Quality Manager

Quality Manager

The Quality Manager leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of site-wide quality systems to ensure products and services consistently exceed total quality requirements. This role drives a transition from reactive to proactive quality by embedding robust quality processes into manufacturing, maintaining and enhancing ISO 9001 and AS9100, and serving as the primary quality interface for customers in an aerospace and defense manufacturing environment. The position offers the opportunity to build and strengthen a growing quality organization, deliver measurable business impact, and support products from prototype through full-rate production.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and mentor the Quality department team, including Quality Engineers and supporting personnel, while developing talent and building a sustainable organization that supports future growth.
• Lead the quality team's efforts to improve internal quality by embedding quality into manufacturing processes rather than relying solely on end-of-line inspection.
• Implement sustainable, process-based quality systems in production, including process controls, sample audits, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Sales, and Customer Service in resolving quality problems, implementing corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and driving cross-functional improvement projects.
• Develop and maintain audit programs and procedures for all levels of audit activity, including internal and external audits and supplier audits.
• Maintain and continuously improve ISO 9001 and AS9100 quality management systems, ensuring document control, compliance, and effective quality system maintenance.
• Own incoming quality control and oversee supplier performance to quality requirements, including supplier quality initiatives, vendor certification, and establishment of effective acceptance criteria and product monitoring.
• Develop, implement, and sustain customer-specific quality requirements, ensuring they are translated into clear internal processes, controls, and documentation.
• Interface directly with customers as the face of quality, responding to quality concerns, leading corrective action efforts, and communicating root cause and corrective actions in a clear and timely manner.
• Ensure consistency of purchased components through vendor certification, effective acceptance criteria, and ongoing product monitoring and inspection.
• Provide quality process, tooling, and fixture support for new and sustaining product development, enabling one-piece flow and supporting products from prototype through full-rate production.
• Drive customer-specific quality problem resolution using established processes and tools, including root cause analysis, CAPA, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Embrace and utilize Daily Management processes to monitor performance, drive accountability, and ensure execution of quality and operational objectives.
• Lead projects involving cross-functional teams and external stakeholders, delivering measurable results and business impact through quality and process improvements.
• Review, maintain, and improve site-wide quality systems, policies, and procedures to support regulatory compliance and customer requirements.
• Respect and protect all confidential, privileged, personal, legally regulated, and proprietary information while performing all quality management activities.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience managing and leading a quality team in a manufacturing environment, including supervisory or management responsibilities.
• Quality management experience in the aerospace and defense industry, with strong understanding of manufacturing quality processes and controls.
• Hands-on experience with ISO 9001 and AS9100 quality management systems, including maintenance, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated expertise in CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) management, including root cause analysis and implementation of effective corrective actions.
• Experience conducting and overseeing internal and external audits, as well as supplier audits, to ensure compliance with quality standards and requirements.
• Ability to interpret customer quality requirements and translate them into internal actions, process improvements, and documented procedures.
• Experience supporting products from prototype through full-rate production, ensuring consistent quality throughout the product lifecycle.
• Strong project management skills, with demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives and delivering measurable business results.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with strong written, verbal, and technical presentation abilities for both internal and customer-facing interactions.
• High level of organization and task focus, able to work effectively with little to no supervision while managing multiple priorities.
• Proficiency with common software tools, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Variation reduction and problem-solving skills, including mathematical and statistical analysis applied to quality and process improvement.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret strategic business information and templates relevant to quality and operations.
• Ability to solve practical and complex problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations with limited standardization.
• Bachelor's degree, preferably in a technical discipline.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with military specifications and MIL-PRF standards, such as Mil-PRF- and Mil-PRF-27.
• Variation reduction skills and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Mathematical and statistical analysis skills applied to quality data and process performance.
• Experience with internal and external auditing, including supplier audits and regulatory compliance assessments.
• Experience in customer-facing quality management, including managing customer corrective actions and quality-related communications.
• Knowledge of document control practices and compliance requirements within regulated industries.
• Experience with continuous improvement initiatives and operational excellence tools, such as Daily Management processes.
• Supplier quality management experience, including supplier performance monitoring and qualification activities.
• Experience in organizational development and change management, particularly in growing manufacturing environments.
• Ability to drive accountability and execution across an organization through clear expectations and follow-through.

Work Environment

The role is based in a manufacturing facility within the aerospace and defense sector, where the noise level is typically moderate and work is performed in both office and production floor settings. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly uses hands to finger, handle, or feel, reaches with hands and arms, and communicates by talking and hearing. The employee frequently stands, walks, and sits, and occasionally climbs or balances, stoops, kneels, crouches, or crawls. The position occasionally requires lifting and moving up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities needed include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The environment emphasizes collaboration with cross-functional teams, use of standard office software tools, and adherence to established safety and quality procedures. The organization is experiencing significant growth and is investing in people, equipment, and technology, providing a dynamic setting focused on continuous improvement and proactive quality management.