Plant Quality Assurance Manager (1145106

Location: Shelbyville, TN

Salary: $ USD Annually - $ USD Annually

Seeking an experienced Plant Quality Assurance (PQA) Manager to lead all plant quality activities for an automotive manufacturing facility. This individual will be responsible for overseeing the plant Quality Management System, ensuring IATF 16949 compliance, leading internal and external audits, managing customer quality requirements, and driving continuous improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate has a strong background in automotive manufacturing, extensive experience with IATF 16949, and a proven ability to partner cross-functionally with operations, engineering, supply chain, and executive leadership to deliver world-class quality performance.

• Lead the plant Quality Management System (QMS) and ensure ongoing IATF 16949 compliance and audit readiness.
• Manage internal, supplier, and customer quality activities while driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead IATF audits, internal audits, corrective actions, and quality system improvements.
• Serve as the primary quality representative for OEM customers, with an emphasis on supporting Nissan quality requirements.
• Manage customer concerns, supplier issues, root cause investigations, and implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
• Oversee Quality Engineering, Quality Assurance Laboratory, APQP, PPAP, supplier quality, and new product launch quality activities.
• Analyze quality metrics, prepare reports, and present performance updates to plant leadership and executive management.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Purchasing, and Production teams to improve product quality and manufacturing processes.
• Support supplier development, launch readiness, QCDDM audits, and supplier qualification activities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Quality Engineers, Supervisors, Technicians, and other quality personnel.
• Support OEM customer audits, supplier audits, and quality reviews while maintaining strong customer relationships.
• Drive structured problem-solving efforts utilizing methodologies such as 8D, 5 Why, Fishbone, FMEA, and other quality tools.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of quality leadership experience within automotive manufacturing.
• Extensive experience with IATF 16949 quality systems, audit preparation, compliance, and corrective actions.
• Strong knowledge of automotive quality systems, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Experience supporting automotive OEM customers, preferably including Nissan.
• Proven experience leading customer quality initiatives, supplier quality activities, and cross-functional quality improvement projects.
• Strong analytical, reporting, presentation, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing quality teams in a manufacturing environment.

• Experience with Tier 1 or Tier 2 automotive suppliers.
• Direct experience with Nissan Quality Systems and customer-specific requirements.
• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt) or equivalent continuous improvement experience.
• Experience supporting new product launches and supplier development activities.
• Multi-site quality leadership experience is a plus.

• IATF 16949
• Automotive Quality Systems
• Internal & External Audits
• APQP / PPAP
• Root Cause Analysis (8D, 5 Why, Fishbone)
• Customer & Supplier Quality
• Continuous Improvement
• Quality Metrics & Reporting
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• OEM Customer Support
• Manufacturing Quality
• Team Leadership