Principal Quality Manager

Location

Austin, Texas, United States

Country

United States

Contract type

Regular (US only)

Work pattern

Full Time

Market

Various

Discipline

Project programme and commercial management

Job ref

17740

Recruiter contact

Heather Yawger

Apply now

Mott MacDonald is growing its Major Projects business across North America and is seeking a Senior Quality Manager to lead project quality initiatives across some of the region's most complex infrastructure programs.

This role will provide strategic and operational leadership for quality management across major transportation, aviation, rail & transit, highways, water, energy, and infrastructure projects. Working closely with project leadership teams, clients, contractors, and delivery partners, you will drive a culture of quality, continuous improvement, and right-first-time delivery while ensuring compliance with client requirements, regulatory obligations, contractual commitments, and corporate standards.

The successful candidate will serve as the quality lead on major programs, providing oversight throughout the project lifecycle from planning and design through construction, commissioning, and handover.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of Project Quality Management Plans (PQMPs), project quality objectives, KPIs, and reporting frameworks.
• Provide quality leadership and independent oversight across planning, design, procurement, construction, testing, commissioning, and handover activities.
• Ensure compliance with client, contractual, regulatory, and corporate quality requirements.
• Lead quality audits, surveillance activities, supplier assessments, and assurance reviews across major projects.
• Manage non-conformances, corrective actions, root-cause investigations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Oversee quality documentation, inspection and test plans (ITPs), quality work plans, and quality control processes.
• Monitor contractor, consultant, and supplier quality performance and identify emerging risks and improvement opportunities.
• Support program assurance, stage-gate reviews, risk management processes, and project governance activities.
• Develop quality dashboards, metrics, and performance reporting for project and executive leadership teams.
• Act as the primary quality representative with clients, regulators, contractors, and delivery partners.
• Deliver quality training, mentoring, and best-practice guidance to project teams.
• Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement across major projects and programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quality Management, or a related discipline; Master's degree preferred.
• 15+ years of quality management experience supporting major infrastructure, transportation, rail, transit, aviation, highway, water, energy, or multidisciplinary engineering programs.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing Quality Management Plans, Quality Assurance programs, audit programs, and corrective action processes.
• Experience leading quality oversight across owners, contractors, consultants, regulators, and third-party reviewers.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001, quality management systems, quality assurance and quality control practices, auditing, risk-based quality planning, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience supporting Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CM/GC, and P3 delivery models.
• Proven leadership, stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Professional certifications such as CMQ/OE, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor, PMP, PE, Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt are highly desirable.
• Experience supporting programs exceeding $100M in capital value is an advantage.
• Familiarity with engineering design quality, construction quality management, configuration management, compliance management, and quality performance reporting.

Bring your expertise, curiosity, and drive to make a difference. If you are ready to join a collaborative consultancy where your perspective is valued, your growth is supported, and you are empowered to lead with integrity, we would love to hear from you.

Benefits & Rewards

The expected salary for this position is US$ 144,000 - 176,000.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

In addition to base salary, Mott MacDonald offers performance-based bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package, giving employees a direct connection to our success.

Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support the health, wellbeing, financial security, and professional growth of our employees. Eligible employees have access to medical, dental, and vision coverage, FSA and HSA accounts, company-paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, and a competitive 401(k) plan with company matching. We also provide paid time off, paid holidays, caregiver leave, employee referral bonuses, professional registration and membership reimbursements, and tuition assistance to support continued learning and career development.

Collaboration at Our Core

At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we're together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in-office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face-to-face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet clients, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.