Director, Quality - North America (Minerals and Metals)

If you’re like us, you don’t have much time for the way things are.

Ausenco is a global company redefining what’s possible. Our team is based across 22 offices in 9 countries, with projects in over 80 locations worldwide. Combining our deep technical expertise with a 30‑year track record, we deliver innovative, value‑add consulting studies, project delivery, asset operations and maintenance solutions to the mining & metals, oil & gas, and industrial sectors.

Join our team and be part of an exciting execution‑phase project in the North American mining industry. You'll play a key role in critical project phases, from Basic Engineering and Detailed Engineering to Construction, gaining hands‑on experience across a variety of commodities. This is your opportunity to make a real impact in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment.

We are currently seeking an energetic and enthusiastic Director, Quality – North America to join our team. The Director, Quality is responsible for establishing, leading, and continuously improving the Quality function across North America, supporting the full project lifecycle from studies and engineering through procurement, construction, commissioning, and project close‑out.

This role provides strategic leadership, governance, assurance, and oversight of quality systems, processes, and performance across engineering, project management, and execution functions.

The successful candidate will possess extensive experience within engineering consulting, EPCM, EPC, and mining and minerals project environments, with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement Quality Management Systems (QMS) and quality governance frameworks. The role requires a hands‑on leader who is comfortable developing systems, procedures, and tools while operating within a lean organizational structure.

About The Role

• Develop and execute the North American Quality strategy in alignment with regional business objectives and global corporate requirements.
• Serve as the regional quality authority for engineering, project delivery, procurement, construction, and commissioning activities.
• Promote a culture of quality excellence, accountability, continuous improvement, and risk‑based decision making.
• Provide leadership and guidance to project teams and business leaders regarding quality management expectations and best practices.
• Act as the primary quality advisor to senior leadership on quality performance, trends, risks, and improvement initiatives.
• Develop, implement, maintain, and continuously improve the regional Quality Management System.
• Ensure alignment of regional quality processes with corporate quality requirements, ISO standards, and industry best practices.
• Lead periodic reviews and updates of quality policies, procedures, standards, work instructions, templates, and governance frameworks.
• Establish quality management requirements applicable across all phases of project development and execution.
• Ensure consistent application of quality systems across engineering offices, project sites, and execution teams throughout North America.
• Lead QMS maturity assessments and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Establish and maintain quality governance frameworks supporting engineering and project execution activities.
• Interface closely with Directors of Engineering to define governance structures, assurance processes, technical reviews, and accountability frameworks.
• Partner with Project Execution Services leadership to align project delivery governance, quality expectations, controls, and assurance activities.
• Develop and oversee internal audit programs, quality reviews, management reviews, and assurance assessments.
• Monitor compliance with established quality systems, project procedures, contractual obligations, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead investigations into significant quality issues and ensure effective corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
• Establish engineering quality processes covering:
  • Design development
  • Design reviews
  • Interdisciplinary coordination
  • Technical verification and validation
  • Model and document control
  • Deliverable quality assurance
  • Design change management
• Collaborate with engineering leadership to improve consistency and quality of engineering deliverables.
• Support implementation of lessons learned and knowledge management initiatives.
• Establish quality requirements and execution frameworks applicable to procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover activities.
• Ensure quality requirements are appropriately incorporated into project execution plans and project‑specific quality plans.
• Support major project reviews and quality assessments throughout project lifecycles.
• Provide oversight of contractor and supplier quality management practices where applicable.
• Ensure effective management of non‑conformances, corrective actions, root‑cause investigations, and quality performance reporting.
• Develop and maintain regional quality metrics, KPIs, and reporting systems.
• Analyze quality performance trends and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead root cause analyses and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Facilitate lessons learned processes across projects and business units.
• Drive standardization and operational excellence initiatives across the region.
• Build strong working relationships with:
  • Directors of Engineering
  • Project Execution Services leadership
  • Project Directors
  • Project Managers
  • Discipline Managers
  • Construction leadership
• Interface with clients regarding quality management requirements, audits, assessments, and quality‑related performance matters.
• Support business development and proposal activities by contributing quality strategies and execution approaches.
• Participate in client audits and external certification audits.
• Lead a small regional quality team and/or functional quality resources.
• Provide mentoring, coaching, and technical leadership to quality personnel across the organization.
• Operate effectively in a hands‑on environment where direct development and implementation of systems, procedures, and tools is required.
• Build organizational quality capability through training, awareness programs, and coaching initiatives.

About You

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quality Management, or a related technical discipline.
• Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation preferred.
• Quality certifications such as Lead Auditor, Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE), or equivalent are considered an asset.
• Minimum 15+ years of progressive quality management experience.
• Demonstrated experience within engineering consulting, EPCM, EPC, owner, or contractor organizations supporting major capital projects.
• Significant experience in the mining and minerals industry is essential.
• Demonstrated experience establishing, implementing, and maintaining Quality Management Systems within complex project delivery organizations.
• Experience supporting projects through the complete lifecycle from concept, studies, and engineering through construction, commissioning, and close‑out.
• Strong understanding of engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning processes.
• Experience working within matrix organizations and multidisciplinary project environments.
• Experience leading quality governance and assurance programs across multiple offices and projects.
• Strong working knowledge of:
  • ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
  • Quality auditing principles
  • Continuous improvement methodologies
  • Risk‑based quality management
  • Engineering assurance processes
  • Project controls and project governance principles
  • Construction quality management systems
  • Supplier and contractor quality management
• Understanding of mining and minerals project delivery models, including EPCM and EPC execution strategies.
• Knowledge of major capital project execution and associated quality risks.
• Strategic thinker with strong execution capability.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders across functional and project organizations.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills.
• Highly collaborative and capable of operating effectively in matrix environments.
• Demonstrated ability to establish credibility with engineering, project delivery, and construction teams.
• Strong problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities.
• Self‑starter with a hands‑on approach and willingness to personally develop systems, procedures, and frameworks where required.
• Ability to lead and deliver results without reliance on large support teams.

Benefits

• Career advancement – Embark on a journey of continuous growth through technical training, mentorship initiatives, and networking opportunities.
• Work Life Balance – Experience the best of both worlds with our hybrid work model, allowing you to balance office days with working from home; and progressive parental leave benefits to foster family needs and professional life.
• Holistic approach to wellness – Take a proactive approach to your overall wellbeing. Access to confidential counselling, information services and a benefits program that supports your health & wellness.
• Accessible leadership team – Work with highly reputable industry leaders who value your contribution.

As a global company we embrace and encourage diversity in its fullest sense – gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, experience, nationality, colour, language, religion, location, disability, education, skills, working styles and time availability. Our work environments are based on mutual trust and respect for the rights and opportunities of every individual.

Salary range: $200,000 - $250,000 annually

LI‑Hybrid