Global Technical Manager - Business Assurance, Certification

About the Position

Global Technical Manager - Business Assurance, Certification

Prague, Czechia (Remote)

We are SGS – the world's leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for sustainability, quality, and integrity. Our 99,600 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer, and more interconnected world.

At SGS, we have an open corporate and international culture. We offer a dynamic work environment in a leading global company. Our high professional standards and our sustainability approach guarantee you a future-oriented work environment. We invest in our employees for the long term and are committed to supporting your development within the company. Our business principles include: Integrity, Health, Safety & Environment, Quality & Professionalism, Respect, Sustainability, and Leadership.

This is a senior global certification leadership role. Appointment requires demonstrable, current, and substantial experience in management system certification at a global or multi-region level, including leadership of geographically dispersed, culturally diverse technical teams and accountability for accreditation strategy, technical decision-making, and network-wide implementation.

Role purpose:

The Global Technical Manager provides senior technical and accreditation leadership for the Business Assurance Certification business. The role sets, maintains, and enforces the technical framework, accreditation strategy, certification policies, and governance controls that determine consistent, compliant, and commercially effective service delivery across the SGS affiliate network.

The post-holder is expected to operate with the credibility, judgment, and seniority required to influence senior business leaders, represent SGS with Accreditation Bodies, and make final technical decisions where certification, accreditation, impartiality, integrity, or business risk issues arise.

Responsibilities

• Set the global technical and accreditation strategy for Business Assurance Certification in consultation with the Global Head of Certification and relevant business leadership.
• Lead, develop, and manage global technical and accreditation functions, including direct and indirect leadership of product, technical, and accreditation specialists located across multiple countries and regions.
• Define, approve, and enforce global certification policies, technical requirements, accreditation controls, and operating standards across the affiliate network.
• Provide authoritative technical direction to the certification business, including final decision-making where disputes, interpretation issues, or material compliance risks arise.
• Manage strategic relationships with global and local Accreditation Bodies, ensuring confidence in SGS integrity, competence, impartiality, governance, and global operating model.
• Ensure technical and accreditation requirements are implemented in a way that protects compliance, supports consistent service delivery, and enables commercially viable operations.
• Represent the Business Assurance Division externally, and act as delegate for the Global Head of Certification where required.
• Lead investigations and corrective action governance for material technical, accreditation, or integrity failures within affiliates, ensuring effective restoration of compliant independent operation.
• Drive simplification, digitalization, and continuous improvement of technical processes, systems, and delivery models, including future audit delivery approaches and technical review efficiencies.

Requirements

• Graduate-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in a relevant technical, scientific, engineering, management system, commercial, or governance discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant certification and/or accreditation experience, including significant management system certification experience in an accredited third-party certification environment.
• Substantial global or multi-region certification leadership experience. Experience limited to a single country, single affiliate, consultancy-only environment, or narrow technical discipline is not sufficient for this role.
• Proven experience leading geographically dispersed and culturally diverse technical teams, including direct or matrix management of senior specialists across multiple countries or regions.
• Demonstrable track record of setting or enforcing technical policy, accreditation strategy, certification governance controls, or network-wide requirements at a regional or global level.
• Strong technical command of management system certification and accreditation requirements, including impartiality, competence, audit delivery, certification decision-making, and Accreditation Body expectations.
• Credibility to engage with senior business leaders, Accreditation Bodies, and technical experts, and to make well-reasoned decisions under pressure where there is commercial, accreditation, or integrity risk.
• Commercial judgment sufficient to ensure compliant service delivery remains efficient, scalable, and aligned with business objectives.
• Fluent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex technical requirements clearly to senior leaders and operational teams.

Nice to Have

• Senior role within SGS, another global Certification Body, or an Accreditation Body.
• Lead auditor, technical reviewer, certification decision-maker, trainer, or scheme manager experience in accredited third-party management system certification.
• Experience implementing significant change to certification systems, competence frameworks, technical review processes, audit delivery models, or accreditation governance.
• Experience leading or supporting digital transformation, automation, remote audit delivery, or AI-enabled process improvement within certification or conformity assessment.
• Additional languages relevant to the SGS network or Accreditation Body engagement.

We Offer

• Global and very stable company, world leader in the TIC (Testing, Inspection and Certification) industry.
• Flexible schedule and hybrid/remote model.
• SGS university and Campus for continuous learning options.
• Multinational environment where you will work with colleagues from multiple continents.
• Benefits platform.

About the Company

At SGS, we believe in innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We offer a supportive and inclusive work environment that encourages professional growth and personal development.