Lead Quality Engineer
Ampthill
Paying up to £70,000 (DOE)
Please note - due to the nature of the work, you will need to hold or be eligible to obtain a high level og UK security Clearance
Job Description
* Lead Quality bid inputs to ensure appropriate plans and funding are provisioned for any future contracts
* Define & execute the quality strategy for high‑volume cable & machining lines.
* Align quality objectives with business KPIs such as yield, cost‑of‑quality, and on‑time delivery.
* Accurate reporting of team performance and program quality matters
* Functionally manage the quality engineers on the team, including conducting regular 1‑on‑1s, performance reviews, and coaching for skill‑gap/training
* Own end‑to‑end quality assurance and control of the products within the high-volume area
* Develop an audit schedule for the area and ensure those audits are undertaken, with any corrective actions implemented
* Deploy SPC to generate dashboards/data with trend analysis and then drive corrective actions
Qualifications and experience required
* Minimum 5+ years’ experience in a manufacturing environment, including at least 2+ years in a leadership or managerial role
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with your team, stakeholders and customers
* Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, with a strong focus on mentoring, performance management, and KPI delivery
* Experience in cable manufacturing and/or precision machining is strongly preferred
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, presentations and proficient in the use of Microsoft Office tools
* Solid understanding of core quality tools and methodologies, including:
* Quality Management Plans
* PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)
* Control Plans
* FAIR (First Article Inspection Reports)
* Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools
Desirable Qualifications & Experience
* Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
* Experience with SAP, particularly the Quality Management (QM) module, or similar software tools
* Certified Internal Auditor
* Experience in supplier quality management and inspection techniques
* Experience of the use of AI in quality assurance and control