France Auditor Manager

Auditors Manager – France

This role is based in France and offers a flexible working arrangement combining remote working, customer visits, and occasional travel within France and internationally. As a highly autonomous leadership position, you will be responsible for managing a team of auditors and technical experts while ensuring the effective delivery of LRQA's certification and assurance services across multiple sectors and standards.

Role Purpose

The Auditor Manager is responsible for leading, developing, and managing a team of employed and subcontracted auditors across France. The role ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality audit and certification services in accordance with accreditation requirements, LRQA management systems, regulatory obligations, and customer expectations. You will play a key role in auditor competence management, operational performance, client retention, quality assurance, business growth, and the development of LRQA's market presence in France.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of employed and subcontracted auditors.
• Structure and organise team, manage intermediate team leaders.
• Conduct performance reviews, development planning, accompanied visits, and regular feedback sessions.
• Support auditors in developing technical and behavioural competencies through coaching, training, mentoring, and continuous professional development.
• Manage team capacity, workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning.
• Ensure auditor qualification, authorisation, and competence management are maintained in line with accreditation and LRQA requirements.

Operational Management

• Oversee the delivery of audit programmes across assigned sectors and schemes.
• Monitor auditor utilisation, productivity, KPIs, quality indicators, and operational performance.
• Support auditors with technical queries, complex certification decisions, and escalations.
• Collaborate closely with Operations, Scheduling, Sales, Customer Success, and Technical Management teams to optimise resource allocation and client delivery.
• Ensure effective implementation of changes in audit methodology, standards, accreditation requirements, and LRQA procedures.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure audits are delivered in compliance with accreditation requirements, certification schemes, regulatory obligations, and LRQA management systems.
• Conduct accompanied visits, field reviews, report reviews, and competence assessments.
• Participate in internal and external accreditation assessments as required.
• Undertake certification decision reviews, including approvals, suspensions, and withdrawals where authorised.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance audit quality, consistency, and operational effectiveness.
• Promote and ensure compliance with LRQA Health, Safety and Wellbeing requirements.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients and strategic accounts.
• Act as an escalation point for client concerns, complaints, and certification-related matters.
• Collaborate with Key Account Managers and Customer Success teams to support client retention initiatives and long-term customer satisfaction.
• Support business development opportunities through technical expertise, client engagement, and participation in strategic account reviews.
• Represent LRQA professionally with clients, accreditation bodies, industry associations, and external stakeholders.

Technical Leadership & Business Development

• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of industry developments, certification schemes, accreditation requirements, and emerging market needs.
• Contribute to the development of new services, technical capabilities, and market initiatives.
• Participate in regional and global technical discussions and share best practices across LRQA.
• Organise and facilitate auditor meetings, technical workshops, and competence development activities.
• Contribute to growth objectives by supporting tenders, client presentations, and strategic business initiatives.

Audit Delivery Contribution

• Where appropriate, perform audits to maintain technical competence and market credibility.
• May act as a technical subject matter expert within designated sectors or standards.
• Support complex audits, witness assessments, and strategic customer engagements.

Essential Requirements

• Fluent in French and English, both written and spoken.
• Bachelor’s degree in the relevant field of expertise (e.g. Environment, Chemistry, Energy, mechanical,…)
• Significant experience in third-party certification, auditing, assurance, or conformity assessment activities.
• Qualified Lead Auditor in one or more recognised certification schemes.
• Strong understanding of accreditation requirements and certification processes.
• Proven experience leading technical teams, auditors, or operational professionals.
• Excellent coaching, leadership, and people management skills.
• Strong customer focus and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards of quality and compliance.
• Excellent communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working within an international matrix organisation.

Desirable Experience

• Experience managing multidisciplinary auditor teams.
• Experience supporting commercial growth, tenders, and strategic client development.
• Knowledge of multiple sectors including Aerospace & Defence, Nuclear, Manufacturing, Food, Sustainability, Information Security, or ESG services.
• Experience working with accreditation bodies and regulatory authorities.
• Previous management experience within a certification body or assurance organisation.

About LRQA

LRQA stands for dedication to clients, market leadership, and deep expertise in risk management. We are a global assurance provider, bringing together expertise in certification, customised assurance, cybersecurity, inspection, and training. Operating in over 50 countries with more than 2,500 colleagues, LRQA supports over 60,000 clients across multiple sectors, helping to build a safer and more sustainable future.

Pre-Employment Checks

If successful, pre-employment checks will be conducted in line with local regulations. These may include right to work verification, identification, employment history, education, and criminal records checks.

All data will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.

Diversity and Inclusion at LRQA:

We are on a mission to be the place where we all want to work and we are passionate about embracing different perspectives because we understand the value this brings to our business, our clients and each other. We are all about creating a safer and more sustainable future and our inclusive culture is right at the heart of our business.

Together our employees make our communities better and we want you to be part of our diverse team!

LRQA is a leading global assurance provider.  The integrity and expertise we bring to our partnership with clients support their journey to a safer, more secure and more sustainable future. (Group entities).

Copyright © LRQA 2021. All rights reserved. Terms of use.  Privacy Policy.