Quality Engineering Manager

Plastic Executive Recruiters; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Plastic Executive Recruiters seeks an experienced Quality Manager to lead the quality function and QMS at a western Pennsylvania manufacturing facility. The role drives product and process quality, audits, and a culture of continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate will oversee plant-wide quality performance, align with customer and regulatory requirements, and partner with Operations, Engineering, and corporate quality resources to ensure consistent quality standards and customer satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's overall quality strategy and performance.
• Drive initiatives designed to reduce defects, waste, variation, and cost of poor quality.
• Establish and monitor quality metrics and KPIs aligned with operational objectives.
• Promote a proactive, process-oriented quality culture throughout the facility.
• Lead cross-functional root-cause analysis and improvement initiatives.
• Own and maintain the site's Quality Management System and ensure its ongoing effectiveness.
• Develop and improve quality procedures, documentation, records, and training programs.
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements, internal standards, and applicable regulations.
• Lead internal audits and coordinate customer, corporate, certification, and regulatory audits.
• Manage corrective and preventive action processes and ensure effective resolution of nonconformances.
• Continuously improve quality systems, processes, and compliance programs.
• Act as the primary quality contact for customer audits, assessments, reviews, and escalations.
• Lead investigations into customer complaints and quality issues.
• Coordinate customer inspections, testing, and other quality-related activities.
• Ensure timely root-cause analysis, corrective action, and issue closure.
• Develop strong customer relationships through responsiveness, transparency, and measurable improvements.
• Establish and improve manufacturing quality controls, inspection methods, and testing strategies.
• Lead PFMEA activities for new and existing products and processes.
• Analyze quality data and trends to identify improvement opportunities.
• Partner with Engineering and Operations to improve process capability and reduce variation.
• Support the implementation of effective process controls and standardized work.
• Lead and develop the site's Quality team, including quality assurance, quality control, inspection, testing, and continuous improvement personnel.
• Provide coaching, training, and performance management for quality team members.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability for quality performance.
• Foster strong collaboration between Quality, Operations, Engineering, and other functional teams.
• High-visibility leadership role with direct influence on plant quality performance.
• Opportunity to drive meaningful improvements across manufacturing operations.
• Collaborative environment with experienced Operations, Engineering, and Quality professionals.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• Potential for professional growth within a larger manufacturing organization.

Job description

A global manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Quality Manager to lead the quality function and Quality Management System (QMS) at its manufacturing facility in western Pennsylvania. This position will be responsible for driving product and process quality, ensuring compliance with customer and regulatory requirements, leading audits, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Position Summary

The Quality Manager will oversee plant-wide quality performance and the effectiveness of the site's Quality Management System. This individual will work closely with Operations, Engineering, customers, and corporate quality resources to ensure products and manufacturing processes consistently meet established quality standards and customer expectations.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on quality leader who is comfortable working directly within a manufacturing environment, possesses strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, and has a demonstrated ability to implement sustainable quality improvements.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the site's overall quality strategy and performance.
• Drive initiatives designed to reduce defects, waste, variation, and cost of poor quality.
• Establish and monitor quality metrics and KPIs aligned with operational objectives.
• Promote a proactive, process-oriented quality culture throughout the facility.
• Lead cross-functional root-cause analysis and improvement initiatives.

Quality Management System (QMS)

• Own and maintain the site's Quality Management System and ensure its ongoing effectiveness.
• Develop and improve quality procedures, documentation, records, and training programs.
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements, internal standards, and applicable regulations.
• Lead internal audits and coordinate customer, corporate, certification, and regulatory audits.
• Manage corrective and preventive action processes and ensure effective resolution of nonconformances.
• Continuously improve quality systems, processes, and compliance programs.

Customer Quality

• Act as the primary quality contact for customer audits, assessments, reviews, and escalations.
• Lead investigations into customer complaints and quality issues.
• Coordinate customer inspections, testing, and other quality-related activities.
• Ensure timely root-cause analysis, corrective action, and issue closure.
• Develop strong customer relationships through responsiveness, transparency, and measurable improvements.

Process Quality

• Establish and improve manufacturing quality controls, inspection methods, and testing strategies.
• Lead PFMEA activities for new and existing products and processes.
• Analyze quality data and trends to identify improvement opportunities.
• Partner with Engineering and Operations to improve process capability and reduce variation.
• Support the implementation of effective process controls and standardized work.
• Lead and develop the site's Quality team, including quality assurance, quality control, inspection, testing, and continuous improvement personnel.
• Provide coaching, training, and performance management for quality team members.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability for quality performance.
• Foster strong collaboration between Quality, Operations, Engineering, and other functional teams.
• High-visibility leadership role with direct influence on plant quality performance.
• Opportunity to drive meaningful improvements across manufacturing operations.
• Collaborative environment with experienced Operations, Engineering, and Quality professionals.
• Competitive compensation and benefits.
• Potential for professional growth within a larger manufacturing organization.