Quality Manager in Birmingham

Our client has been established for more than 50 years and are recognised market leaders in the manufacture of low volume, high precision complex machined parts for a range of aerospace and automotive applications, and are now seeking to recruit an experienced Quality Manager to complement their professional team. Based in Birmingham and reporting to the Operations Director, the successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring that aerospace products are manufactured in compliance with customer requirements, regulatory standards, and internal quality management systems.

The Quality Manager role provides leadership to quality inspectors and manufacturing teams, driving a culture of right-first-time manufacturing, continuous improvement, and compliance with AS9100, customer specifications, and aerospace regulatory requirements. Acting as the primary quality representative within production areas and working closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain and customers to resolve quality issues, reduce defects, and improve overall manufacturing performance, core duties of this varied and challenging Quality Manager role will include:

• Quality Leadership: Leading and supporting a team of Quality Inspectors and Technicians, promoting a proactive quality culture focused on prevention rather than detection. Providing coaching and guidance to manufacturing teams on quality standards and best practices, and supporting recruitment, training, competency development and performance management of quality personnel.
• Manufacturing Quality Assurance: Ensuring products are manufactured in accordance with engineering drawings, specifications, procedures, and customer requirements, and monitoring production processes to ensure compliance with aerospace quality standards, reviewing and approving manufacturing documentation, inspection records, and quality reports whilst driving adherence to FAI requirements in accordance with AS9102.
• Non-Conformance Management: Leading investigations into internal, customer, and supplier non-conformances and facilitating RCA using methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why and Fishbone (Ishikawa) Analysis and ensuring timely implementation and verification of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) whilst supporting Material Review Board (MRB) activities and disposition of non-conforming products.
• Continuous Improvement: Identifying opportunities to improve product quality, process capability, and operational efficiency and supporting Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives. Analysing quality data and KPIs to identify trends and drive improvement activities and reducing Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), scrap, rework, and customer escapes.
• Audits and Compliance: Supporting and leading internal audits in line with AS9100 requirements and participating in customer, regulatory, and third-party audits. Also ensuring compliance with aerospace, regulatory, and customer-specific requirements, and supporting the maintenance of the Quality Management System (QMS).
• Customer and Supplier Quality: Acting as a key point of contact for customer quality concerns and corrective actions and supporting customer visits and quality reviews. Working with Supplier Quality teams to address supplier-related quality issues and drive improvements and ensuring effective containment and communication of quality concerns.

It is envisaged the successful Quality Manager will demonstrate at least 5 years of experience of leading quality teams within an aerospace manufacturing quality environment with a strong background in machining, assembly, precision manufacturing or aerospace production processes and experience of RCA investigation and corrective actions. Essentially you will demonstrate relevant engineering qualifications and a Lead Auditor qualification or QBE, and solid knowledge of AS9100 QMS and AS9102 FAI experience.