Quality Assurance Manager (QA Manager) in Northgate

Morson are working with a leading defence manufacturer, who are looking for a Quality Assurance Manager to join the quality team working at the Crawley site.

Primary Purpose of the Role: Reporting to the Business Quality Manager, this role provides Quality Assurance (QA) to assigned projects, bids and products, providing cost effective, efficient solutions to meet various requirements. Key activities include QA planning and surveillance, internal/external auditing, attendance at project meetings, reviews, milestones and events, customer liaison and supplier/partner surveillance, and the provision of QA expertise and advice. The role may cover operational (manufacturing), software, hardware and systems or engineering assurance activities. It will include root cause analysis, defect analysis, process improvement, preventative action and process management activities. This role may include occasional travel and has no direct reports.

Principal Relationships: The jobholder will typically engage with:

• Business Quality Manager
• Other members of the QA function at all levels
• Project & Bid Managers & Project Team Members
• QMS Process Owners
• Supply Chain Managers
• Manufacturing Continuous Improvement Leads
• Customers, Partners & Suppliers
• Certification Bodies

Competencies & Attributes:

• Good at building relationships - the ability to communicate effectively with peers and act within a team environment.
• Thinking and reasoning skills - the ability to analyse data and trends effectively and build recommendations.
• A proactive individual who anticipates challenges and opportunities, implementing thoughtful solutions to prevent issues before they arise and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Effective communicator with the ability to inspire and engage in a supporting and collaborative way with key stakeholders.
• Quick learner, open minded and receptive to change.
• Ability to facilitate when working with teams.
• Adaptable and open to embracing new directions and keep things moving forward.
• Collective contributor with good self-awareness.
• Organised and focussed work ethic.
• An ability to interface well at all levels within the business, and with suppliers, partners and customers.
• Ability to plan and organise workload to meet timelines in line with budgets.
• Strong decision making and creative problem solving abilities.
• Ability to understand the wider business needs and consider appropriate strategies to drive towards business goals.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Plan and implement Quality Assurance on allocated projects in accordance with Company Reference system, Contract and applicable Regulatory Requirements.
• Generate monthly Quality reports for allocated Project and Bid Reviews, communicating quality assurance issues & risks.
• Lead project QA activities to ensure that Quality tasks are completed.
• Plan and perform project audits and surveillance activities in accordance with the audit strategy.
• Non-conformance recording, management and closure assurance.
• Timely raising of quality alerts when appropriate with escalation, as required, in order to highlight risks to the business.
• Act as the customer's representative inside the project or bid team and enhance customer experience while supporting any actions required as a result of a complaint (formal or otherwise) or performance deficiency.
• Facilitate customer complaint management.
• Identify trends, issues, and opportunities associated with processes and/or products that may impact on the business.

Experience:

• Essential: Experience of working within a quality assurance environment. Knowledge of current quality and related working practices and standards. Understanding of Quality System Certification principles.
• Desirable: Experience of quality assurance in an engineering lifecycle or a product development environment. Experience of quality assurance in a bid or project environment. Experience of quality assurance within manufacturing or supply chain. Experience of working within a multi-function team and facilitating quality improvement. Qualified auditor or similar experience. Appreciation of Quality Standards and methods - knowledge of international standards and methods applicable to the role such as ISO-9001, AS9100, AQAP, civil and/or military standards.

If this position is of interest to you please submit an up to date CV.