Primary objective of this position:
To lead, design and continuously improve the Company’s Quality Management System within a high-volume manufacturing environment, ensuring products consistently meet customer requirements, regulatory standards and internal performance expectations.
The role will provide strategic oversight and integration of Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) systems, ensuring alignment with Quality processes, while day-to-day compliance ownership for HSE remains with the designated responsible person.
The postholder will drive continuous improvement, reduce the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), and embed a proactive quality culture across the organisation.
Reporting to and their job title: Commercial Director
Number of reports: 2
Location: Great Bridge. You may be required to travel to other sites across the UK on an ad-hoc basis
Contracted Hours : 40 hours per week
Salary: DOE
Environment: Demanding, rapid response manufacturing unit.
Key responsibilities and performance measures for this role:
Quality Leadership & Strategy (Primary Focus)
* Design, implement and continuously develop the ISO 9001 aligned Quality Management System.
* Lead the quality agenda, ensuring measurable reductions in defects, rework, scrap, and customer complaints.
* Drive improvements in product quality and service levels to deliver excellent customer outcomes.
* Own the management of customer complaints, root cause analysis and corrective/preventative action (CAPA), ensuring timely and effective resolution.
* Establish and monitor Quality KPIs (PPM, COPQ, Right First Time, scrap rates, on-time resolution etc.).
* Drive a culture of prevention rather than detection.
Continuous Improvement & Operational Quality
* Introduce and embed best practice quality techniques at shop-floor level:
* Quality Alerts
* PDCA / structured problem solving
* Lead non-conformance investigations and support process redesign to improve performance.
* Conduct root cause analysis using structured methodologies.
* Promote data-driven decision making across production and commercial teams.
* Support operational teams in improving process repeatability, accuracy and control.
Quality Assurance & Compliance
* Support full compliance with ISO 9001 standards and maintain certification.
* Lead internal and external quality audits.
* Own quality documentation control systems.
* Conduct process capability studies and risk-based quality assessments (FMEA).
* Ensure alignment with customer-specific requirements and industry standards.
QHSE Systems Integration (Oversight & Alignment)
* Ensure Quality processes are integrated with Health, Safety and Environmental systems.
* Provide governance-level oversight of QHSE policies and management systems.
* Support cross-functional alignment between Quality and HSE to ensure consistent standards and behaviours.
* Contribute to risk management planning across Quality and operational processes.
* Support external audits where Quality interfaces with HSE systems.
(Note: Day-to-day H&S and Environmental compliance activities remain managed by the designated responsible person.)
Culture, Engagement & Leadership
* Provide visible leadership in Quality standards, behaviours and systems of work.
* Promote a positive quality culture through engagement, training and coaching.
* Influence cross-functional teams to drive accountability for quality performance.
* Constructively challenge existing processes to reduce bureaucracy and improve outcomes.
….and any other duties required to support the achievement of the Company’s objectives
Minimum Qualifications / Experience required:
Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality or related field (desirable, not essential)
Lead Auditor qualification would be ideal (ISO 9001)
Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt desirable)
5 years plus experience within a fast manufacturing environment
Key behavioural competencies:
Data analysis capability
Audit planning and execution
Risk management and FMEA
Hands on leader
Additional skill requirements:
Strong communication skills (cross-functional influence)
Attention to detail
Ability to challenge constructively