Head of Business Improvement

Head of Business Improvement – Audit, Certification and Continuous Improvement

Location: East Midlands (Hybrid, at least one day a week in the office)

Job type: Permanent, Full-time

Salary: up to £80,000 + benefits

An established UK cyber security specialist working with defence, government and critical national infrastructure customers is hiring a Head of Business Improvement. You’ll own how the business runs: its certifications and audit programme, its internal processes, and the way knowledge is captured and shared across teams.

If you’re a business improvement, quality or compliance professional who wants to stay and shape a business for the long term, rather than deliver a project and move on, this is worth a look.

The Opportunity

Working closely with the Managing Director and senior leadership team, you’ll join up Sales, Business Development, Engineering, Professional Services, Product, Marketing and Operations. That means removing friction and duplication, and making sure improvements are adopted and stick.

You’ll spend time in the office each week alongside the MD and leadership team, as an integral part of the business. SC clearance is required, but you don’t need to hold it already, because the business will sponsor it.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the certification landscape, including ISO 9001, 27001, 20000 and 22301, TickITplus and Cyber Essentials Plus
• Run the internal audit programme, corrective actions and assurance reporting to the MD and Board
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that deliver measurable gains in productivity, quality and consistency
• Look after organisational knowledge (bid libraries, case studies, playbooks and collateral) so it is easy to find, secure and reused
• Identify where better tools, including AI, could improve how information is shared, and help shape a longer-term internal project alongside specialist technical partners
• Lead cross-functional change and build buy-in at every level of the business

What We’re Looking For

• Experience owning or leading ISO certifications, audits and compliance frameworks
• A track record of cross-functional business or process improvement with measurable results
• Confidence working with senior leaders and challenging existing practice constructively
• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills
• A background in business improvement, quality, compliance, operations or business analysis

Nice to have

• Lean, Six Sigma, ITIL or Kaizen
• Experience in defence, government or secure supply chain environments
• Knowledge management or bid library experience
• Experience using digital tools or AI to improve processes (helpful, but not a requirement)

Why Apply?

• Long-term influence across the whole business, working directly with the MD
• Hybrid working with flexible hours around core hours of 10am to 4.30pm
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days a year
• 6% employer pension contribution
• Private medical insurance, group income protection and life assurance at 2x salary
• Security clearance sponsored by the business

If you’re an experienced improvement or compliance lead looking for a permanent role where you can own how a business operates, we would welcome a confidential conversation.

Applause IT is managing this search on behalf of the client.