BUSINESS AREA MANAGER – CERTIFICATION

Location: Kettering, Northamptonshire (NN16)
Salary: £40,000 – £50,000 DOE
Hours: 37.5 per week

Are you an experienced technical or operational leader looking for an opportunity to make a real impact within an internationally recognised, highly regulated industry?

We are working with an established and internationally operating technical services organisation to recruit a Business Area Manager – Certification.

This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of a multi-disciplinary certification function, leading geographically dispersed teams, driving commercial performance and ensuring the highest standards of technical compliance and customer service.

With responsibility spanning the UK, Ireland and international markets, this is a high-profile leadership position offering the opportunity to influence business strategy, develop people and contribute to the continued growth of an established certification operation.

The Opportunity

You will provide strategic and operational leadership to specialist certification teams responsible for assessing products against UK and European regulatory requirements.

Working closely with senior management, you will take responsibility for departmental performance, ensuring the delivery of commercial targets, operational KPIs, customer expectations and stringent accreditation requirements.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leadership & Development: Lead, inspire and develop specialist teams, building a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Commercial Performance: Take ownership of departmental budgets, forecasting, financial reporting, profitability and sustainable revenue growth.
• Operational Excellence: Drive productivity, resource planning and service delivery, ensuring operational targets and customer expectations are consistently achieved.
• Quality & Compliance: Oversee the maintenance of accredited quality management systems, ensuring ongoing compliance with ISO/IEC 17065 and relevant accreditation requirements.
• Business Development: Identify new commercial opportunities, strengthen customer relationships and support the introduction of new certification services and schemes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with customers, regulators, industry bodies and senior business stakeholders.
• Continuous Improvement: Champion operational change, improve processes and develop a culture that puts quality, safety and customer service at its heart.
• Industry Representation: Represent the organisation at industry events, exhibitions, technical forums and customer meetings.

You will also undertake regular UK and Ireland travel, alongside occasional international travel, including visits to overseas offices and customers.

What We're Looking For

We are keen to hear from commercially minded leaders who combine strong people management capabilities with a technical understanding of certification, testing or regulated environments.

Ideally, you will bring:

• Proven experience leading, motivating and developing teams within a technical or operational environment.
• Strong commercial acumen, including budget management, financial forecasting and performance monitoring.
• A sound understanding of certification activities, technical standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience managing departmental KPIs, operational performance and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrable business development and customer relationship management experience.
• Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational leadership.
• A proactive, results-driven approach with the confidence to make decisions and drive change.

Experience within an accredited certification, conformity assessment, testing or laboratory environment would be particularly advantageous.

Desirable Experience

It would be beneficial, although not essential, to have:

• Knowledge of ISO/IEC 17065 and accredited quality management systems.
• Experience working with UKAS and/or INAB.
• Familiarity with PPE certification and relevant UK and European legislation.
• Experience managing technical teams within a regulated environment.
• A recognised leadership, management or health and safety qualification.

You must be resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland, hold a full driving licence and be comfortable with regular domestic and occasional international travel.

What's On Offer?

Alongside a competitive salary of £40,000 – £50,000, the organisation offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• 25–30 days' annual leave, depending on length of service.
• Life assurance.
• Group personal pension scheme.
• Income protection.
• Flexible working hours.
• Free on-site parking.

Interested?

If you're an experienced certification, technical or operational leader ready to take the next step in your career, we'd love to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of an established business function, influence its future direction and lead teams operating across international markets.

Closing date: 13th November 2026.

First-stage interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams on 20th November, with second-stage interviews held in person on 25th November 2026.

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.