AR
Head of Quality and Practice
- Hiring from
- Australia
- Work type
- Remote
- Posted
- Sep 23, 2026
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Protect the integrity of the standards system - and help make it better.
Why ARISO - why now
ARISO brings industry and governments together around a national ambition: rail standards that are practical, trusted and increasingly harmonised across jurisdictions. By strengthening consistency and interoperability, our work can reduce unnecessary complexity, support safer operations and help unlock productivity across the Australian rail system. We are building the capability, systems and partnerships needed to turn that ambition into lasting industry outcomes.
ARISO is collaborative and connected, with clear decision pathways and meaningful access to senior leaders and industry decision-makers. You will have visible ownership of your contribution, with flexible working arrangements that support participation from across Australia. We also welcome relevant transferable capability from other regulated and safety-critical sectors.
Your opportunity to make an impact
Greater national harmonisation depends on standards that industry can trust. Reporting to the Executive Director, Standards Development and Assurance, as Head of Quality and Practice you will provide the independent challenge, assurance and professional-practice leadership that protects that trust. You will lead the Requirements Engineer, Development Group / Community of Practice and Quality Assurance capability and Risk Systems Manager, connecting quality systems, accreditation, requirements governance, expert communities and risk-system insight to strengthen how ARISO develops, assures and improves its standards. This is more than a compliance role: it is an opportunity to turn evidence, assurance findings and industry experience into system-wide improvement and help build a national standards framework that is credible, consistent and fit for the future.
What you will shape and deliver
Develop and lead an integrated quality and practice strategy across standards assurance, QMS and accreditation, requirements governance, expert groups, risk-system insight and continuous improvement.
Set proportionate evidence, review and challenge requirements for new standards, amendments, maintenance and retirement decisions while preserving independent assurance.
Set strategic direction and performance expectations for ARISO's QMS and Standards Development Organisation accreditation, including audit findings, corrective actions and accreditation evidence.
Set enterprise expectations for requirements engineering, traceability and verification and resolve escalated ambiguity, conflict or evidence gaps.
Establish effective governance for Development Groups and Communities of Practice, mobilising credible expertise and strengthening professional capability.
Integrate ALCAM, ARRM and other risk evidence with assurance, requirements and stakeholder insight to identify systemic quality and reform priorities.
Lead and develop a multidisciplinary quality and practice function with clear decision rights, constructive challenge and strong executive advice.
What you'll bring
You are a senior quality, assurance, systems or standards leader who is comfortable being both a trusted partner and an independent voice. You can challenge weak evidence constructively, connect technical and risk information, and turn assurance into practical improvement. You bring professional judgement, curiosity and the credibility to influence senior leaders and technical specialists alike. Experience in rail or another highly regulated, safety-critical environment will help you understand the importance of getting both the detail and the system right.
Relevant tertiary qualifications in engineering, systems engineering, quality management, risk, standards, law or a related technical discipline.
Extensive senior experience in standards, engineering assurance, systems engineering, quality, rules or risk in rail, transport, infrastructure or another highly regulated, safety-critical environment.
Demonstrated success leading complex assurance, standards reform, harmonisation, quality-system or continuous-improvement programs.
Strong understanding of quality-management systems, accreditation, audit, controlled documentation, corrective action and formal governance.
Ability to connect policy intent, requirements, technical evidence, operational risk, assurance and implementation and identify systemic issues.
Proven people and practice leadership, including expert-group governance, capability development and clear decision rights.
Exceptional facilitation, negotiation, judgement and executive communication skills.
Also valued: experience with Standards Australia SDO requirements, ISO 9001, national network rules, requirements-management tools or rail risk systems.
Role at a glance
Reports to: Executive Director, Standards Development and Assurance
Location: Flexible / remote working arrangements across Australia
Employment: Full-time
Inclusion and accessibility
ARISO welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and values diverse perspectives. If you require reasonable adjustments to participate in the application or interview process, please let us know.
How to apply
Please submit your CV and a maximum two-page statement outlining your motivation, the most relevant evidence of impact and the unique contribution you would bring to ARISO.
Why ARISO - why now
ARISO brings industry and governments together around a national ambition: rail standards that are practical, trusted and increasingly harmonised across jurisdictions. By strengthening consistency and interoperability, our work can reduce unnecessary complexity, support safer operations and help unlock productivity across the Australian rail system. We are building the capability, systems and partnerships needed to turn that ambition into lasting industry outcomes.
ARISO is collaborative and connected, with clear decision pathways and meaningful access to senior leaders and industry decision-makers. You will have visible ownership of your contribution, with flexible working arrangements that support participation from across Australia. We also welcome relevant transferable capability from other regulated and safety-critical sectors.
Your opportunity to make an impact
Greater national harmonisation depends on standards that industry can trust. Reporting to the Executive Director, Standards Development and Assurance, as Head of Quality and Practice you will provide the independent challenge, assurance and professional-practice leadership that protects that trust. You will lead the Requirements Engineer, Development Group / Community of Practice and Quality Assurance capability and Risk Systems Manager, connecting quality systems, accreditation, requirements governance, expert communities and risk-system insight to strengthen how ARISO develops, assures and improves its standards. This is more than a compliance role: it is an opportunity to turn evidence, assurance findings and industry experience into system-wide improvement and help build a national standards framework that is credible, consistent and fit for the future.
What you will shape and deliver
Develop and lead an integrated quality and practice strategy across standards assurance, QMS and accreditation, requirements governance, expert groups, risk-system insight and continuous improvement.
Set proportionate evidence, review and challenge requirements for new standards, amendments, maintenance and retirement decisions while preserving independent assurance.
Set strategic direction and performance expectations for ARISO's QMS and Standards Development Organisation accreditation, including audit findings, corrective actions and accreditation evidence.
Set enterprise expectations for requirements engineering, traceability and verification and resolve escalated ambiguity, conflict or evidence gaps.
Establish effective governance for Development Groups and Communities of Practice, mobilising credible expertise and strengthening professional capability.
Integrate ALCAM, ARRM and other risk evidence with assurance, requirements and stakeholder insight to identify systemic quality and reform priorities.
Lead and develop a multidisciplinary quality and practice function with clear decision rights, constructive challenge and strong executive advice.
What you'll bring
You are a senior quality, assurance, systems or standards leader who is comfortable being both a trusted partner and an independent voice. You can challenge weak evidence constructively, connect technical and risk information, and turn assurance into practical improvement. You bring professional judgement, curiosity and the credibility to influence senior leaders and technical specialists alike. Experience in rail or another highly regulated, safety-critical environment will help you understand the importance of getting both the detail and the system right.
Relevant tertiary qualifications in engineering, systems engineering, quality management, risk, standards, law or a related technical discipline.
Extensive senior experience in standards, engineering assurance, systems engineering, quality, rules or risk in rail, transport, infrastructure or another highly regulated, safety-critical environment.
Demonstrated success leading complex assurance, standards reform, harmonisation, quality-system or continuous-improvement programs.
Strong understanding of quality-management systems, accreditation, audit, controlled documentation, corrective action and formal governance.
Ability to connect policy intent, requirements, technical evidence, operational risk, assurance and implementation and identify systemic issues.
Proven people and practice leadership, including expert-group governance, capability development and clear decision rights.
Exceptional facilitation, negotiation, judgement and executive communication skills.
Also valued: experience with Standards Australia SDO requirements, ISO 9001, national network rules, requirements-management tools or rail risk systems.
Role at a glance
Reports to: Executive Director, Standards Development and Assurance
Location: Flexible / remote working arrangements across Australia
Employment: Full-time
Inclusion and accessibility
ARISO welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and values diverse perspectives. If you require reasonable adjustments to participate in the application or interview process, please let us know.
How to apply
Please submit your CV and a maximum two-page statement outlining your motivation, the most relevant evidence of impact and the unique contribution you would bring to ARISO.