Automotive Plant Quality Lead | Team Leadership & Compliance

Confident Search Consultants; Warren (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Confident Search Consultants is seeking a Plant Quality Lead for a Michigan automotive manufacturing site. You will lead the Quality Engineering team, ensure IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 compliance, and drive continuous improvement across operations, engineering, and supplier interfaces.

You will oversee audits, corrective actions, APQP/PPAP activities, and quality metrics such as PPM and cost of poor quality, while promoting a culture of accountability and hands-on leadership on the shop floor.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, quality, manufacturing or related field preferred.
• 5+ years quality experience in automotive manufacturing or supplier environments.
• Minimum 2–3 years supervisory or direct people-management experience.
• Experience leading and developing Quality Engineers.
• Strong knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 9001, and automotive customer requirements.
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, MSA, and 8D.
• Experience managing customer quality issues, audits and corrective actions.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop the plant Quality Engineering team.
• Set team priorities and hold members accountable for results.
• Ensure daily quality activities meet customer and internal requirements.
• Maintain and improve the Quality Management System to IATF 16949 standards.
• Lead resolution of customer complaints, corrective actions, and 8D responses.
• Drive root cause analysis and preventive actions for defects.
• Oversee APQP, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans, SPC, and MSA activities.
• Monitor quality metrics like PPM, scrap, and cost of poor quality.
• Lead internal, external, and customer audits.
• Collaborate with Operations and Engineering to reduce defects.
• Communicate performance and improvement initiatives to plant leadership.
• Promote a culture of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Quality leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Root cause analysis

IATF 16949 knowledge

ISO 9001 knowledge

Audits

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Quality/Manufacturing

Tools

APQP

PPAP

FMEA

Control Plans

SPC

MSA

8D

Job description

Confident Search Consultants is seeking a Plant Quality Lead for a Michigan automotive manufacturing site. You will lead the Quality Engineering team, ensure IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 compliance, and drive continuous improvement across operations, engineering, and supplier interfaces.

You will oversee audits, corrective actions, APQP/PPAP activities, and quality metrics such as PPM and cost of poor quality, while promoting a culture of accountability and hands-on leadership on the shop floor.