Quality Manager

The Quality Manager is a key leadership role responsible for establishing, developing, and embedding a culture of quality, consistency, and continuous improvement across the organisation. Reporting to the Director of Operations, the role provides proactive, visible leadership and is accountable for all aspects of Quality performance, including compliance, audits, supplier quality, production support, and the operation of the Quality Management System (QMS). As subject matter expert, the Quality Manager ensures full compliance with ISO9001, ISO17025, and any additional standards the company adopts. The role also owns customer and internal non‑conformances, leads improvement actions, and reports Quality performance to the Board and Management Team. The role includes full line management responsibility for the Quality Engineer – Systems, Supplier Quality Engineer, and Production Support Engineer, ensuring a robust, high‑performing Quality function.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & People Management: Build, coach, and manage a high‑performing Quality team with clear goals, expectations, and development plans. Provide day‑to‑day line management for the Quality Engineer – Systems, Supplier Quality Engineer, and Production Support Engineer. Ensure the team has appropriate resourcing and capability to support operational and strategic needs. Conduct performance reviews, regular 1:1s, coaching, and succession planning.
• Quality Strategy & QMS Ownership: Lead the development and implementation of the company’s Quality strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives. Own the Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring it remains compliant, effective, and continuously improved. Manage external certification audits, ensuring ongoing compliance with ISO9001, ISO17025 and future standards. Oversee internal auditing, ensuring robust audits, clear findings and effective corrective actions. Act as process owner for Document Control, Record Control, Internal Audit, Measurement & Analysis, and Improvement Systems.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Relationship Management: Build strong working relationships with Operations, Engineering, Commercial, and other departments. Promote the importance of standardised processes, QMS compliance and continuous improvement across the organisation. Provide structured input to new business initiatives and project reviews, ensuring Quality requirements are met.
• Supplier Quality Management: Oversee supplier audits, qualification, performance monitoring, and corrective actions. Ensure supplier issues such as non‑conforming materials and test data discrepancies are managed effectively. Develop and support supplier improvement initiatives and vendor rating systems. Support supplier business reviews and purchasing decisions.
• Internal Quality Assurance & Improvement: Lead the management of internal and customer non‑conformances, ensuring root cause analysis and corrective actions are completed. Ensure Improvement Reports (IRs) and escalations are properly documented and addressed by relevant owners. Track QMS effectiveness, including performance metrics and improvement requirements. Report quality KPIs to the Board and Management Team.
• Production Support & Engineering Leadership: Oversee effective engineering support to production, including equipment maintenance, calibration, and compliance. Support investigation and resolution of production issues affecting output, downtime, or product build. Oversee production documentation including work instructions, process drawings and schematics. Support improvement of rigs, jigs, fixtures, production processes, and facility optimisation.
• Audits, Certification & Compliance: Manage external audit processes with certification bodies. Ensure audit non‑conformities are closed effectively and sustainably. Maintain internal processes and procedures required for external certification.
• Continuous Improvement: Lead business‑wide CI initiatives using Lean, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), waste reduction, and process mapping techniques. Drive Cost of Quality (COQ) analysis and reduction targets. Support production, suppliers, and engineering teams to implement improvement actions.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Essential: Proven experience in Quality Management within engineering/manufacturing; strong knowledge of ISO9001/ISO17025; leadership experience; strong CI and audit skills; excellent communication. Demonstrate an adaptable, collaborative leadership style. Operate effectively under ambiguity and uncertainty. Promote a positive, constructive team culture. Encourage shared ownership of quality and continuous learning.
• Desirable: Engineering degree; experience in production engineering, calibration systems or supplier development.

Benefits

• Discretionary annual profit share bonus
• Holiday entitlement of 27 days plus bank holidays
• 5% employee and 5% employer contributions through our salary sacrifice workplace pension scheme with Scottish Widows
• Group Income Protection Insurance Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Death In Service Scheme
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Smart casual dress code