Quality Manager

Tekever; Swindon; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Pension contribution match up to 10%

25 days annual leave

Private medical insurance

Private dental care

Employee assistance programme

Hybrid working model

Job summary

TEKEVER Swindon seeks a hands-on Quality Manager to lead day-to-day quality management and assurance in the Swindon manufacturing operation, establishing robust, clearly defined and controlled processes that meet AS9100 requirements and ensure safe, repeatable delivery of conforming product.

You will work closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Supply Chain and the UK QSHE team to translate requirements into effective shop-floor controls, FAIRs, nonconformance handling and sustained

Qualifications

• Experience in Aerospace/Defence manufacturing environments.
• AS9100 and ISO 9001 knowledge and applying requirements in production.
• Experience preparing, reviewing or approving FAIRs and applying AS9102 requirements.
• Ability to define and deploy manufacturing processes with controls, measures and interfaces.
• Proven ability to lead nonconformance, root-cause and corrective action through to closure.
• Experience leading Kaizen, Lean or structured continual-improvement activity in manufacturing."
• Knowledge of production quality controls such as inspection planning, traceability, configuration control, calibration, preservation and release.
• Strong communicator who can work across production, engineering, supply chain and leadership teams.
• Balance shop-floor priorities with longer-term system development and certification readiness activity.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation and improvement of the Quality Management System in Swindon, aligned with AS9100 and ISO 9001.
• Define, map and improve manufacturing and quality processes with clear ownership and controls.
• Plan, coordinate and approve First Article Inspection activity and FAIRs per AS9102 and customer requirements.
• Embed quality planning into new product introduction and production readiness.
• Establish inspection, verification, acceptance and release controls with traceability.
• Lead nonconforming materials control, containment and disposition.
• Drive corrective action using root-cause methods and verify effectiveness.
• Lead Kaizen and continual-improvement to reduce defects and waste.
• Plan and conduct QMS audits and support customer and regulatory audits.
• Support monitoring resources, traceability and change control with proper documentation.
• Collaborate with Supplier Quality and Supply Chain to resolve nonconformities and maintain production continuity.

Skills

Quality Management

AS9100

ISO 9001

FAIRs

Root Cause

Kaizen

Audit Planning

Cross-functional Communication

Job description

Are you ready to revolutionise the world with TEKEVER?

At TEKEVER, we lead innovation in Europe as the European leader in unmanned technology, where cutting-edge advancements meet unparalleled innovation.

Digital | Defence | Security | Space

We operate across four strategic areas, combining artificial intelligence, systems engineering, data science, and aerospace technology to tackle global challenges - from protecting people and critical infrastructure to exploring space.

We offer a unique surveillance-as-a-service solution that delivers real-time intelligence, enhancing maritime safety and saving lives. Our products and services support strategic and operational decisions in the most demanding environments — whether at sea, on land, in space, or in cyberspace.

Become part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary, and mission-driven team that is transforming maritime surveillance and redefining global safety standards.

At TEKEVER, our mission is to provide limitless support through mission-oriented game-changers, delivering the right information at the right time to empower critical decision-making.

If you're passionate about technology and eager to shape the future — TEKEVER is the place for you.

About us

TEKEVER is redefining how autonomous systems are designed, built and deployed in Defence and security environments.

Our work brings together software, hardware, integration and operational deployment in a highly regulated environment, where quality, traceability and assurance are critical to mission success.

The role

We are seeking a hands-on Quality Manager to lead day-to-day quality management and assurance within our Swindon manufacturing operation. You will help establish robust, clearly defined and controlled manufacturing processes that meet AS9100 requirements and support safe, repeatable delivery of conforming product.

Working closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, Design Engineering and the wider UK QSHE team, you will translate requirements into effective shop-floor controls, objective evidence and sustainable improvement. The role combines management-system ownership with practical production support, including First Article Inspection Reports (FAIRs), nonconformance control, root-cause analysis and Kaizen-based improvement.

What you'll be doing

• Lead the implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the Quality Management System within the Swindon manufacturing environment, aligned with AS9100 and ISO 9001.

• Define, map and improve manufacturing and quality processes, including clear ownership, inputs, outputs, controls, measures, risks, records and interfaces.

• Plan, coordinate, review and approve First Article Inspection activity and FAIRs in accordance with AS9102 and applicable customer requirements.

• Embed quality planning into new product introduction, production readiness, transfer of work and changes to product or process.

• Establish effective inspection, verification, acceptance and release controls, ensuring objective evidence is complete, accurate and traceable.

• Lead the control of nonconforming outputs, including containment, review, disposition, escalation and prevention of unintended use or delivery.

• Drive corrective action using structured root-cause methods such as 5 Whys, Ishikawa and 8D, including verification of action effectiveness.

• Lead practical Kaizen and continual-improvement activity to reduce defects, variation, rework, waste and process inefficiency.

• Plan and conduct process, product and QMS audits, and support customer, regulatory and certification-body audits.

• Support control of monitoring and measuring resources, product identification and traceability, preservation, configuration and change control.

• Work with Supplier Quality and Supply Chain teams to resolve supplier-related nonconformities and protect production continuity.

What we're looking for

Strong quality-management experience in an Aerospace, Defence or similarly regulated manufacturing environment.

• Practical working knowledge of AS9100 and ISO 9001, with experience applying requirements within production.

• Demonstrable experience preparing, reviewing or approving FAIRs and applying AS9102 requirements.

• Experience defining and deploying manufacturing or business processes, including process mapping, control plans, measures and documented information.

• Proven ability to lead nonconformance, root-cause and corrective-action activity through to effective closure.

• Experience leading Kaizen, Lean or other structured continual-improvement activity in a manufacturing setting.

• Good understanding of production quality controls such as inspection planning, traceability, configuration control, calibration, preservation and release.

• Confident communicator who can work constructively across production, engineering, supply chain and leadership teams.

• Comfortable balancing immediate shop-floor priorities with longer-term system development and certification-readiness activity.

Nice to have

• Experience of UAS, aircraft, complex electromechanical assemblies, composite manufacture, additive manufacturing or other low-volume, high-complexity aerospace production environments.

• IRCA or CQI-recognised auditor or lead auditor qualification for AS9100 or ISO 9001 or Chartered Quality Professional.

• Experience with APQP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, SPC or production-part approval methods.

• Knowledge of defence customer assurance, AQAP requirements or Ministry of Defence contracting environments.

• Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen practitioner or equivalent improvement qualification.

• Experience supporting the establishment, transfer or scale-up of a new manufacturing facility.

Our approach to quality

At TEKEVER, quality is built into how we work - not inspected at the end.
We apply a process-driven, risk-based approach, ensuring conformity is achieved through disciplined engineering, strong supplier control and robust evidence.

What we have to offer you:

At TEKEVER, we offer a comprehensive package designed to reward, support, and develop our people. This includes a highly competitive salary with a discretionary annual bonus and a company pension contribution match of up to 10%. To support your wellbeing, we provide 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, Private Medical Insurance (with optional family cover), Private Dental care, and an Employee Assistance Programme.

We are deeply committed to investing in future talent; our scale allows us to provide clear career development opportunities and dedicated initiatives to boost your skill sets, ensuring you remain future-ready for the evolving workplace. Furthermore, our team enjoys a flexible hybrid working model, typically three days a week at our core UK sites like Bristol, and access to a bespoke rewards platform featuring a variety of high street discounts and salary sacrifice schemes, including Electric Car, Cycle to Work, and Technology options.

Do you want to know more about us?

Visit our LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/tekever/