Lead Auditor ISO 9001:2026

Participants should have a basic understanding of quality management principles and the main concepts of ISO 9001.
Previous experience in quality management, internal auditing, process management or management systems is recommended. Knowledge of ISO 9001 fundamentals is strongly advised before attending this Lead Auditor course.

The ISO 9001:2026 Lead Auditor training provides participants with the knowledge, methods and practical skills required to plan, conduct, report and follow up audits of a Quality Management System (QMS). The course is designed to develop a comprehensive understanding of ISO 9001:2026 requirements, quality management principles, risk-based thinking, process-based auditing and continual improvement. Through interactive sessions, case studies, role plays and audit simulations, participants will learn how to assess conformity, collect objective evidence, identify nonconformities, communicate audit findings and lead audit activities in first-, second- and third-party audit contexts.

By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

• Understand the structure, principles and key requirements of ISO 9001:2026 and their application within a Quality Management System (QMS).
• Interpret quality management principles, the process approach, risk-based thinking and continual improvement in an audit context.
• Explain the role, responsibilities and expected behaviour of a lead auditor during first-, second- and third-party audits.
• Plan and prepare a QMS audit, including audit scope, objectives, criteria, audit plan, sampling strategy and audit team coordination.
• Conduct opening meetings, audit interviews, document reviews and process-based audit activities using appropriate audit techniques.
• Collect, verify and evaluate objective audit evidence against ISO 9001:2026 requirements and organisational procedures.
• Identify and classify audit findings, including conformities, nonconformities, risks, opportunities and improvement areas.
• Prepare clear, factual and value-added audit reports and present audit conclusions to relevant stakeholders.
• Manage audit follow-up activities, including corrective action review and verification of effectiveness.
• Demonstrate the practical skills required to lead an audit team and manage audit situations professionally, ethically and objectively.

Day 1 – Quality Management System and ISO 9001:2026 requirements:

• Welcome, participant expectations and course overview; introduction to quality management principles and the role of a QMS;
• ISO 9001:2026 structure, terminology and key concepts; organisational context, interested parties and scope of the QMS; leadership, quality policy, roles, responsibilities and accountability;
• Process approach, risk-based thinking and continual improvement;
• Practical exercise on mapping organizational processes and audit criteria.

Day 2 – ISO 9001:2026 requirements in practice:

• Planning of the QMS, risks, opportunities and quality objectives;
• Support processes including resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information;
• Operational planning and control;
• Customer requirements, design and development, external providers and service delivery;
• Performance evaluation, monitoring, measurement, analysis and management review;
• Improvement, nonconformity and corrective action;
• Case study on interpreting requirements and identifying audit evidence.

Day 3 – Audit principles and ISO 19011 guidelines:

• Audit principles according to ISO 19011;
• Auditor competence, professional behavior, ethics and confidentiality;
• Audit program management;
• First-, second- and third-party audits;
• Roles and responsibilities of the audit team and lead auditor;
• Defining audit scope, objectives, criteria and methods;
• Preparing the audit plan, checklists and sampling strategy;
• Practical workshop on preparing an ISO 9001:2026 audit plan in line with ISO 19011.

Day 4 – Conducting the audit:

• Opening meeting, communication and audit responsibilities;
• Conducting interviews and collecting objective evidence;
• Auditing processes, interfaces and performance indicators;
• Document review, observation and sampling techniques;
• Managing difficult audit situations and maintaining objectivity;
• Identifying and classifying findings, including conformity, nonconformity and improvement opportunities;
• Role play on audit interviews and evidence gathering.

Day 5 – Reporting, follow-up and final evaluation:

• Preparing audit conclusions and conducting the closing meeting;
• Writing clear, factual and value-added audit reports;
• Classification and wording of nonconformities;
• Corrective action process and verification of effectiveness;
• Follow-up audit activities and continual improvement;
• Managing the audit team and leading audit activities;
• Final audit simulation;
• Final written and/or practical evaluation;
• Feedback, review of key learning points and course wrap-up.

Évaluation:

At the end of the training, participants will be required to take an exam. The exam will be sent electronically by the House of Training, and participants will have a specific timeframe to complete it online using a computer.
A minimum score of 60% is required to pass the exam, and participants must have attended at least 80% of the training to be eligible to take the exam.

Attestation, Certificat:

• Internal auditors, quality auditors and management system auditors wishing to audit a QMS
• Quality managers, QMS managers, risk managers, governance, internal control or compliance officers
• Managers, business process owners, project managers and key users involved in implementing or improving a QMS
• Consultants, advisers and professionals supporting the preparation, assessment or audit of a quality management system
• Anyone required to prepare, conduct, follow up or contribute to an ISO 9001:2026 audit within their organisation

The course concludes with a written examination. Participants who successfully pass the examination will receive a certificate issued by the House of Training and co-signed by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth.

Autres informations:

The training combines theoretical input with practical application through interactive presentations, group discussions, case studies, document reviews, audit planning exercises, role plays and audit simulations.
Participants will work on realistic audit scenarios to practice interview techniques, evidence collection, identification of nonconformities, audit reporting and follow-up activities. The course encourages active participation, learning and continuous feedback in order to develop both technical knowledge and lead auditor skills.