Quality Manager

This opportunity is located within our Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company business, a global leader of mission-critical hardware and systems solutions including precision energetics systems and innovative explosive solutions. Click here to learn more.

Job Description

Lead Quality. Strengthen the System. Deliver the Mission.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) is seeking a Quality Manager for our Simsbury, CT site. This leader will oversee all Quality Engineering teams across Energetics and Electronics , with site-level responsibility for quality performance, quality systems, customer compliance, and team development within a complex aerospace and defense manufacturing environment.

We are looking for a hands-on quality leader who can connect site strategy with shop-floor execution, strengthen quality practices across diverse manufacturing processes, and develop teams with distinct technical expertise. This role requires strong knowledge of AS9100, customer requirements, manufacturing quality, and structured problem solving, along with the leadership discipline to build a stronger quality culture as the business scales.

Scope of Responsibility

The Quality Manager will provide unified leadership for the Energetics and Electronics Quality Engineering teams, with responsibility for manufacturing quality, customer quality, corrective action, compliance, and team development, along with oversight of the site quality management system.

Key Responsibilities

Site Quality Leadership

• Lead all Quality Engineering teams supporting Energetics and Electronics, with ownership for site quality performance, compliance, and execution
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, and a consistent operating rhythm across both groups
• Align team capacity, technical capability, and resources with program needs, production demand, and quality risks
• Balance hands-on issue resolution with site priorities and long-term quality system improvement
• Partner with Operations leadership to advance Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost objectives

Quality Systems & Compliance

• Maintain and strengthen the site quality management system in alignment with AS9100, customer requirements, and applicable aerospace and defense standards
• Ensure quality processes address the distinct requirements of Energetics and Electronics products and manufacturing operations
• Standardize practices where appropriate and share lessons learned across teams to prevent recurring issues
• Ensure disciplined adherence to internal procedures, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations
• Lead audit readiness, support customer and external reviews, and ensure timely closure of findings
• Identify systemic risks and drive improvements in process control, discipline, and predictability

People Leadership & Team Development

• Build and sustain a high-performing team through effective hiring, development, performance management, and employee engagement.
• Build a cohesive site quality organization while developing the specialized expertise needed within each group
• Strengthen technical capability, succession depth, and employee engagement
• Encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing, and consistent problem-solving practices across teams
• Create a culture of ownership, urgency, transparency, and continuous learning
• Develop quality leaders and individual contributors who can support increasing business complexity

Manufacturing Quality & Problem Solving

• Lead containment, root cause analysis, corrective action, and prevention across Energetics and Electronics manufacturing
• Ensure quality engineering support reflects each group's product characteristics, process risks, and inspection and test requirements
• Drive structured problem solving using data, facts, and cross-functional engagement
• Partner with Production, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Program Management to resolve quality issues and verify the effectiveness of corrective actions
• Improve first-pass yield, reduce defects and escapes, and strengthen production readiness
• Apply lessons learned across product lines and teams to improve overall site performance

Customer Quality & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Represent site quality with credibility to customers across Energetics and Electronics programs
• Lead communication and resolution of customer concerns, nonconformances, corrective actions, and quality performance issues
• Ensure customer quality requirements are understood and incorporated into planning and execution
• Build strong partnerships across Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Production, and Program M