Quality Manager

Quality Manager

Location: Defiance, Ohio 43512

Work Arrangement: On-Site

About This Opportunity

Join an established manufacturer renowned for quality excellence and operational leadership. As our Quality Manager, you'll drive transformative quality initiatives, champion continuous improvement, and lead cross-functional collaboration in a dynamic, growth-focused production environment. This is a leadership role where your decisions directly impact customer satisfaction and company success.

Position Summary

The Quality Manager leads our Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring compliance with IATF 16949, customer specifications, and regulatory requirements while driving continuous improvement across all operations. You'll oversee quality assurance, support new product launches, and hold final authority for product release and quality decisions. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on problem-solving, offering the opportunity to shape quality culture and deliver measurable business impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and maintain the QMS in full compliance with customer, regulatory, IATF 16949, and AIAG requirements
• Direct audits, corrective actions, inspection methodologies, quality procedures, certifications, and calibration programs
• Lead APQP, PPAP, control plans, process FMEAs, MSA, SPC, and launch-quality activities to ensure first-pass success
• Serve as final authority for product release, ensuring all production records and customer requirements are satisfied before shipment
• Lead, mentor, and develop quality personnel while fostering accountability and a culture of continuous improvement
• Manage supplier quality performance, analyze key metrics, and reduce quality risk and cost of poor quality
• Partner with operations, engineering, suppliers, and customers to resolve issues using 8D, 5 Why, fishbone analysis, and proven problem-solving methodologies
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related technical field
• 10+ years of progressive quality, engineering, or manufacturing experience, including demonstrated leadership responsibility
• Experience in heat-treat operations and/or metals manufacturing
• Strong working knowledge of QMS auditing, IATF 16949, ISO 9001, AIAG core tools, and automotive customer-specific requirements
• Hands-on experience with APQP, PPAP, FMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC, 8D, layered process audits, and corrective action
• Experience leading customer, regulatory, and certification audits
• Excellent leadership, communication, project management, organizational, and reporting skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or related process-improvement certification
• Automotive or regulated manufacturing experience, including direct interaction with OEM and Tier 1 customers
• Background managing complex production processes and customer-specific quality requirements
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver measurable quality and efficiency improvements

Why Join Us?

We're committed to building a workplace where quality professionals thrive. Our company values operational excellence, invests in employee development, and recognizes the critical role quality plays in our success. As a Quality Manager, you'll have the autonomy to shape quality strategy, lead a talented team, and make decisions that matter. We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a culture that supports professional growth and work-life balance.

Ready to Make an Impact?

If you're an experienced quality leader ready to drive excellence in a collaborative, growth-oriented environment, we want to hear from you. Apply today to join our team in Defiance, Ohio, and help us maintain our reputation for quality and operational leadership.