As part of our manufacturing clients growth, they are introducing the brand-new role of Quality Assurance Manager. They believe in the value of their people; be they colleagues of longstanding or new recruits. Everyone has the opportunity to make a valid contribution to success. Do you wish to be a part of their journey?
Main Purpose of the Role
The Quality Assurance (QA) Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing the quality assurance processes within the organisation. This role ensures that all products, services, and processes meet established quality standards, are in compliance with relevant regulations, and adhere to industry best practices. The QA Manager is responsible for leading the QA team, developing quality assurance strategies, and implementing processes to improve the overall quality and efficiency of production, service delivery, and operations.
Scope of the Role
The Quality Assurance Manager is responsible for analysing and optimising the Quality-related activities of the Company. The role focusses on gathering and interpreting Quality data, Assessing Operational Staff performance, and Supporting the Development of cost-effective Quality Strategies.
The Quality Assurance Manager will collaborate with Cross-Functional Teams including Procurement, Finance, Sales, Maintenance and Operations, to drive continuous improvement, efficiency and cost savings.
Primary Objectives
Ensuring Product or Service Quality: Ensure that the company’s products and services meet or exceed customer expectations and regulatory requirements. This involves setting quality standards, conducting inspections, and implementing corrective actions when needed
Establish processes for continuous improvement (e.g., using methodologies Six Sigma, Lean, or Total Quality Management). This includes monitoring performance, identifying inefficiencies, and working on strategies to improve overall quality
Ensuring the company adheres to industry standards, laws, and regulations. This includes ISO standards, safety regulations, and environmental standards
Responsible for training staff and fostering a culture of quality across the company. This may include workshops, seminars, and on-the-job training
Maintain and enhance quality management systems (QMS), such as ISO 9001, to standardize procedures and ensure consistency in the production or service delivery process
Monitoring customer feedback, addressing complaints, and identifying areas where customer satisfaction can be improved. This is crucial for retaining customers and improving product/service offerings
Identifying and managing risks that may impact product or service quality, and developing plans to mitigate those risks
Using data and metrics to track quality performance, identify trends, and make informed decisions for process improvements. Regularly reporting quality performance to senior management is also key
Conducting internal audits and inspections to assess whether processes and systems are operating as expected and if they meet the established quality standards
To embed within and assist the SLT in achieving overall Business Goals. Aims and Objectives
To collaborate with Teams to understand ground-level challenges and implement practical solutions that drive tangible improvements
To improve Output Quality and Performance across Assembly Production Departments in line with agreed specific Objectives and Timeframes
To successfully achieve any Primary Project Objectives within timeframes set and agreed
To utilise continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma as an advantage) to enhance processes, reduce waste, and increase efficiency
To Demonstrate strong Leader-Manager capabilities, setting expectations and actively facilitating problem-solving
To provide support and insights to Production Teams to enhance quality outcomes and optimise processes
To implement and maintain quality gates across production to ensure critical checkpoints are rigorously controlled
Primary Measures of Effectiveness
Product/Service Quality:
Defect Rates: The percentage of products or services that fail to meet quality standards.
Conformance to Specifications: The degree to which products or services meet defined specifications or standards.
Product/Service Reliability: How often products or services perform as expected without failure
Internal Process Improvement:
Process Efficiency: Monitoring improvements in the production or service processes that reduce waste, cost, and cycle time.
Root Cause Analysis: Effectiveness in identifying and addressing the root causes of quality issues, leading to permanent fixes
Cost of Quality:
Cost of Non-Conformance: Costs incurred due to defects, rework, returns, and customer dissatisfaction.
Cost of Prevention: Investments in activities that prevent defects and improve quality (e.g., training, audits, quality planning).
Cost of Appraisal: Costs related to measuring, evaluating, and ensuring quality standards are met.
Supplier Quality Management:
Supplier Performance: The ability to manage and improve the quality of products or services supplied by external vendors.
Supplier Audits and Reviews: The effectiveness of evaluating and monitoring supplier quality through regular audits
Secondary Objectives
To successfully achieve any agreed Secondary Project Objectives to standards and within timeframes set.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience Required for Role
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Operations, or a Quality-related field or relevant experience
Green Belt Six Sigma would be advantageous.
Needs at least 5 years of Manufacturing experience, with desirable exposure to Punch and Press Operation.
Demonstrable understanding of modern Manufacturing Processes and Quality Methodologies.
Leadership: Ability to lead teams and collaborate across multiple departments
Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyse processes, trends, and data.
Problem Solving: Quick decision-making and problem-solving skills to address quality issues.
Attention to Detail: Meticulous in reviewing processes and ensuring compliance with standards.
Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills for reporting and working with other departments.
Ideally some experience in steel door, hardware, or another field of related manufacturing.
Excellent standard of proficiency in Maths and English and using Office 365.
Strong time-management and organisational skills.
Detail-oriented, resilient, and results-driven with a focus on collaboration and facilitation
Key Relationships
SLT, Procurement and Planning, Finance and HR, Sales, Maintenance, Team Leaders, Supervisors, and all Operations Staff.
Any Other Relevant Information
This role would suit someone who is detail-oriented, organised, and has strong leadership and problem-solving skills
This is a busy, challenging role requiring someone with a strong character, resilience and who is accustomed to “juggling many balls”
Overall, the Quality Manager should ensure we maintains high-quality standards, achieves customer satisfaction, and complies with relevant standards and regulations while fostering an environment of continuous improvement
Company Benefits
* Discretionary Company Sick Pay, following 6 months service
* Company Pension Scheme
* Employee Assistance Programme
* On-site parking
* Health cash plan Scheme
* Birthday Holiday: Your birthday off if it falls on a workday
* Cycle to work scheme: The Company operates a cycle to work scheme.
* Eye test voucher
* Discount Scheme:
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: £40,000.00-£50,000.00 per year