Why? Because there are two areas of vital interest to the Management Representative, or other person(s) responsible for implementing and maintaining an organization’s Quality System, that are outside the scope of the Lead Auditor Course. These are:
Problem 1: The role of the Audit Programme Manager
One of the key responsibilities of the Management Representative is the role of the Audit Programme Manager, that is, the person responsible for managing the Internal (and external) auditing requirements of the quality system. The activities here include:
- Introduction
- Process flow – analysing the organization’s processes, and audit history, to establish an effective Audit Schedule
- Audit Programme content – both vertical and horizontal audit activities
- Types of Audit Programme – external (suppliers) and as well as internal
- Audit Programme Procedures – allocating responsibility for all six stages of the audit cycle
- Establishing the audit programme
- Training and selecting suitable auditors
- Implementing the audit programme
- Audit programme monitoring
- Taking corrective action where required and ensuring the effectiveness of such corrective actions
- Reviewing and improving audit programmes
These activities are outside the scope of a Lead Auditor Course where the focus is on training auditors to work with Certification Auditors (and ISO Guidance Documents rarely get a mention). Such bodies have their own auditing programmes and procedures (documented and approved as part of their accreditation) and so this area is excluded from Lead Auditor Courses.
What about the needs of the Management Representative? Tough!
Problem 2: Implementing and Maintaining a QMS
Let's focus on ISO 9001:2015.
No two quality management systems are the same, more so now that ISO 9001:2015 doesn’t even include any mandatory documented procedures.
The structure, content, implementation and maintenance of a Quality System to meet ISO 9001:2015 requirements is simply beyond what could reasonably expect of a Lead Auditor Course.
The typical implementation of a QMS is undertaken in three phases:
- Phase A. Initiating (dealing with Parts 4 & 5 of the Standard)
- Phase B. Planning (dealing with Part 6)
- Phase C. Implementation (dealing with Parts 7, 8, 9 & 10)
Maintenance of the system involves a periodic review and audit of the three Phases of the system (incorporated into the mandatory internal audits and the management review activity).
So, what’s the answer? Lead Implementer Courses, of course!
It is, of course, a purpose-designed Course to meet the specific requirements of the Management Representative.
We have developed two such courses, with Auditor Certification:
that, in addition to Auditor Training and knowledge of the Standard, also includes Audit Programme Management and the implementation and maintenance of the Management System.
The other Courses...ISO 9001 Consultancy: How to be a QMS Consultant?
- Course 008: ISO 14001 Lead Implementer for Environmental Management Systems
- Course 035: ISO 13485 Lead Implementer for Medical Device Management Systems
- Course 011: ISO 27001 Lead Implementer for Information Securit Management Systems
- Course 038: ISO 45001 Lead Implementer for OH&S Management Systems.
Available ISO Lead Implementer Courses Image Map.
Just click on any management system standard that you are interested in and you will be taken to their individual overview pages where you can learn more about each online course.
Related Articles
- [Video] When ISO Auditor Training is hard to find
- ISO 9001 Consultancy: How to be a QMS Consultant?
- Free ISO 9001 Implementation Handbook (100+ pages)
- Why training your ISO Internal Auditors is a ‘Must’
Note: First published in October 2017; revised and updated in August 2022.
deGRANDSON Global is an ISO Certified Educational Organization
In October 2021 we secured certification to three education-related ISO Standards. We now have a university-grade management system in place conforming to the requirements of …
We have chosen ISO 21001 certification because, unlike IRCA and Exemplar badges (which in our opinion are commercially compromised), it is based on independent third-party assessment. It is a ‘university grade’ standard in use globally by schools, colleges, and universities to demonstrate their competence.