Expert

Global Technical Manager - Business Assurance, Certification

Lisboa, Portugal · Remote

Company Description

We are SGS – the world's leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for sustainability, quality and integrity. Our 99,600 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

At SGS, we have an open corporate and international culture. We offer a dynamic work environment in a leading global company. Our high professional standards and our sustainability approach guarantee you a future-oriented work environment. We invest in our employees for the long term and are committed to supporting your development within the company. Our business principles include: Integrity, Health, Safety & Environment, Quality & Professionalism, Respect, Sustainability, and Leadership.

Job Description

Minimum eligibility criteria: This is a senior global certification leadership role. Appointment requires demonstrable, current and substantial experience in management system certification at global or multi-region level, including leadership of geographically dispersed, culturally diverse technical teams and accountability for accreditation strategy, technical decision-making and network-wide implementation.

The role reports to the Global Head of Certification (QHSE), Product & Quality Management for Business Assurance.

Please note that this is a fully remote role, and we only welcome applications from candidates who have a valid work permit in their country of residence.

Role purpose:

The Global Technical Manager provides senior technical and accreditation leadership for the Business Assurance Certification business. The role sets, maintains and enforces the technical framework, accreditation strategy, certification policies and governance controls that determine consistent, compliant and commercially effective service delivery across the SGS affiliate network.

The post-holder is expected to operate with the credibility, judgement and seniority required to influence senior business leaders, represent SGS with Accreditation Bodies and make final technical decisions where certification, accreditation, impartiality, integrity or business risk issues arise.

Primary accountabilities:

Set the global technical and accreditation strategy for Business Assurance Certification in consultation with the Global Head of Certification and relevant business leadership.
Lead, develop and manage global technical and accreditation functions, including direct and indirect leadership of product, technical and accreditation specialists located across multiple countries and regions.
Define, approve and enforce global certification policies, technical requirements, accreditation controls and operating standards across the affiliate network.
Provide authoritative technical direction to the certification business, including final decision-making where disputes, interpretation issues or material compliance risks arise.
Manage strategic relationships with global and local Accreditation Bodies, ensuring confidence in SGS integrity, competence, impartiality, governance and global operating model.
Ensure technical and accreditation requirements are implemented in a way that protects compliance, supports consistent service delivery and enables commercially viable operations.
Represent the Business Assurance Division externally, and act as delegate for the Global Head of Certification where required.
Lead investigations and corrective action governance for material technical, accreditation or integrity failures within affiliates, ensuring effective restoration of compliant independent operation.
Drive simplification, digitalisation and continuous improvement of technical processes, systems and delivery models, including future audit delivery approaches and technical review efficiencies.

Specific responsibilities:

Provide senior-level contribution to the strategic direction of the Business Assurance Certification business.
Act as lead advisor to business management on certification, accreditation, impartiality, technical governance, integrity and business risk matters.
Maintain expert knowledge of core accreditation and certification requirements, including ISO/IEC 17021-1, ISO/IEC 17065 where applicable, IAF, EA and other relevant regional or product-specific requirements.
Interpret external accreditation requirements and convert them into clear, practical and enforceable internal policies, procedures, tools and controls.
Oversee global accreditation activities and support affiliates in maintaining, extending or defending local accreditations.
Directly or indirectly support key Accreditation Body relationships and activities, including UKAS, ANAB, SAS and other local or product-specific Accreditation Bodies as applicable.
Resolve technical, accreditation, operational and commercial conflicts across the network, balancing compliance, impartiality and business impact.
Work with operations, sales, IT, product groups and regional teams to define core systems and ensure adoption of global best practice.
Identify improvement opportunities in procedures, systems, governance controls, competence frameworks and technical support processes.
Support development of new certification products and services by ensuring technical feasibility, accreditation alignment and operational readiness.
Maintain responsibility for technical direction and leadership of specific certification products or schemes as required.

Qualifications

Required profile - essential:

Graduate-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in a relevant technical, scientific, engineering, management system, commercial or governance discipline.
Minimum 10 years of relevant certification and/or accreditation experience, including significant management system certification experience in an accredited third-party certification environment.
Substantial global or multi-region certification leadership experience. Experience limited to a single country, single affiliate, consultancy-only environment or narrow technical discipline is not sufficient for this role.
Proven experience leading geographically dispersed and culturally diverse technical teams, including direct or matrix management of senior specialists across multiple countries or regions.
Demonstrable track record of setting or enforcing technical policy, accreditation strategy, certification governance controls or network-wide requirements at regional or global level.
Strong technical command of management system certification and accreditation requirements, including impartiality, competence, audit delivery, certification decision-making and Accreditation Body expectations.
Credibility to engage with senior business leaders, Accreditation Bodies and technical experts, and to make well-reasoned decisions under pressure where there is commercial, accreditation or integrity risk.
Commercial judgement sufficient to ensure compliant service delivery remains efficient, scalable and aligned with business objectives.
Fluent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex technical requirements clearly to senior leaders and operational teams.

Required skills and behaviours:

Senior technical leadership and sound professional judgement.
Strategic outlook with the ability to translate technical and accreditation requirements into practical business solutions.
High-impact influencing skills across a matrix organisation, including the ability to challenge senior stakeholders constructively.
Strong people leadership, coaching and performance management capability for senior technical professionals.
Ability to manage conflict, competing priorities and ambiguity without compromising certification integrity or accreditation compliance.
Change management capability, including leading adoption of new systems, procedures and working practices across a global network.
Innovation mindset and ability to challenge established practice where simplification, digitalisation or risk reduction is possible.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level briefing, external representation and clear policy drafting.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and willingness to work with digital certification, workflow and reporting tools.
Flexibility to travel internationally as required by Accreditation Body, leadership, governance or network support activities.

Desirable experience:

Senior role within SGS, another global Certification Body or an Accreditation Body.
Lead auditor, technical reviewer, certification decision-maker, trainer or scheme manager experience in accredited third-party management system certification.
Experience implementing significant change to certification systems, competence frameworks, technical review processes, audit delivery models or accreditation governance.
Experience leading or supporting digital transformation, automation, remote audit delivery or AI-enabled process improvement within certification or conformity assessment.
Additional languages relevant to the SGS network or Accreditation Body engagement.

Additional Information

Why SGS?

Global and very stable company, world leader in the TIC (Testing, Inspection and Certification) industry.
Flexible schedule and hybrid/remote model.
SGS university and Campus for continuos learning options.
Multinational environment where you will work with colleagues from multiple continents.
Benefits platform.

Join Us: At SGS we believe in innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. We offer a supportive and inclusive work environment that encourages professional growth and personal development.