Project Quality Manager

Apex Search Group; Michigan; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Apex Search Group is seeking a Project & Quality Manager to lead cross-functional initiatives, drive PLC and quality standards, and coordinate activities between U.S. customers, the local team, and HQ in China.

Fluency in Mandarin Chinese is required for effective communication and coordination, with strong stakeholder management across borders. In this role you will own project planning, schedule management, and delivery, ensure timely quality compliance, and maintain documentation and status

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 5+ years in project management, quality assurance, or technical operations.
• Experience interfacing with customers in a technical or industrial environment.
• Strong organizational and negotiation skills with cross-functional influence.
• Familiarity with industrial automation, robotics, or manufacturing systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 or equivalent quality systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Act as customer-facing project representative for delivery timelines, quality status, and escalations.
• Lead customer meetings, provide progress updates, and align expectations across the lifecycle.
• Gather customer feedback and translate into requirements for HQ and local teams.
• Own project planning, scheduling, and execution for U.S. customers.
• Track milestones, deliverables, and budgets to ensure on-time completion.
• Maintain project documentation and provide frequent progress reports to management.
• Own the quality management process in the U.S., coordinating with quality vendors.
• Ensure compliance with ISO and internal standards.
• Coordinate cross-border with China HQ and U.S. teams.

Skills

Project management

Quality assurance

Customer interface

Cross-functional teams

Negotiation skills

Mandarin Chinese

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ISO 9001 knowledge

Job description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Project & Quality Manager plays a pivotal role in leading cross-functional projects, ensuring that product life cycle (PLC) and quality standards are consistently met. This position is charged with driving accountability across global teams by managing project execution, enforcing quality processes, and coordinating activities among U.S. customers, the local team, and headquarters in China. The individual must be adept at moving projects forward, influencing stakeholders, and maintaining rigorous follow-through, even when navigating language and cultural differences. Fluency in Mandarin Chinese is required for effective communication and coordination.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Interface & Communication

• Act as the customer-facing project representative for delivery timelines, quality
• status, and escalations.
• Lead customer meetings, provide progress updates, and ensure expectations are
• aligned throughout the project lifecycle.
• Gather customer feedback and translate it into actionable requirements for HQ and
• local teams.
• Maintain professionalism in managing customer concerns, ensuring timely
• resolution.

Project Management & Delivery

• Own project planning, scheduling, and execution for U.S. customers.
• Drive accountability from HQ teams, escalating issues to leadership when
• deadlines or quality standards are at risk.
• Track milestones, deliverables, and budgets to ensure on-time project completion.
• Maintain structured project documentation and provide frequent progress reports to
• management.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Own the quality management process in the U.S. market, including coordination
• with quality vendors.
• Develop and administer policies and procedures for evaluating and improving the
• quality of products, materials, components, and/or manufacturing processes.
• Make recommendations to ensure production runs meet established quality
• standards and predicted yields.
• Ensure employees and vendors follow established procedures and complete quality
• assurance work within time and budgetary constraints.
• Conduct inspections, audits, and reviews to confirm compliance with company and
• customer requirements.
• May be responsible for ensuring products meet international quality standards such
• as ISO 9001.
• Work across multiple quality assurance disciplines to resolve issues, improve
• processes, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Cross-Border Team Coordination

• Serve as the project driver, holding China HQ accountable for deliverables.
• Overcome communication gaps by setting clear expectations, using structured
• reporting, and ensuring consistent follow-up.
• Partner with U.S. Sales, Technical Support, and Applications Engineering teams to
• align project outcomes with customer needs.
• Provide leadership visibility into risks, delays, and quality issues with proactive
• recommendations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in project management, quality assurance, or technical
• operations.
• Experience interfacing directly with customers in a technical or industrial
• environment.
• Strong organizational and negotiation skills, with proven ability to influence cross
• functional teams.
• Familiarity with industrial automation, robotics, or manufacturing systems
• preferred.
• Knowledge of quality management systems (ISO 9001 or equivalent) a plus.

Preferred Attributes

• Mandarin Chinese language skills preferred, but not required.
• Confident and professional presence in customer-facing situations.
• Cross-cultural communication skills; able to manage global stakeholders effectively.
• Persistent, proactive, and solution-oriented mindset.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed.