Quality Assurance Lead

Quality Assurance Lead
Office based - Sheffield Salary: £37,000 - £40,000

Are you passionate about driving quality, compliance and continuous improvement?

We are looking for an experienced Quality Assurance Lead to provide independent oversight of service quality, governance and regulatory compliance across a growing organisation. This is a pivotal role offering the opportunity to influence standards, identify areas for improvement and provide assurance directly to senior leadership. Working autonomously from operational teams, you will carry out audits, inspections and reviews, using data and stakeholder feedback to assess performance, identify risks and support ongoing service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Quality & Compliance

Deliver planned and ad-hoc quality audits across services.
Carry out thematic reviews, inspections and compliance assessments.
Review service documentation, risk assessments, safeguarding records and incident reports to ensure quality and best practice standards are maintained.
Evaluate services against relevant regulatory and industry frameworks.
Monitor compliance with policies, procedures and legislative requirements.
Track quality improvement initiatives and assess their effectiveness.
Provide objective recommendations to drive service enhancement.
Audit & Governance

Develop and maintain an annual quality assurance programme.
Undertake announced and unannounced audits across departments and service locations.
Conduct observational reviews, compliance checks and in-depth investigations where required.
Verify evidence and monitor progress against action plans.
Escalate significant risks, concerns and recurring compliance issues to senior leadership.
Data & Insight

Analyse information from multiple sources, including:
Audit findings Performance data and KPIs Complaints, compliments and feedback Incidents and safeguarding concerns External inspections
Training compliance records
Stakeholder feedback Identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
Produce detailed reports and quality dashboards to support strategic decision-making.
Ensure lessons learnt from incidents and complaints are embedded into practice.
About You

Essential Experience At least 5 years' experience within supported housing, social care, health and social care regulation, or a similar quality-focused environment. Demonstrable experience conducting audits, inspections or governance reviews. Strong understanding of safeguarding principles and relevant legislation.
Experience producing reports, analysing data and presenting findings to senior stakeholders.

Desirable Experience

Knowledge of supported housing, mental health, learning disabilities or homelessness services. Understanding of regulatory frameworks and quality standards.
Experience using quality improvement methodologies such as Root Cause Analysis or ISO standards.
Familiarity with social housing standards and local authority commissioning environments.

Personal Attributes

Highly objective with strong attention to detail.
Able to challenge practice constructively and professionally.
Confident working independently and managing competing priorities.
Committed to continuous improvement and high-quality service delivery.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage sensitively with vulnerable individuals and a wide range of stakeholders.
What's on Offer? A varied and influential role with real organisational impact. Opportunity to shape quality standards and continuous improvement initiatives. Independent position with direct exposure to senior leadership. Competitive salary and benefits package.

If you are an experienced quality, compliance or governance professional looking to make a meaningful difference, we'd love to hear from you.

What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at (url removed)