Quality Manager

Quality Manager

Compensation: $110,000–$140,000 Base Salary + Bonus

Industry: Aerospace, Defense, and Advanced Manufacturing

About the Opportunity

An established manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Quality Manager to lead its Quality Assurance function and oversee compliance within a highly regulated manufacturing environment. This individual will be responsible for developing and maintaining the Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring regulatory compliance, leading audits, and driving continuous improvement across the organization.

The ideal candidate will bring strong expertise in ITAR, DFARS, and AS9100, along with proven experience supporting defense contracts, managing customer quality requirements, and leading quality initiatives in aerospace, defense, or other regulated manufacturing industries.

Key Responsibilities

• Quality Management System: Maintain and improve the QMS in accordance with ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 standards, including document control, procedures, and audit readiness.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with ITAR, DFARS, FAR, and applicable customer and federal requirements, including defense contract obligations.
• Audit Leadership: Lead internal, external certification, customer, and regulatory audits while managing corrective actions and ensuring timely resolution of findings.
• Team Leadership: Develop and mentor quality personnel while partnering with manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, and operations teams.
• Continuous Improvement: Lead corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), root cause analysis, and process improvement initiatives using methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why, FMEA, Lean, and Six Sigma.
• Customer Quality: Serve as the primary quality contact for customers, address nonconformances, resolve quality concerns, and support customer satisfaction initiatives.
• Supplier Quality: Evaluate supplier performance, support supplier audits, and collaborate with supply chain teams to resolve quality issues.
• Production Support: Ensure manufacturing processes meet quality standards, oversee nonconforming materials, and support new product introductions.
• Metrics & Reporting: Track and report key performance indicators, including scrap reduction, First Pass Yield, customer complaints, cost of poor quality, audit results, and supplier performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, Manufacturing, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 5–7+ years of progressive quality leadership experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• At least 5 years of experience managing an ISO-certified Quality Management System.
• Strong working knowledge of ITAR and DFARS requirements, FAR clauses, and ISO 9001 standards.
• Experience with AS9100 and Department of Defense contracts.
• Proven success leading customer audits, certification audits, and corrective action programs.
• Knowledge of GD&T, blueprint interpretation, manufacturing processes, and statistical process control.
• Experience with ERP or MES systems.
• Strong leadership, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Quality Manager (CQM) or Certified Quality Engineer (CQE).
• Lead Auditor certification, including AS9100.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, or medical device contract manufacturing.
• Familiarity with NIST 800-171 and CMMC requirements.

What Success Looks Like

• Maintaining certifications and achieving successful audit outcomes.
• Ensuring ongoing compliance with ITAR, DFARS, AS9100, and customer requirements.
• Reducing customer complaints, scrap, and internal nonconformances.
• Improving manufacturing quality, supplier performance, and operational efficiency.
• Developing a strong quality team and promoting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

If you are a quality leader with experience in defense-related manufacturing and a strong understanding of ITAR, DFARS, and AS9100, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on quality, compliance, and operational performance.