Quality Manager

LHH; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

LHH is seeking a Quality Manager to lead and continually improve the Quality Management System for a cable and connector manufacturing operation in Illinois. You will oversee QA/QC, supplier quality, and customer quality, driving corrective actions and continuous improvement to meet stringent specifications.

You will lead audits, ensure ISO 9001 compliance, and develop policies, procedures, and inspection standards across production. Strong SPC, ERP/MRP experience, and leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or related field.
• 5–10 years of quality management experience in manufacturing.
• Minimum 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience within cable assembly, wire harness, connector manufacturing or electronics manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.
• Experience leading internal and external audits.
• Strong understanding of SPC and quality tools.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and improve the Quality Management System (QMS) in line with ISO 9001.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific quality requirements and internal procedures.
• Lead internal and external quality audits and coordinate third-party audits.
• Develop and maintain quality policies, procedures, and inspection standards.
• Establish quality control plans for cable assemblies and related processes.
• Monitor quality metrics: FPY, Customer Returns, COPQ, CAPA timing.
• Oversee calibration of inspection and test equipment.
• Lead customer complaint investigations and CAPA closures.
• Foster cross-functional quality improvement teams.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Attention to detail

Project management

Cable/Wire harness knowledge

QA testing methods

PPAP/FMEA knowledge

Excel & reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Quality reporting tools

Job description

The Quality Manager is responsible for leading and continuously improving the Quality Management System (QMS) for a manufacturer of custom cable assemblies, wire harnesses, electromechanical assemblies, and connector solutions. This role ensures compliance with customer, regulatory, and industry requirements while driving a culture of quality throughout the organization.

The Quality Manager oversees quality assurance, quality control, supplier quality, customer quality, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure products consistently meet customer specifications and performance expectations.

Knowledge/Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability with leadership and customer focus
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate quality objectives and metrics to senior management and other stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on process improvement and operational efficiency with excellent attention to detail
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and deadlines.
• Obtain technical knowledge of Cable assembly manufacturing: Wire harness manufacturing, Connector
• assembly, Crimp validation, Pull testing, Continuity testing, Hi-Pot testing, Visual inspection, PPAP, FMEA,
• Microsoft Excel and quality reporting tools

Preferred Qualifications

• ASQ Certified Quality Manager (CMQ/OE)
• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 Certification
• ISO 9001 Internal Auditor Certification

Qualifications – Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5–10 years of quality management experience in manufacturing.
• Minimum 3 years in a leadership role.
• Experience within cable assembly, wire harness, connector manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, or industrial assembly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.
• Experience leading internal and external audits.
• Strong understanding of statistical process control (SPC) and quality tools.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Quality Management System

• Maintain and improve the Quality Management System (QMS) in accordance with ISO 9001 and other applicable standards.
• Ensure compliance with customer-specific quality requirements and internal procedures.
• Lead internal and external quality audits and coordinate third-party certification audits.
• Develop and maintain quality policies, procedures, work instructions, and inspection standards.

Product & Process Quality

• Establish quality control plans for cable assemblies, wire harnesses, connector assemblies, and related manufacturing processes.
• Monitor manufacturing quality metrics including:
  • First Pass Yield (FPY)
  • Customer Returns
  • Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
  • On-Time Corrective Actions
• Ensure appropriate inspection methods including incoming, in-process, and final inspections.
• Oversee calibration of inspection and test equipment.

Customer Quality

• Serve as the primary quality contact for customers.
• Lead customer complaint investigations and resolution activities.
• Coordinate Root Cause Analysis using:
  • 8D
  • 5 Why
  • Fishbone Diagram
  • Pareto Analysis
• Drive timely implementation and verification of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Support customer audits and quality reviews.Evaluate and qualify suppliers.
• Monitor supplier performance and quality metrics.
• Conduct supplier audits as required.
• Collaborate with Purchasing to resolve supplier quality issues.
• Lead Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma quality improvement initiatives.
• Analyze quality data and identify trends for continuous improvement.
• Reduce scrap, rework, warranty claims, and customer returns.
• Facilitate cross-functional quality improvement teams.

Compliance

• Ensure compliance with applicable standards including:
• ISO 9001
• IPC/WHMA-A-620 (Requirements and Acceptance for Cable and Wire Harness Assemblies)
• IPC-A-610 (if applicable)
• UL requirements
• RoHS and REACH compliance
• Customer-specific quality requirements

Leadership

• Supervise Quality Inspectors and Quality Engineers.
• Develop employee training programs related to quality standards.
• Foster a proactive quality culture across production, engineering, purchasing, and customer service.
• Establish departmental goals, KPIs, and performance expectations.
• Office on-site manufacturing facility.
• Domestic and international travel to engage with customers and audit suppliers.

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, sit, stand; walk; and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds on occasion.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.lhh.com/us/en/candidate-privacy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers