Director Quality

General Tool Company; Kentucky; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ownership For All

Ownership stake from day one

Equal Opportunity Employer

Job summary

General Tool Company in Ohio seeks a Director of Quality to lead the QA, QC, and NDT teams across aerospace and defense manufacturing. You will own the QMS, align with AS9100 and ISO 9001, and drive strategic quality initiatives while cultivating a culture where quality is everyone's responsibility.

This executive role reports to the COO, overseeing certifications, audits, and product quality as shipments meet exact specifications.

Qualifications

• Ten+ years of experience in QA systems development, implementation, and management.
• At least five years as a quality manager in a manufacturing environment.
• Aerospace/defense or contract manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.
• CQE or CQM certification puts you at the front of the line.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full Quality organization — QC, QA, and NDT — with oversight and strategic direction.
• Administer and improve the QMS to ensure AS9100/ISO 9001 compliance and audits.
• Develop quality performance measures and communicate policy updates and metrics across the organization.
• Foster a pervasive culture of quality where everyone owns quality.
• Represent GTC professionally with customers, regulators, and auditors.

Skills

Quality leadership

Quality management

Six Sigma Black Belt

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

CQE or CQM certification

Job description

Director Quality

Full-time Regular Reading, OH, US

4 days ago Requisition ID: 1230

Quality Director — Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing
Executive Leadership | Reports to COO | Full-Time

Quality Isn't a Department at GTC. It's a Culture. You'll Lead It.

At GTC, quality runs through everything — every part, every process, every customer relationship, every audit. The Quality Director is the executive who owns that standard across the entire organization: leading Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Non-Destructive Testing, serving as the Management Representative for AS9100 and ISO 9001, and making sure that when our products ship, they ship exactly right.

This is a role for a quality leader who thinks strategically, leads with authority, and builds the kind of culture where quality isn't something the QC department worries about — it's something everyone owns.

And through our Ownership For All program, the culture you build here is one you have a personal stake in. Every eligible full-time employee receives an ownership stake in GTC. From day one, you're not just joining a team. You're becoming an owner. Your wins aren't just good for the company. They're good for you.

What You'll Do

• You'll manage the full Quality organization — QC, QA, and NDT — through subordinate supervisors and direct oversight, setting direction, deploying resources effectively, and making sure every part of the quality function is operating at the level defense and aerospace customers demand.
• On the Quality Management System side, you'll administer and continuously improve GTC's QMS to ensure compliance with all applicable standards, lead and organize all AS9100 and ISO 9001 certification and surveillance audits, drive every finding to closure, and serve as GTC's Management Representative for all related activities.
• You'll support AS13100 activities including self-assessments and customer audits, develop quality performance measurements and internal auditing programs, and communicate policy changes, program updates, and quality metrics across the organization clearly and consistently.
• On the leadership side, you'll build and sustain a pervasive, visible culture of quality where every person at GTC — not just the quality team — understands that quality is their responsibility.
• You'll develop departmental strategy and vision, drive continuous improvement initiatives grounded in data, create and manage quality education and awareness programs at every level, and establish performance controls for your direct reports that are clear, measurable, and meaningful.
• You'll represent GTC with professionalism and integrity in every interaction with customers, suppliers, regulators, and independent auditors — because how we show up in those rooms directly shapes our reputation and our ability to win future business.

What You Bring

• Ten or more years of experience in QA systems development, implementation, and management — with at least five of those years as a quality manager in a manufacturing environment— is the foundation.
• Aerospace, defense, or contract manufacturing experience is strongly preferred, and CQE or CQM certification puts you at the front of the line.
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification is a meaningful plus.
• You hold a bachelor's degree in mechanical, industrial, or manufacturing engineering, business administration, or a related field. Certified Quality Manager or related industrial recognition, and you bring well-developed business acumen alongside your technical expertise.
• You've built and led teams, facilitated cross-functional improvement initiatives, and navigated customer and regulatory audits with the kind of composure and professionalism that leaves GTC better positioned every time.
• You build positive relationships in every direction — with your team, with the COO, with customers, and with the auditors sitting across the table.

Why GTC

An executive quality leadership role with genuine organizational scope — you'll own the QMS, the culture, the certifications, and the team. A direct reporting line to the COO and a seat at the table where strategic decisions get made. A company that has already built quality into its identity and needs a leader who will take it to the next level. Work that supports defense and aerospace programs where quality isn't just expected — it's required by law. And through Ownership For All, a real stake in the organization you're leading. From day one, you're not just the Quality Director here. You're an owner.

GTC is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. All applicants are considered based on experience and knowledge, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital status, disability, or veteran status. We are committed to a