Quality Manager (FTC)

Overview
This is a 9-month fixed term contract
This is a hybrid role working from home and our offices in either London or Leicester.
Home. There’s no place like it. And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do.
Our Technology Quality Department plays a crucial role in driving our company's growth, and we are committed to providing our team with the latest tools, technologies, and techniques to help them excel and take us to new heights. With our continuous growth, we are seeking talented and ambitious individuals to join our dynamic team and contribute their unique ideas and perspectives. We are an ever-expanding team where every voice counts!
Role Summary
A key leadership role within the technology team responsible for developing our Quality chapter into a destination for quality engineering talent.
Your primary focus will be line management, talent development, career framework, and chapter development. Driving initiatives to empower our QAs and elevate our quality engineering capabilities to industry-leading standards. You will also play a pivotal role in enhancing our external reputation for technology excellence through strategic initiatives and partnerships.
A technology evangelist both within Dunelm and the rest of the technology industry. You will work as both part of a self-organizing team and as an internal consultant, offering coaching, mentoring, and training to team members.
Ultimately, your leadership as the Quality Manager will be instrumental in shaping the future of Quality Engineering at Dunelm. Defining and leading the strategy and approach (alongside the Principal Quality Specialists), for Quality Engineering across Dunelm Technology to ensure that we remain at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement in the retail sector.
Join our Tech Team and you’ll not only be part of stimulating projects that are making an impact across our business, but you’ll be also somewhere you can build a long-term career that always promises to challenge and excite.
Find your happy place.
We recruit people from all types of backgrounds, who share our entrepreneurial, hands-on approach to work. We are committed to creating a full inclusive environment that is representative of our customers and locations. We recognise the value and importance in inclusion and diversity and welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of sex, age, race, religion, disability, neuro-diversity, gender or sexual identity, socio-economic background or education.
What you'll be doing
Responsibilities
Provide line management overseeing QAs well-being, performance, and career development.
Develop and implement talent development initiatives, including training programs, mentorship opportunities, and skill enhancement workshops to support the professional growth of our QAs.
Collaborate with people services and senior leadership to enhance and implement a comprehensive Career Framework that outlines clear career paths, competencies, and progression criteria for QAs.
Lead the development and maturity of the chapter, fostering psychological safety, knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and openness.
Conduct regular performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and establish individual development plans to support the career advancement of QAs.
Champion diversity, equality, and inclusion initiatives, promoting a culture of belonging and respect for all team members.
Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and regulations related to talent management, performance evaluation, and career development.
Lead and collaborate recruitment efforts with Principal Quality Specialists and recruitment teams and attract and onboard top QA talent.
Foster a culture of collaboration, excellence, and transparency.
Stay informed about industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.
Strive for and champion Quality Engineering excellent throughout the chapter.
What we'll look for in you
Essential skills
Significant experience in line management of autonomous and highly skilled QAs
Significant experience in recruitment & onboarding new QAs
Experience of chapter and talent development
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate QAs to achieve their full potential.
Demonstrated success in recruiting and onboarding top QA talent, with a keen eye for identifying and assessing candidates.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organisation.
Commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion, with a track record of fostering inclusive and psychologically safe working environments.
Familiarity with Agile methodologies, Quality Engineering practices, DevOps practices, and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.
Desirable skills
Experience of working within a multichannel retailer and/or manufacturer.
Understanding of modern technologies used within retail environments, especially the use of cloud technologies.
Understanding of modern tools & techniques used in Quality Engineering
Demonstrable experience building successful communities of practice
Behaviours
Connecting: You should prioritize taking time to get to know your direct reports and building empathy and rapport.
Strategic thinking: You should be able to think strategically and see the big picture, aligning decisions with business objectives.
Team Working: You should be a team player and effectively collaborate with colleagues to achieve common goals. You should be able to lead and inspire a team of engineers, creating a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation.
Communicating: You should communicate in the most engaging ways with colleagues and keep your direct reports informed and engaged.
Including: You should show respect for everyone and constructively challenge behaviour that exclusive elitist and disrespectful of others.
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