time-management skills to ensure audit cycles are completed without compromising quality.