Quality Manager

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

Hours: 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Permanent | Full-Time

Quality Manager - Drive Standards. Develop People. Deliver Excellence.

Nicholas Associates are pleased to be partnering with a highly successful engineering and manufacturing business in the appointment of a Quality Manager.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Quality professional to take the lead on quality performance across a growing manufacturing operation, with real scope to influence processes, develop people and drive lasting improvement.

You will lead a team of Quality Engineers and Technicians, working closely with Production, Engineering, Design and Procurement to ensure quality is built into the process from the outset.

The focus is firmly on prevention. You'll be expected to challenge the status quo, use data to understand performance and ensure problems are properly solved rather than repeatedly contained.

You'll take ownership of the Quality function, ensuring robust systems, standards and processes are in place and consistently followed.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading, coaching and developing the Quality Engineering and Technician teams.
• Driving a strong right-first-time and no-fault-forward culture.
• Leading root cause investigations and corrective actions using 8D, Practical Problem Solving and other structured methodologies.
• Maintaining and improving the ISO 9001 Quality Management System and internal audit programme.
• Developing effective inspection, measurement, calibration and quality assurance processes.
• Using SPC, process capability and statistical analysis to identify trends and drive improvement.
• Developing supplier quality through auditing, performance management and corrective action.
• Ensuring Quality is embedded within APQP, PPAP and new product introduction activity.
• Managing customer quality concerns through robust containment, investigation and permanent preventative action.
• Establishing and reporting meaningful quality KPIs to support operational decision making.

We're looking for an established Quality Manager or senior Quality professional who can combine strong technical knowledge with confident people leadership.

Ideally, you'll have:

• A relevant Quality, Engineering or technical qualification at Level 4 or above, or equivalent experience.
• Proven experience leading a Quality function within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
• Experience with in automotive, aerospace or another technically demanding manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Practical experience of 8D, root cause analysis and structured problem solving.
• Good understanding of PFMEA and DFMEA.
• Knowledge of APQP, PPAP and DMAIC.
• Experience using SPC, Cpk/Ppk and statistical techniques to improve process performance.
• Experience developing and managing supplier quality.
• Strong understanding of ISO 9001 and internal auditing.
• Experience working with MRP or manufacturing systems would be advantageous.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the confidence to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong coaching and people-management skills, with a genuine desire to develop others.
• A proactive, analytical and commercially minded approach to quality and continuous improvement.

Most importantly, you'll be a hands-on and credible leader who can challenge constructively, bring people with you and turn quality improvement plans into measurable results.

In return, you'll join a successful and forward-thinking engineering business where you will have genuine influence over the future direction of the Quality function.

The package includes:

• Annual business performance bonus.
• 25…