Job Description:

Are you an experienced Quality Manager looking for a new challenge where you can lead, drive & implement Continuous Improvement within an expanding business? If so, this is the opportunity for you!

The initial priority of the role will be to establish a more structured and preventative approach to quality across the complete manufacturing lifecycle, from supplier and incoming material through PCBA manufacture, final assembly, test, soak, deployment and product release.

You will work closely with Engineering and Operational functions to ensure quality is designed into products and manufacturing processes rather than relying predominantly on detection at the end of production.

The successful candidate will establish appropriate quality controls, standards, measures and improvement processes while developing greater organisational understanding and ownership of product and process quality.

The role will operate with appropriate independence from day-to-day production activity, providing objective oversight of manufacturing quality while working collaboratively with operational teams to improve performance.                                            

Key Responsibilities:

Quality Management & Systems:

• Review the existing quality management approach across two sites and establish a prioritised quality improvement roadmap. Develop, implement and maintain practical quality systems, procedures and standards appropriate to business manufacturing operations. Strengthen the application and continual improvement of the company's Quality Management System.
• Establish clear ownership, escalation and governance of manufacturing quality issues. Ensure quality documentation, records and controls remain effective and proportionate. Support internal and external quality audits and ensure actions are appropriately managed through to closure.

Manufacturing Quality & Process Control:

• Map and develop quality controls throughout the manufacturing lifecycle. Establish appropriate incoming, in-process and final inspection and verification requirements. Develop risk-based inspection and AQL sampling approaches where appropriate.
• Define clear acceptance criteria and quality standards at critical manufacturing stages. Work with Production and Engineering to ensure manufacturing processes are controlled, repeatable and capable of achieving the required quality standards.
• Identify opportunities to detect defects earlier in the manufacturing process and reduce reliance on final inspection and test. Support the development of control plans and appropriate process-risk assessment methodologies.

Problem Solving & Corrective Action:

• Establish and lead structured approaches to non-conformance, root-cause analysis and corrective/preventative action.
• Ensure recurring defects and failures are investigated to underlying root cause rather than managed as isolated production issues. Introduce appropriate problem-solving methodologies such as 5 Why, 8D and other structured techniques.
• Verify the effectiveness of corrective actions and ensure improvements are sustained. Ensure learning from quality failures is incorporated into manufacturing processes, documentation and future product development.

Quality Performance & Data:

• Develop meaningful manufacturing quality KPIs and reporting.
• Monitor trends in defects, first-pass yield, rework, test failures, scrap and other relevant quality measures. Use data to identify priorities for improvement activity. Provide regular quality performance reporting to operational and senior leadership.
• Establish visibility of the cost and operational impact of poor quality where appropriate.

Engineering & NPI

• Work with Engineering during product development and NPI to identify manufacturing and quality risks before production release.
• Ensure appropriate manufacturing quality requirements, acceptance criteria and process controls are established during NPI.
• Support DFM (Design for Manufacturing)/DFA (Design for Assembly) and product/process risk reviews. Ensure lessons learned from existing products are fed back into future product development.

PCBA & Supplier Quality

• Strengthen quality controls between PCBA manufacture and final manufacture at both sites.
• Work with SMT and Engineering teams to identify and address recurring PCBA quality issues.
• Support Purchasing and Operations in developing appropriate supplier quality expectations and performance measures. Support investigation and corrective action relating to supplier quality issues.
• Help develop a more preventative approach to supplier and component quality.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead and support improvement initiatives focused on quality, yield, reliability and reduction of rework.
• Promote standardisation and process discipline across manufacturing. Work collaboratively with operational managers to embed quality ownership within their teams.
• Help develop a culture in which quality is considered part of the manufacturing process rather than a separate inspection activity.

Essential Experience & Candidate Attributes Required:

• Significant, demonstrated experience within manufacturing quality, quality engineering or a closely related technical manufacturing environment. Experience developing or significantly improving quality systems and processes rather than solely maintaining established systems.
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing quality assurance and quality control principles. Demonstrable experience of root-cause analysis, non-conformance and corrective action.
• ISO 9001 experience / knowledge. Lean/Six Sigma or comparable CI experience. Experience using quality and manufacturing data to drive improvement.
• Strong understanding of process control and continuous improvement. Ability to work effectively across Engineering and Operations.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, including the confidence to constructively challenge established practices. Practical, hands-on approach and comfortable spending significant time within manufacturing operations.

Desirable Experience, Knowledge & Attributes Required:

• Electronics/electromechanical manufacturing experience. PCBA/SMT manufacturing knowledge. Experience with PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), control plans, 8D, AQL and structured quality methodologies.
• Supplier Quality experience. NPI and DFM/DFA experience. Experience developing a quality team or function. Experience or knowledge of Health, Safety and Environmental management systems

If you have recent production experience and are looking for a new challenge, please submit an up-to-date CV by using the ‘apply’ button below.

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