ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor

The PECB ISO 9001 Lead Auditor training course enables you to develop the necessary competence to perform quality management system (QMS) audits by applying widely recognized audit principles, procedures, and techniques. This training course combines the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1, the recommendations of ISO 19011, and other good practices of auditing and integrates them into a comprehensive methodology which enables you to successfully plan, conduct, and close ISO 9001 conformity assessment audits.

Apart from a theoretical basis, the training course also provides examples, exercises, and quizzes to help you practice the most important aspects of conformity assessment audits: interpretation of ISO 9001 requirements in the context of an audit, principles of auditing, application of audit methods, approaches to evidence collection and verification, leading an audit team, drafting nonconformity reports, and preparing the final audit report.

The successful completion of the training course is followed by an exam. If you successfully pass the exam, you can apply for the “PECB Certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor” credential. An UKAS accredited and internationally recognized “PECB ISO 9001 Lead Auditor” certificate validates your professional capabilities and demonstrates that you have the knowledge and skills to audit a QMS based on ISO 9001.

This course is a result of hard work and research done by PECB and its network of trainers and experts in quality management. The course is student-centric, meaning that everything, from the slides, the exercises, the quizzes, and so on, were designed with the learner in mind.

With PECB being an internationally recognized training developer, examiner, and issuer of professional certificates, ISO 9001 Lead Auditor will make you open many doors in your professional career.

The ISO 9001 Lead Auditor training course is intended for:

• Auditors seeking to perform and lead QMS audits in behalf of certification bodies

• Professionals wishing to adopt PECB’s AMS2 Methodology for conducting audits

• Individuals responsible for maintaining conformity to the requirements of ISO 9001

• Technical experts seeking to prepare for a QMS audit

• Professionals wanting to pursue a career in conformity assessment

Duration: 5 Days

Day 1: Introduction to Quality Management Systems (QMS) and ISO 9001

• Course objectives and structure

• Standards and regulatory frameworks

• Certification process

• Fundamental concepts and principles of quality management

• Quality Management System (QMS)

Day 2: Audit principles, preparation and launching of an audit

• Fundamental audit concepts and principles

• Audit approach based on evidence and risk

• Initiating the audit

• Stage 1 audit

• Preparing the stage 2 audit (on-site audit)

Day 3: On-site audit activities

• Stage 2 audit

• Communication during the audit

• Audit procedures

• Creating audit test plans

• Drafting audit findings and nonconformity reports

Day 4: Closing the audit

• Audit documentation and quality review

• Closing the audit

• Evaluation of action plans by the auditor

• Beyond the initial audit

• Managing an internal audit program

• Competence, evaluation and closing the training

Day 5: Certification Exam

By the end of this training course, the participant will be able to:

• Explain the fundamental concepts and principles of a quality management system (QMS) based on ISO 9001

• Interpret the ISO 9001 requirements for a QMS from the perspective of an auditor

• Evaluate the QMS conformity to ISO 9001 requirements, in accordance with the fundamental audit concepts and principles

• Plan, conduct, and close an ISO 9001 compliance audit, in accordance with ISO/IEC 17021-1 requirements, ISO 19011 guidelines, and other best practices of auditing

• Manage an ISO 9001 audit program

The “PECB Certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor” exam fully meets the requirements of the PECB Examination and Certification Program (ECP).

It covers the following competency domains:

Domain 1: Fundamental principles and concepts of a quality management system

Domain 2: Quality management system (QMS) requirements

Domain 3: Fundamental audit concepts and principles

Domain 4: Preparing an ISO 9001 audit

Domain 5: Conducting an ISO 9001 audit

Domain 6: Closing an ISO 9001 audit

Domain 7: Managing an ISO 9001 audit program

For specific information about exam type, languages available, and other details, please visit the List of PECB Exams and the Examination Rules and Policies.

After successfully completing the exam, you can apply for one of the credentials shown on the table below. You will receive a certificate once you comply with all the requirements related to the selected credential.

For more information about the ISO 9001 certifications and the PECB certification process, please refer to the Certification Rules and Policies.

Note: PECB certified individuals who possess both the Lead Implementer and Lead Auditor credentials are qualified for the respective PECB Master Credential, given they have taken 4 additional Foundation Exams related to this scheme. For more information about the Foundation Exams and the overall Master Requirements, please go to PECB Master Credentials.

Certification and examination fees are included in the price of the training course:

• PECB will provide training material of over 450 pages of information and practical examples.

• An attestation of course completion worth 31 CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits will be issued to participants who have attended the training course.

• In case of exam failure, the candidate can retake the exam once for free within 12 months following the initial exam date.