Quality Management Representative

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nThis posting is for WIPCO-Worldwide Instrument Parts Company in Livingston, TX\n**Position Summary\n**\nThe Quality Management Representative is responsible for the overall performance of WIPCO’s Quality Department and Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring customer requirements, internal standards, and applicable requirements are consistently met.\nThis position owns and administers the QMS, leads the Quality Department, and oversees document control, nonconformances, audits, calibration, inspection processes, and quality improvement initiatives. The Quality Management Representative works closely with Operations, Engineering, and Executive Management to reduce quality risks, improve processes, and promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and right-first-time quality.\n**Key Responsibilities\n**\n**1. Quality Department Leadership\n**\n\nResponsible for the overall performance, organization, and effectiveness of the Quality Department.\nDetermine department requirements, including personnel, equipment, inspection tooling, software, training, and other resources.\nMonitor department performance, organization, workload, and effectiveness.\nEstablish and monitor department KPIs and ensure established targets are achieved.\nDetermine training requirements for Quality Department personnel and ensure required training is completed and documented.\nMonitor department timekeeping, attendance, and scheduling.\nMentor, coach, and develop Quality Department personnel.\nLead by example and establish a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement.\nFacilitate interviews and participate in the selection of Quality Department personnel.\nAdminister employee performance management and disciplinary actions as required, including performance improvement plans, written warnings, and termination recommendations.\nReport Quality Department performance, metrics, issues, and improvement opportunities to Executive Management.\n\n**2. Quality Management System (QMS)\n**\n\nServe as the primary management representative and owner of WIPCO's Quality Management System.\nMaintain the overall effectiveness and functionality of the QMS.\nEnsure WIPCO's quality processes are implemented and maintained throughout the organization.\nMaintain current QMS documentation and ensure employees have access to the appropriate current revision.\nMaintain archived QMS records and the master document list.\nControl the document revision and approval process.\nEnsure obsolete documents are properly removed from points of use and retained in accordance with established requirements.\nParticipate in the development and revision of Quality SOPs, procedures, work instructions, forms, and other controlled documents.\nIdentify opportunities to improve the QMS and quality-related business processes.\nCommunicate changes to quality requirements, procedures, and processes to affected personnel.\nEnsure required quality records are properly maintained, accessible, and retained.\n\n**3. Internal Audits & Compliance\n**\n\nDevelop and maintain the annual internal audit schedule.\nEnsure required internal audits are completed according to the established schedule.\nConduct or coordinate internal audits of WIPCO processes and departments.\nDocument audit findings and ensure corrective actions are assigned, tracked, and completed.\nIdentify systemic issues and opportunities for improvement resulting from audit activity.\nMaintain audit records and supporting documentation.\nSupport customer, registrar, regulatory, and other external audits as required.\nEnsure identified compliance gaps are communicated to appropriate management personnel.\n\n**4. Inspection & Quality Control\n**\n\nSchedule and prioritize Quality Department workload based on production requirements, customer requirements, and business priorities.\nSchedule inspection work and assign tasks to Quality Department personnel as needed.\nEnsure inspection activities are completed accurately and in accordance with customer requirements, drawings, specifications, procedures, and work instructions.\nProvide inspection support as a backup resource when required by workload or business conditions.\nReview inspection requirements for production orders and ensure appropriate inspection documentation is available.\nCreate and maintain required build-to-print packages, inspection packages, and First Article Inspection (FAI) packages for production orders.\nEnsure inspection records are complete, accurate, and properly maintained.\nSupport production personnel in resolving inspection and measurement issues.\n\n**5. Nonconformance & Corrective Action\n**\n\nManage WIPCO's internal Nonconformance Report (NCR) process.\nReview and coordinate NCR dispositions, including rework, use-as-is, return, or scrap, as appropriate.\nEnsure nonconforming material is properly identified, controlled, and prevented from unintended use or shipment.\nIdentify recurring nonconformances and initiate corrective action when appropriate.\nWork with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, and other departments to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.\nMonitor corrective actions through completion and verify effectiveness.\nIdentify trends in NCRs and communicate significant issues and opportunities for improvement to management.\n\n**6. Customer Quality & RMA Management\n**\n\nManage WIPCO's customer Return Material Authorization (RMA) process.\nCoordinate investigation, containment, disposition, and resolution of customer quality issues.\nCommunicate with customers regarding NCRs, RMAs, deviations, corrective actions, explanations, and other quality-related matters.\nEnsure customer quality requirements are understood and communicated internally.\nReview customer complaints and identify appropriate corrective and preventive actions.\nMaintain required customer quality records and documentation.\nSupport customer audits, quality meetings, and quality-related requests as required.\n\n**7. Supplier Quality\n**\n\nManage supplier-related nonconformances and vendor NCRs.\nCoordinate communication with suppliers regarding quality issues and corrective actions.\nMaintain and monitor supplier quality performance and scorecards.\nIdentify recurring supplier quality issues and escalate significant or systemic problems.\nWork with Purchasing and Operations to improve supplier quality and accountability.\nSupport supplier corrective action activities as required.\n\n**8. Inspection Equipment & Calibration\n**\n\nManage WIPCO's inspection and measurement equipment calibration program.\nMaintain the calibration schedule and ensure equipment is calibrated before its due date.\nMaintain accurate calibration records.\nIdentify equipment approaching calibration due dates and coordinate calibration activities.\nRemove equipment from service when calibration is expired, failed, or otherwise determined to be unsuitable.\nCoordinate outside calibration services as required.\nEnsure calibrated equipment is properly identified and controlled.\nEvaluate potential impact when equipment is found to be out of calibration.\n\n**9. Employee Quality Training & Development\n**\n\nIdentify quality-related training requirements throughout the organization.\nDevelop and provide training for machinists, inspectors, and other employees as required.\nProvide training on GD&T, drawing interpretation, tolerances, measurement methods, and proper use of inspection equipment.\nDevelop internal training or coordinate qualified outside training resources when necessary.\nEnsure employees understand applicable quality requirements before performing work.\nIdentify employee knowledge gaps that may contribute to quality issues and develop appropriate corrective training.\nMaintain documentation of required quality training.\n\n**10. Production Quality Support\n**\n\nWork closely with Production and Manufacturing Engineering to ensure quality requirements are understood before production begins.\nReview drawings, specifications, and inspection requirements as needed.\nIdentify potential quality risks before work enters production.\nSupport production personnel in resolving measurement, tolerance, drawing, and inspection questions.\nAssist in developing inspection methods for difficult or critical features.\nPromote proper measurement techniques and consistent inspection practices throughout the shop.\nSupport continuous improvement efforts designed to reduce scrap, rework, NCRs, and customer complaints.\n\n**11. FAI & Production Documentation\n**\n\nPrepare and maintain First Article Inspection (FAI) packages as required.\nCreate build-to-print packages and inspection documentation for production orders.\nEnsure required drawings, specifications, inspection requirements, and quality documentation are included in production packages.\nVerify that required inspection characteristics and customer-specific requirements are identified.\nEnsure completed inspection documentation is properly reviewed, approved, and retained.\nSupport production and Quality personnel in maintaining accurate and complete job documentation.\n\n**12. Continuous Improvement\n**\n\nIdentify opportunities to improve quality processes, procedures, inspection methods, and documentation.\nUse quality data and KPI trends to identify recurring problems and opportunities for improvement.\nWork with department leaders to eliminate root causes rather than repeatedly correcting symptoms.\nParticipate in process improvement and SOP development initiatives.\nRecommend improvements to equipment, tooling, training, processes, and systems when appropriate.\nPromote prevention of defects rather than reliance on final inspection.\nSupport WIPCO's overall objective of improving quality, delivery, productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability.\n\n**Authority & Accountability\n**\nThe Quality Management Representative is accountable for the effectiveness of WIPCO's Quality Management System and the performance of the Quality Department.\nThis position has the authority to:\n\nStop or place a hold on inspection or production activities when a significant quality risk is identified.\nPrevent nonconforming material from being released or shipped without appropriate disposition.\nRequire appropriate inspection, documentation, or corrective action when quality requirements are not being met.\nEscalate significant quality risks, customer concerns, or compliance issues to the COO and CEO.\nRecommend personnel, equipment, training, process, and resource requirements necessary to maintain quality performance.\nRequire departments to address documented quality issues within established corrective-action requirements.\n\nThe Quality Management Representative does not have unilateral authority to make commercial commitments, customer concessions, or changes to contractual requirements unless specifically authorized by Executive Management.\n**Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities\n**\n\nStrong understanding of manufacturing quality systems and quality control practices.\nStrong understanding of mechanical drawings, specifications, tolerances, and GD&T.\nAbility to properly interpret and apply customer quality requirements.\nUnderstanding of inspection methods and measurement equipment.\nAbility to identify, document, and investigate nonconformances.\nUnderstanding of root-cause analysis and corrective action principles.\nStrong organizational and document-control skills.\nAbility to manage multiple priorities in a production environment.\nStrong written and verbal communication skills.\nAbility to communicate effectively with machinists, inspectors, engineers, management, suppliers, and customers.\nStrong leadership and personnel management skills.\nAbility to train, coach, and develop employees.\nStrong problem-solving and decision-making skills.\nAbility to work independently while maintaining communication with Executive Management.\nStrong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.\nProficiency with ERP systems, Microsoft Office, and quality documentation systems.\n\n**Preferred Qualifications\n**\n\nExperience managing or leading a Quality Department within a manufacturing environment.\nExperience with CNC machining or precision manufacturing.\nExperience with ISO 9001 or other formal Quality Management Systems.\nExperience serving as a Management Representative or QMS owner.\nExperience with internal auditing.\nExperience with NCR, RMA, supplier corrective action, and customer complaint processes.\nExperience with First Article Inspection requirements.\nExperience with GD&T and dimensional inspection.\nExperience with calibration management.\nExperience developing SOPs, work instructions, and quality procedures.\nQuality-related certification such as ASQ CQE, CQA, or equivalent is preferred but not required.\n\n**Core Competencies\n**\n\nQuality Management Systems (QMS)\nQuality Control & Assurance\nLeadership & Team Development\nManufacturing & Inspection Processes\nGD&T & Blueprint Reading\nRoot Cause Analysis & Corrective Action\nNonconformance & RMA Management\nDocument & Record Control\nInternal Auditing & Compliance\nCalibration & Measurement Systems\nCustomer & Supplier Quality\nProcess Improvement\nProblem Solving & Decision Making\nCommunication & Cross-Functional Collaboration\nOrganization & Accountability\n\n**Work Environment\n**\nThis position operates primarily in a manufacturing and machine shop environment and requires regular interaction with both office and production personnel. The Quality Management Representative will spend time in the Quality Department, on the production floor, and in other areas of the facility as needed to support quality requirements and resolve issues.\nThe position may require standing, walking throughout the facility, inspecting parts, and working around operating machinery, noise, materials, and industrial equipment. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and established safety procedures are required when working in production areas.\nThe position may occasionally require extended hours or schedule adjustments to support production requirements, customer needs, audits, or urgent quality issues.