Quality Improvement & Capability Manager

About the role

Reporting directly to our UK Head of Excellence, you’ll act as a strategic architect for product integrity across our engineering and manufacturing functions. This is a high‑visibility role for a mentor who can bridge the gap between design intent and world‑class production, ensuring mission‑critical technology is “designed for excellence” long before it reaches the shop floor.

Salary: Circa £60,000 depending on experience.

Working arrangement: Hybrid – 3 days per week on site.

Security clearance: British Citizen or Dual UK national with British citizenship.

• Lead the shift toward a proactive, “right‑first‑time” culture, driving zero‑defect product launches.
• Own the Product Risk Mitigation strategy – utilising DFMEA to design out failures, PFMEAs/Control Plans to ensure operational excellence, and DMAIC cycles to drive continuous improvement in production yields.
• Support the quality and engineering functions through APQP toolsets, facilitating workshops and coaching teams on DFMEA and PFMEA best practices.
• Guide the transfer of “Special Characteristics” and severity ratings from design intent into practical Control Plans, partnering with manufacturing to manage risks with realistic measurement methods and robust control plans.
• Mentor teams through DMAIC cycles to stabilise production and improve yields, supporting the use of data to monitor performance and reduce variation throughout the product lifecycle.
• Lead and coach the Root Cause Analysis process, ensuring findings are fed back into FMEAs and Control Plans as living documents.
• Act as the subject‑matter expert for risk‑related audits, ensuring our risk management meets EN9100 / ISO 9001 standards and utilising Action Priority logic to prioritise engineering changes and validation testing for high‑risk items.

• 5+ years in a mission‑critical, regulated environment (Defence, Aerospace, or Automotive).
• Experience leading teams and mentoring staff on quality principles.
• Engineering background (HNC/HND or higher) with expertise in electronics, manufacturing and design.
• Excellent knowledge of EN9100 / ISO 9001 and competent in AIAG & VDA FMEA Handbook or SAE J1739 methodologies.
• Proven track record managing product risk through DFMEA, DFx, PFMEA and developing robust Control Plans.
• High proficiency in Root Cause Analysis (8D, 5‑Why) and experience using FMEA software (e.g., APIS IQ‑FMEA, Relyence).
• Lean Six Sigma, preferably Black Belt, with experience in DMAIC cycles.
• Strong influencing and facilitation skills, bridging design and shop‑floor teams to drive a “Quality First” culture.

• Company bonus up to 21% of base salary.
• Maximum total (employer and employee) pension contribution up to 14%.
• Flexible working arrangements welcomed.
• Enhanced parental leave: up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, with enhancements for paternity, neonatal leave and fertility support.
• Site facilities: subsidised meals, free car parking.
• Healthcare Cash Plan – cash back on everyday healthcare expenses.
• Private Medical Insurance – standard enrollment into company‑funded benefit.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to providing appropriate adjustments and support throughout our recruitment process.

All successful candidates will comply with national security regulations and undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS).