Quality Manager in Whitstable

This is a critical dual-site leadership role across both our sites based in Kent. The Quality Manager holds full quality accountability for both our Whitstable (S&F) and Snodland (VP) sites – driving a single, unified quality culture across two distinct operations and product families. Working in close partnership with Engineering & Operations, this role leads the charge on tackling current quality challenges, embedding robust processes & procedures, and accelerating continuous improvement across the full product lifecycle at both sites. The Quality Manager ensures our products are safe, reliable and consistently meet customer expectations – challenging processes, equipment and people to raise capability, reliability and performance, while maintaining design and manufacturing excellence at pace and scale. With direct influence over both sites, this role is pivotal to Swegon’s operational integrity and quality leadership.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Overall Quality accountability across both the Whitstable (S&F) and Snodland (VP) sites, ensuring consistent product and process adherence, quality standards, metrics and reporting accuracy at each location.
• Set and improve the organisation quality metrics, including Scrap, Warranty cost and cost of poor quality.
• Coach and lead structured problem solving workshops using tools such as 6 sigma / 8D / 5 whys / Process flow cause and effect.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement across both sites, setting clear targets and holding teams accountable for progress.
• Work with Procurement & Design teams to set supplier standards and lead supplier audit programme.
• Provide guidance and leadership to the Quality Engineers and inspectors on a daily basis, driving measurement equipment utilisation and standards.
• Take overall responsibility for ISO 9001 and 14001 compliance audits and site quality standards.
• Work with Design teams to ensure quality is involved throughout the product lifecycle.
• Support NCR (Non conformance Report) process to implement improvements.
• Play an active and influential role in the Operations management team.

Essential Experience

• At least 10 years in a quality engineering role within a manufacturing company.
• Strong product and technical background – ideally gained in a metal fabrication and production environment.
• People management skills and experience.
• Knowledge of TS16949, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and PPAPs would be highly desirable.

Essential Qualifications

• Formal further education in an Engineering / scientific discipline such as engineering degree or HND.
• Evidence of structured training in a Quality discipline such as Statistical process control / Six Sigma Green or Black belt.

Equal Opportunities Statement

We are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation, in line with the Equality Act 2010. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates and are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and accessible to all. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

We offer

At Swegon, we work to create the world's best indoor climate that makes people thrive and feel good inside. We have ambitious goals in our sustainability efforts, in offering the most energy-efficient products, promoting gender equality, and becoming carbon neutral, and we have clear transparency in our work. We offer exciting challenges in a global environment with competent colleagues and a culture characterized by our values; "Customer Empathy, Trust, and Commitment," which permeate everything we do and are the basis for the decisions we make and how we interact with each other. At Swegon, we have an open and flexible organizational culture with short decision-making processes, plenty of development opportunities, and we care about you being able to balance your work with your personal life. We place great emphasis on personal qualities, welcome applicants with different backgrounds, and strive for diversity and gender equality.