Assistant Quality Assurance Manager

Please note that this is a regional role working between our Newcastle and Barnsley centres, travelling to both sites on a regular basis.

Job Summary

Whether your background is in pharmaceutical manufacturing or any other medical quality management or auditing field; few organisations offer the impact of NHS Blood and Transplant. You’ll work with teams the length and breadth of the country to implement ever-improving best practices. In doing so, making sure our blood, tissue and organ donations safely save millions of lives. As you’d expect, our quality management and compliance systems are crucial to our success. You’ll be their champion: keeping licenses up to date, helping teams follow guidelines, recording and reporting on evidence, and managing audits. Anything and everything that keeps us working in the most efficient and safest way. There’ll be some time behind a desk; but this is really a people-centric role. We’ll expect you to meet teams, government agencies and regulators, develop tailored solutions and respond to any incidents. You’ll be required to produce written reports, including closure statements for events. These statements will be bespoke for each event. You’ll need to be able to write various reports manually, using clear and concise language. A background in pharmaceutical or medical quality management would be advantageous and, ideally, a relevant post-graduate qualification (or equivalent). It’s important you’re also a consummate professional who can build strong relationships and ask the right questions while keeping an objective view of the work.

Main duties of the job Responsibilities

In this role you will support the Quality Assurance Manager (QAM) in the maintenance and development of the Quality Assurance function of the site. Your responsibilities will include:

• Working with the Quality Assurance Managers and Quality Project Specialists to maintain compliance with all relevant licensing and accreditation standards and improve service delivery to customers by working in partnership with all stakeholders.
• Developing subject matter expertise in quality management system processes and deliver training of these processes to the wider Quality Directorate.
• Deputising for the Quality Manager and Regional Quality Manager as required.
• Day to day involvement with colleagues of varying levels of seniority in many departments and centres regarding all elements of the Quality system including adverse events, audit non-conformities, change control & validation, concessionary issue and recalls.
• Developing relationships with external organisations and ensuring that any external requirements are incorporated safely into the Quality system.
• Producing reports and leading quality review meetings with department managers as well as facilitating meetings to investigate adverse events to their root cause and identify effective actions to prevent re-occurrence.
• Participating in Operational Improvement events using LEAN principles and projects or workshops to identify areas for and methods to improve the services we provide.
• You will be required to travel throughout the UK and spend some time away from base, which will involve working irregular hours and overnight stays when required, with prior notice.

About You

Experience and Knowledge

• Extensive experience of working in a regulated environment e.g. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, NHSBT or equivalent.
• Experience of quality audit and use of Quality Management Systems.
• Understanding of relevant UK legislation and guidelines, e.g. Good Manufacturing Practice, Good Practice Guidelines for Blood Transfusion, ISO15189, General Data Protection Regulations and Freedom of Information; and any other appropriate statutory guidelines.
• Experience of working with information technology using Microsoft Office packages (Word, Excel and PowerPoint), or equivalent Systems.

Qualifications And Training

• Masters level qualification or equivalent relevant professional qualifications or demonstrable knowledge and experience at Masters level
• Basic Management Qualification or short courses in line management or relevant experience in managing others.
• Demonstrate commitment to own Continued Professional Development (CPD).

About Us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need. Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever. You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

What We Offer

A starting salary of £49,387 to £56,515 per annum in accordance with AfC. Full time opportunity to join as a Band 7, and progress within NHSBT. 1x full time 12 months regional contract to be based in Newcastle or Barnsley. The regional post-holder will be working between our Newcastle and Barnsley offices and travelling to both sites regularly. We encourage you to apply if you are based in the Northeast region and are willing to travel to the aforementioned sites. Opportunity to work with a national organisation that offers flexible working opportunities. Hybrid working opportunity with expectation to be in the office three days a week. 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years. NHS pension scheme. The NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns) Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: We’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role. To learn more, please see our recruitment profile, which provides a summary of the job description and person specification. This can be accessed via the link below, or by clicking ‘Apply’ if you are viewing this advert on another site. This vacancy is a 12-months fixed term/secondment. This vacancy will close at 23:59 on Sunday 8 March 2026. This vacancy may close sooner than the advertised deadline if we receive a high volume of applications, so we recommend applying early. Face to face interviews are anticipated to be held on Wednesday 1 April 2026 subject to confirmation. For informal enquiries please contact Karen Simblet, Quality Manager Newcastle, via email at