Quality Manager

Niftylift Ltd; High Hoyland; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days leave

Pension 5%

Annual bonus

Healthcare

Life insurance

Cycle to Work

Referral scheme

Job summary

Niftylift Ltd, based at the Hoyland manufacturing facility, seeks a Quality Manager to lead a team of Quality Engineers and Technicians. You will develop and oversee systems ensuring products and processes meet regulatory, industry and customer standards, with a focus on proactive quality improvements.

You will drive internal audits, PPAP/APQP involvement, supplier quality programs, and cross-functional collaboration with design, production and procurement to prevent issues and sustain quality

Qualifications

• Quality Management qualification or Engineering background with level 4+.
• Strong leadership in a quality function within Automotive, Aerospace & Engineering.
• Experience with Kaizen/LEAN/Six Sigma problem solving.
• Knowledge of DFMEA/PFMEA and PPAP processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor Quality Technicians and Engineers, ensuring standards and procedures are followed.
• Organise staff with health & safety, training and coverage for quality output.
• Apply quality tools (fishbone, Pareto, C&E, DOE) and statistical methods.
• Utilise SPC, Cpk/Ppk, PPAP, AQL and related sampling plans.
• Foster a no-fault-forward culture across internal and external supply chains.
• Measure, report and manage KPIs within manufacturing cells and site quality.
• Conduct internal audits and maintain ISO 9001 documentation.

Skills

Leadership

Kaizen/Lean/Six Sigma

DFMEA/PFMEA

DMAIC

MRP QM Modules

Communication skills

Team management

Education

Quality Management qualification

Engineering

Technical discipline (level 4+)

Tools

Fishbone diagram

Pareto charts

C&E matrix

Hypothesis testing

Control charting

ANOVA

DOE

Sampling methods

Process capability

PPAP

AQL

Job description

About the Role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Quality Manager to join our growing friendly team, at Niftylift. The role is based at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Hoyland, Barnsley. We offer competitive pay rates, excellent working conditions, business performance bonus, 25 days holiday which increases with service, plus bank holidays, healthcare & benefits scheme, 5% contributory pension, a death in service life insurance scheme and subsidised refreshments (lunch and drinks). Niftylift Limited is one of the world's leading privately owned designers and manufacturers of mobile elevated work platforms. Our customer base is global, with products sold and locally supported in over 40 different countries. This success is comprehensively supported by a team of over 400 full-time members of staff across our three UK centres of excellence / manufacturing sites in the UK. Please see https://www.niftylift.com/uk/careers/vacancies. The Quality Manager will lead a team of Quality Engineers and Technicians develop and oversee systems that ensure Niftylift's products and processes consistently meet strict regulatory compliance, industry standards and customer expectations.

Main Tasks of the Role:

Team Management:

• To manage, mentor and coach the Quality Technicians and Quality Engineering team, through structured, defined and agreed standards / procedures. Ensure internal company standards and procedures are developed, audited and complied with.
• Efficient organisation and utilisation of staff, including compliance with health and safety standards, skills flexibility, training, planning and cover to maintain quality support / output.
• Develop the use of strong problem solving and statistical analysis skills using a variety of quality engineering tools such as fish-bone, pareto charts, C&E matrix, hypothesis testing, control charting, ANOVA, DOE, sampling methods, and process capability.
• Ability to comprehend and apply principles of statistics with demonstrated application of statistical theory and sampling plans (e.g. SPC, Cpk/Ppk, PPAP, AQL, OC curves, etc.) preferred. Ability to define problem, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Develop a no fault forward culture and systems, within each step of the internal (R&D and Production) and external (supply base) supply chain.
• Measuring, reporting and managing key performance indicators both within the team, the manufacturing cells and for the site quality.

Internal Systems:

• Ensure that investigations for internal (where root cause is not already factually known and preventable) quality concerns are timely, involve the appropriate staff, determine true root cause and have appropriate countermeasures developed using structured problem-solving tools (8D working and Practical Problem Solving).
• Develop build quality from within the design and processes employed. Support 'adherence' through defined in process inspection, and HQD inspection method / pass & fail clarification systems. Development of electronic systems for live inspection requirements within Q.A.
• Maintain and develop BS EN ISO9001 manual and procedures. Plan and conduct internal audits in line with the company's schedule of Quality Systems Management to ensure all departments, including the production cells comply with the declared methods, practices and standards, assisting in developing proactive improvement measures when required. Audit / reporting of production weld parameter settings.
• Develop and maintain a structured successful internal quality note (IQN) system, to be used between all internal functions of the business, including traceability and measurement of issues and responses, and prevention approvals, being tracked and presented between stakeholder meetings and centrally.
• Challenge and drive for true prevention only before closing.
• Jig / fixture / component inspection audit program to be implemented with a set structured calendar of calibration check periods, for all jigs and fixtures.
• Development of more efficient / effective measuring systems and inspection equipment where justifiable. Management of calibration system.
• Management and reporting of primary quality performance measures / indicators.
• Support stakeholder meetings daily.

Suppliers (supply chain):

• Supplier Quality Assurance auditing and development program and reporting, to a common developed focussed company standard and scoring system, which details all aspects, and removes any chance of misinterpretation / opinion (between audit points or different auditors), and is based upon clear detailed facts.
• Ensure that purchased material supplies meet internal and customer expectations against objective and subjective quality expectations. Liaise with Design, Production Engineering and Procurement to ensure that component drawings and/or specifications issued by them are appropriate for Suppliers and meet the required quality standards.
• Support development of quality standard specifications for Suppliers, against which their products will be audited to ensure their design and specification compliance. Coach, coordinate and track the application of efficient root cause analysis techniques of Suppliers, addressing issues and effectively implementing resolutions if internal Niftylift encounter issues.
• New product / part introduction. Ensure the involvement of the Quality function in APQP processes and the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), for new product introduction, and ensure potential future product quality concerns are highlighted, escalated and resolved.
• Develop and maintain a structured external quality note / reject note system with the supply base (aligned to company standards), which includes back charging all costs (subject to supply contract). Each quality note raised to achieve an approved structured corrective and preventative action from the supplier.

Customers (supply chain):

• Quality parts, correct to specification shipment only. Prevention of non-conforming parts delivered to build lines. Understanding of the cost, impact and seriousness where this has not been achieved.
• Importance of avoidance (contain at site) and where not avoided, prevented from reoccurrence.
• Robust prevention culture and systems to be implemented throughout the Hoyland business, including structured investigation and response reporting to all Quality Note / Quality Rejects raised by the customer supplied to sites. Containment and approved (by customer site) prevention required by the internal customer site, before closing QN/ QR' s.
• Pro-active collaboration with Niftylift Milton Keynes Quality Manager and Quality Team to establish joint product standards, problem solving and preventative solution opportunities. Ensure policies and procedures align with Niftylift Standards.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Quality Management qualification or Engineering or an equivalent level of qualification in a technical discipline, to level 4 or above.
• Leadership experience in a quality function within Automotive, Aerospace & Engineering.
• Excellent capability with Kaizen/LEAN/Six Sigma problem resolution techniques
• Excellent understanding of development techniques for parts and processes e.g.: Design Failure Mode Effect Analysis (DFMEA) and Process Failure Mode Effect Analysis (PFMEA)
• Understanding of Six Sigma and the related DMAIC approach would be beneficial
• Understanding of MRP / Manufacturing Systems and QM Modules and/or willingness to undertake specific training and development in this area.

Characteristics:

• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including a good level of presentation skills (verbal & written), but focussed and summarised on a need-to-know basis where relevant.
• Maintain a professional direct and indirect approach with all members of the company. Credibility at all levels within the operations business. Focussed on the management of quality within each sector.
• Excellent man management skills, including the ability to act as a coach to the team and provide encouragement and support.
• Decision making based on overall business requirements and best practice. Able to work to tight timescales and under pressure, whilst maintain a calm, prioritised and structured approach to all tasks / issues.
• Self-motivated and task orientated.

Working Hours & Salary:

• Working hours for the role are 40 per week (07:30 - 16:30, Monday - Thursday and 07:30 - 13:30 on Friday).

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave + bank holiday (holiday entitlement increases with service)
• 5% Contributory Pension scheme
• Annual bonus
• Healthcare Scheme
• Death in Service Life Insurance Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Referral Scheme