Job Title: Quality Manager
Location: Greater Manchester
Reporting To: Operations Manager
Hours: Monday to Friday, 39 hours (flexibility required)
Type: Full-time
Salary: Competitive
About the Role
This role is responsible for leading and developing the organisation's Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring products, processes, and systems meet internal, customer, and regulatory standards.
Combining strategic leadership with hands-on shop floor presence, the Quality Manager will drive continuous improvement, manage ISO accreditations, and ensure quality issues are effectively resolved and prevented.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Management System
1. Own and improve the QMS
2. Ensure compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
3. Lead internal and external audits
4. Maintain procedures, SOPs, and documentation
5. Implement new systems and identify further certifications
Leadership
6. Lead and develop the quality team
7. Drive consistent standards across operations
8. Provide coaching and maintain shop floor visibility
Performance & Improvement
9. Analyse quality data (NCRs, scrap, rework, complaints)
10. Develop KPIs and dashboards
11. Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions
12. Drive initiatives to reduce defects and improve output
Customer Quality
13. Act as key contact for quality issues
14. Manage complaints and produce investigation reports
15. Implement corrective and preventative actions
Non-Conformance
16. Lead internal and external investigations
17. Ensure NCR processes are followed and closed
18. Apply structured problem-solving (. 5 Whys)
Continuous Improvement
19. Work with production to reduce waste and variation
20. Promote a proactive quality culture
21. Introduce new tools, systems, and inspection methods
Day-to-Day Activities
22. Review quality performance and trends
23. Manage NCRs, complaints, and actions
24. Conduct audits and shop floor checks
25. Liaise with production and engineering
26. Prepare reports for leadership
27. Monitor improvement initiatives
28. Communicate with customers as required
Requirements
29. Experience in a Quality Manager or senior quality role in manufacturing
30. Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 and audit processes
31. Understanding of ISO 14001 (or willingness to learn)
32. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
33. Experience with root cause analysis
34. Ability to manage customer relationships professionally
35. Leadership experience
Desirable
36. Background in fabrication, welding, or engineering
37. Experience implementing QMS improvements
38. Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or similar
39. Experience introducing ISO standards
40. Understanding of inspection and measurement systems
Why Join?
41. Opportunity to lead and shape the quality function
42. Key role in a growing manufacturing environment
43. High level of ownership and responsibility
44. Culture focused on quality and continuous improvement