Program Manager – Consultant (Supplier Due Diligence Program, 24-month contract) 

LRQA Role Profile: Program Manager - Consultant

Role title

Program Manager – Consultant (Supplier Due Diligence Program, 24-month contract)

Grade

n/a

Reports to (title)

Regional Director LRQA Advisory

Business Background

Who are LRQA?

LRQA stands for dedication to clients, market firsts, and deep expertise in risk management. We’ve grown to become a leading global assurance provider, bringing together outstanding expertise in certification, customised assurance, cybersecurity, inspection and training.

While we’re proud of our heritage, it’s who we are today that really matters, because that’s what shapes who we and our clients can become tomorrow. By staying true to our shared values and combining decades of collective experience, we support our clients in building a safer and more sustainable future.

What do we do?

We help our clients negotiate a rapidly changing world, by working with them to manage and mitigate the risks they face. We serve a wide variety of industries, with a core focus on Food & Beverage, Consumer Goods, Transportation & Mobility, Technology & Telco, Construction & Manufacturing, Energy and Renewables and Chemical & Processing.

Our products and services range from independent third-party auditing to certification and training; we also offer consultancy services, real- time assurance technology and data-driven supply chain transformation programs. our innovative end-to- end solutions help our clients shape their own future, rather than letting it shape them.

LRQA currently operates across 51 countries, has more than 2,500 colleagues, generates around £350m in revenue, and supports more than 60,000 clients across a diverse range of sectors and markets.

The next chapter for LRQA

As the preferred assurance partner for our clients, we are relentless in helping them respond to the era of Assurance 4.0.

Our decades of sector expertise in assuring assets and management systems, ensuring product integrity, responsible sourcing, navigating the energy transition and achieving net zero, and strengthening cybersecurity maturity will help them to anticipate, mitigate and manage risk wherever they operate, freeing them to focus on growth.

With solid expertise and heritage in our sector, coupled with well-timed accelerated investment and a leadership team that is fully committed to delivering our vision, LRQA’s next chapter is set to be an exciting, transformational period of growth. We’re well placed to build on everything we’ve done and further our ambitions for the future. At such an exciting time key talent is critical, and this role is a great opportunity to be part of our next chapter.

Role purpose:

LRQA is looking for a full-time Program Manager, Consultant, to support the delivery of a number of clients’ regional supplier due diligence programs in line with the clients' due diligence policies and international standards. The position is located in Mexico and can require traveling into other Americas countries.

This role will be client-facing and require direct engagement with senior stakeholders at companies (e.g., sustainability/ESG, sourcing and/or procurement teams).

As Program Manager, you will support our clients and their local business units to drive continuous improvement of their supply chain, by supporting local suppliers in completing self-assessment questionnaires (SAQs), designing respective corrective and remediation action plans (CAPs), providing direct guidance where necessary, and ensuring regular reporting to the client.

As Program Manager, you’ll also have a consulting role supporting your clients to enhance their responsible sourcing and supply chain due diligence programmess including risk analysis and prioritization, risk management recommendations and plans, implementation support, among other activities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Closely monitor progress of all assessment services (SAQs, Audits, Special Investigations) for specific clients on daily basis, identify potential risk of delay and follow up proactively with internal teams and clients to address the risk.

• Carry out specific client related Consulting work when needed that fit into Client’s scope of work, supported by Advisory colleagues.

• Serve as liaison between clients and Operations to ensure instructions reflect client requirements and ensure that client expectations can be met.

• Escalate to client in a timely manner for delay process and collaborate with related teams for corrective action plan.

• Maintain and provide most updated tracking reports/records to specific client on regular basis.

• Proactively work with the account manager to support client assessment needs, including pilot and official launch of new/expanded services.

• Respond to scheduling/reporting TATs related questions from specific client through daily communications and regular meetings.

• Respond to client’s technical questions on assessment services and service delivery of all assessment services

• Collect related data and prepare quarterly KPI reports for specific client.

• Support with the onboarding process for clients as needed.

• Travel to local suppliers in the Americas to provide in-person support.

• Act as the expert towards local suppliers on specific client requirements.

• Take programme ownership and accountability to ensure timely implementation of programme and delivery of support (plan, communicate, continuously monitor).

• Be familiar with client’s supplier expectations, especially in the area of labour rights and modern slavery and show good understanding of best practices.

Key health & safety responsibilities:

Eliminate or minimise employee exposure to risks by regularly reviewing the health and safety risk register, applying appropriate controls, communicating results of risk assessments, and ensuring health and safety is considered in the planning and execution of all LRQA activities.

Manage your own, and your team’s, compliance with health and safety rules, instructions, systems and legal requirements to ensure employees are suitably trained and adequate resources are available to work safely.

Number of direct reports

1

Geographic area of impact

Mexico

Key stakeholders

Chief Growth Officer, Director Advisory, Regional Director Advisory, Advisory Leadership Regional Team

Technical / Professional Qualifications / Requirements:

At least 5 years of solid and track record work experience in the area of sustainability supply chain management, ethical sourcing, labour rights etc.

Experience in project management, factory, vendor, farm’s audits, SAQ and CAP management is a MUST.

A Bachelor's degree is required; a Master's Degree is desired, but not required.

Willingness to travel, accommodate multiple time zones and to work extended hours if needed.

Pro-active, self-starter with ability to organize, prioritize and execute tasks for multiple stakeholders simultaneously.

Comfortable working in fast-paced, dynamic environments, with an ability to structure and have ownership of your work.

Ability to work virtually in a cross-functional and geographically dispersed team.

Fluent in English and Spanish, both spoken and written (see below). Fluency in Portuguese is an absolute advantage.

Any Qualified Schemed Auditor is an absolute advantage.

Technical / Professional Qualifications / Requirements:

Near native / fluent, both spoken and written in:

English (required), Spanish (required), Portuguese (preferred)

Our Values:

Expertise

We value our experience, specialist knowledge, and pioneering history within the industry. But we also never stop looking for ways to learn and improve in the future.

Integrity

We always do what’s right, in the right way and continually measure our actions and their outcomes against rigorous criteria – both those of stakeholders and our own.

Ambition

We are industry leaders because we combine technology and innovation with the expertise of our people. We help our clients be the best they can be, by being the best we can be.

Vision

We support our clients in the present and prepare them for future success, by using our sharp understanding of social, environmental,  technological, and commercial changes to work towards a safer, cleaner, more sustainable future.

Togetherness

We respect the unique skills, expertise and backgrounds of our people and the inclusive culture they create. We believe teamwork and collaboration – internally and with our clients – are the best way to achieve our mutual goals.

Keywords

Program ManagerConsultantSupplier Due DiligenceRisk ManagementSustainabilitySupply ChainEthical SourcingLabour RightsProject ManagementAuditsSAQCAP Management