Quality and Testing Manager

Group overview

Headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, we operate construction and manufacturing businesses, design and development centers, and a host of facilities in the Middle East and other countries.

alfanar is involved in:

• Electrical, electromechanical and civil engineering construction
• Manufacturing and marketing electrical construction products
• Allied engineering services

Our main divisions:

• alfanar electric
• alfanar construction
• alfanar building systems

Job purpose

The Manager, Quality & Testing (QA/QC) is the primary authority responsible for establishing, governing, and continuously improving the end-to-end quality, testing, and acceptance framework for the Data Center Business Unit. The role ensures that integrated data center power modules and containerized solutions meet stringent mission-critical customer, consultant, and certification requirements, managing quality from incoming material inspection through functional testing and Level 5 Integrated Systems Testing (IST) prior to factory dispatch.

Key accountability areas

Quality governance & QA/QC framework:

• Establish and maintain the Quality Management System (QMS) aligned with ISO 9001, alfanar standards, and customer requirements.
• Define and enforce quality plans, Inspection & Test Plans (ITP), Material Inspection Plans (MIP), and work instructions.
• Act as final authority for quality acceptance of data center power modules and integrated systems.

Integrated power system validation:

• Own end-to-end validation of the complete power train, ensuring seamless integration between RMU, transformers, MDBs, UPS systems, battery banks, and downstream loads.
• Ensure correct sequencing, protection coordination, interlocks, and operational logic across all subsystems.

Testing strategy & commissioning authority:

• Act as Commissioning Authority for factory-built solutions, managing the 5-Level Testing model (L1–L5).
• Own Level 4 Functional Testing and Level 5 Integrated Systems Testing (IST) prior to factory dispatch.
• Approve all test procedures, acceptance criteria, test reports, and final test dossiers.

Critical systems functional testing:

• Lead functional validation of UPS systems and battery banks including discharge testing, autonomy verification, impedance testing, alarms, and protections.
• Direct testing of thermal management systems (CRAC/CRAH), validating N+1 redundancy, airflow (CFM), refrigerant charge, and controller communication.
• Own inspection and functional testing of life-safety systems (fire alarm and gas suppression), including interlocking with power and HVAC systems.

Incoming material quality & compliance:

• Establish rigorous incoming inspection for all major bought-out components (Transformers, UPS, Switchgear, CRAC units, Fire Panels).
• Ensure compliance with approved technical submittals, RoHS/REACH requirements, and EPD (ISO 14025) environmental standards.
• Prevent production delays by enforcing zero tolerance for non-compliant materials.

Factory Witness Testing (FWT) & customer interface:

• Lead Factory Witness Tests (FWT) as the primary technical interface with customers and consultants.
• Own punch-list resolution, technical clarifications, and final sign-off prior to dispatch.

Standards, certifications & audit readiness:

• Ensure compliance with IEC, IEEE, Uptime Institute Tier III/IV, TIA-942, and EN 50600 / ISO/IEC 22237 standards.
• Lead customer, consultant, hyperscaler, and third-party audits.
• Position quality and testing excellence as a competitive differentiator in bids and customer engagements.

Non-conformance & risk management:

• Own NCR, deviation, waiver, and concession processes.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) using 8D, FMEA, and 5-Why methodologies and ensure timely CAPA closure.

Testing infrastructure & calibration:

• Ensure availability and 100% calibration compliance of all testing instruments including torque tools, hipot testers, power quality analyzers, and safety equipment.

People leadership & HSE:

• Build, lead, and develop a competent QA/QC and Testing team.
• Ensure strict compliance with Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) requirements during factory and site testing activities.

Role accountability

HR proficiency:

• Ability to recruit, recognize and cultivate high performers and expose them in order to create a robust second line of management.
• Ability to recognize low performers and guide them to improve or release them.
• Ability to treat subordinates equally without any discrimination.
• Assessment criteria of subordinates is performance that leads to planned results.
• Ensure availability of delegation of authority matrix to have sufficient delegations as per company policy.

Responsibility:

• Must take full responsibility for his operation as per the job description and the required deliverables from this position, taking into consideration the general company guidelines.
• Able to anticipate problems and make the necessary proactive steps to prevent them.
• Ability to take necessary and proper timely decisions.

Delivery:

• Deliver the required results in timely manner with required quality and cost.

Making a tangible difference:

• Must make a tangible difference to his area of operation and exceed business expectations.

Business planning and performance:

• Able to transform the corporate goals into business plans.
• Able to plan, follow-up and execute those plans, whether they are annual or development plans.
• Monitor the plan performance and initiate action to strengthen results and take the corrective action accordingly.
• Provide periodic work progress reports.
• Responsible for monitoring and controlling budgets and expenses to achieve the optimum cost efficiency.

Organizational development:

• Develop the organizational structure according to the current requirements taking into consideration future and development plans.
• Ensure availability of job descriptions for all job roles and deployment.

Business process improvements:

• Develop, coordinate well-defined written systems, policies, procedures, and seek automations opportunities as much as possible.
• Should be conversant and able to navigate through IT solutions especially those relevant to his job and business.
• Promote the automated systems and using them fully, to spread its culture.

Adaptation:

• Adapt to new and alternative techniques, technologies, management structures, and business models.

Work experience

15+ years, 10-15 years

Technical / functional competencies

• Quality management systems
• Quality mentoring
• Quality metrics
• Quality policy
• Total quality management