External Audit Manager / Accreditation Manager
Job Description
ABAC Centre of Excellence Limited is seeking an experienced Audits & Certification Manager to lead and safeguard its accredited certification operations. This is a senior, trust-critical role responsible for ensuring certification integrity, accreditation compliance, and consistent delivery of high-quality audit and certification services across multiple ISO schemes.
The role requires strong technical authority, governance discipline, and the confidence to operate under regulatory and accreditation scrutiny.
Key Responsibilities- Oversee end-to-end delivery of ISO certification audits and certification decisions
- Ensure compliance with ISO/IEC 17021-1 and applicable scheme rules
- Act as a focal point for accreditation bodies (EIAC / IAS / UKAS / DSM, as applicable)
- Maintain auditor competence, authorisation, and impartiality frameworks
- Review and approve certification decisions and technical files
- Manage certification risks, escalations, and corrective actions
- Ensure certification records, data integrity, and confidentiality
- Support client confidence, service quality, and certification credibility
- Bachelor's degree in Compliance, Governance, Risk, Law, or related field (Master's preferred)
- Lead Auditor qualification (ISO 37001 / ISO 37301 or equivalent)
- Minimum 45 years of experience in certification, audits, or accredited conformity assessment
- Proven experience dealing with accreditation bodies and witness audits
- Strong working knowledge of ISO/IEC 17021-1
- Certification governance and impartiality management
- Accreditation readiness and regulatory engagement
- Risk-based decision-making
- Strong documentation and audit discipline
- Professional judgment under pressure
- Clear, executive-level communication
- Senior role with direct exposure to accreditation and regulated clients
- High professional independence and decision authority
- International certification environment
- Opportunity to shape and strengthen certification governance
- Certification governance and impartiality management
- Accreditation readiness and regulatory engagement
- Risk-based decision-making
- Strong documentation and audit discipline
- Professional judgment under pressure
- Clear, executive-level communication
- Senior role with direct exposure to accreditation and regulated clients
- High professional independence and decision authority
- International certification environment
- Opportunity to shape and strengthen certification governance
Why This Role Matters
This role directly protects ABAC's accreditation, reputation, and client trust. The successful candidate will act as a custodian of certification integrity, ensuring that growth never compromises governance