Global Technical Manager - Business Assurance, Certification

About the Position

Global Technical Manager - Business Assurance, Certification

Ellesmere Port, England, United Kingdom

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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 fully remote role, and we only welcome applications from candidates who have a valid work permit in their country of residence.

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 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.