Job Description

The Quality & Continuous Improvement Manager provides strategic and tactical leadership for all quality assurance and continuous improvement initiatives within the organization. This role ensures compliance with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and internal policies while driving efficiency, cost reduction, and culture change through Lean, Six Sigma, and problem-solving methodologies. The Manager is a key business partner to Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain, ensuring that quality and productivity goals are achieved to support company growth and profitability.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Quality Management

• Develop, implement, and maintain the company’s Quality Management System to meet ISO, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee all quality audits (internal, external, customer, regulatory), corrective actions, and management reviews.
• Establish and track critical quality metrics such as scrap/rework, customer returns, ppm, first-pass yield, and warranty claims.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive action using structured problem-solving tools.
• Manage supplier quality, including qualification, scorecards, audits, and incoming inspection programs.
• Provide technical guidance for inspection methods, testing protocols, gaging/measurement systems, and statistical process control (SPC).

Continuous Improvement (CI)

• Lead the site’s continuous improvement strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives.
• Facilitate Kaizen events, value stream mapping, and waste elimination initiatives across all departments.
• Deploy Lean tools such as 5S, standard work, visual management, SMED, TPM, and process mapping.
• Drive measurable improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness, lead time, on-time delivery, and cost per unit.
• Identify and lead strategic cost-reduction projects tied to business objectives.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Direct, coach, and develop the Quality/CI team to ensure strong performance, engagement, and succession planning.
• Serve as the primary liaison for customer quality concerns, ensuring timely response and resolution.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain to ensure design, process, and supplier quality are proactively managed.
• Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning.
• Communicate effectively with senior leadership through regular reports, presentations, and performance reviews.
  

QUALIFICATIONS and/or SKILLS

Competencies

• Strategic Leadership: Ability to set direction and align resources to achieve business goals.
• Analytical Thinking: Skilled in data analysis, metrics, and fact-based decision-making.
• Change Leadership: Able to influence, engage, and sustain change in a manufacturing environment.
• Customer Focus: Strong orientation to understanding and exceeding customer expectations.
• Hands-On Problem Solver: Willing to work on the shop floor and partner directly with operators and technicians.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Customer Satisfaction: Customer complaints, warranty claims, returns
• Process Performance: First-pass yield, scrap/rework percentage, audit results.
• Supplier Quality: Incoming quality levels, supplier corrective actions, approved vendor performance.
• CI Impact: Number of completed Kaizen events, cost savings delivered, OEE improvement, productivity gains.
• Employee Engagement: Training hours in Lean/CI, employee participation in improvement activities, team retention.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality Management, Manufacturing, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 7+ years in quality, continuous improvement, or operations roles in a manufacturing environment, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Certifications: Six Sigma Green/Black Belt, Lean Practitioner/Leader, ASQ CQE or CQM.

Preferred : CQE/CQM with 3+ years of leadership experience managing to a quality standard such as: ISO9001, AS9100, IATF16949, or ISO13485

• Strong knowledge of quality tools and methodologies (SPC, PPAP, FMEA, MSA, APQP).
• Demonstrated success in leading cross-functional teams and driving measurable results.
• Proficient with ERP/MES systems, quality software, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and comprehend instruction, blueprints, correspondence and memos. Able to communicate effectively (orally and in writing) in order to effectively present information one-on-one and in small group situations.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Requires advanced mathematical skills which require analytical, statistical and math related to blueprint reading and/or geometrical tolerancing calculations.

Requires the use of disciplined problem-solving methods

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The associate is regularly required to talk on the phone, face to face, and use the computer or other activities normal to an office environment. Frequent interaction with others. Completion of duties must be done within an allotted time which may create a sense of time pressure to meet deadlines. Regularly required to stoop, kneel, bend, crouch and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those associates encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. The associate is required to wear appropriate protective equipment such as safety glasses and/or safety shoes when in manufacturing areas.

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