Quality Manager

Core Molding Technologies, Inc.; Gaffney (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Core Molding Technologies, Inc. is seeking a Quality Manager to lead plant quality systems, customer quality, and continuous improvement while ensuring products meet customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.

The role directs the Quality team and collaborates with Operations, Engineering, Program Management, and customers to drive quality from new programs through production, strengthening systems, resolving complex issues, and building a high-performing organization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or related field.
• 4–6+ years of Quality Management experience in manufacturing, or 10+ years in quality roles.
• Experience leading and developing Quality teams.
• Advanced knowledge of IATF 16949 and ISO 9001.
• Structured problem solving, root-cause analysis, and quality improvement skills.
• Experience with APQP, FMEA, Control Plans, and automotive launches.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Strong customer-facing communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Hands-on leadership on the manufacturing floor.
• Strong organizational and execution skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the plant Quality organization and provide direction, coaching, and development to Quality Engineers and other Quality team members.
• Establish and maintain quality standards, systems, processes, and controls that meet customer and industry requirements.
• Ensure manufactured products consistently meet customer specifications, quality standards, and performance expectations.
• Partner with Operations and Engineering to improve product quality, manufacturing yield, reliability, and process capability.
• Serve as a key quality interface with customers and lead resolution of significant customer quality concerns.
• Lead structured root cause analysis and corrective action using tools such as 8D, A3, 5 Whys, Six Sigma, and other advanced problem-solving methodologies.
• Lead plant compliance with IATF 16949 and/or ISO 9001 requirements and support successful internal, customer, and third-party audits.
• Develop internal auditing capabilities and provide training and coaching on quality systems and audit practices.
• Oversee Layered Process Audits (LPAs) and ensure appropriate follow-up and corrective actions.
• Support new product and program launches through APQP, FMEA, Control Plans, validation, and other quality planning activities.
• Review customer specifications, engineering drawings, blueprints, GD&T, and technical requirements to ensure appropriate quality controls are established.
• Use quality data, trends, and performance metrics to identify risks, prioritize improvements, and drive corrective actions.
• Develop and implement mistake-proofing and Poka-Yoke solutions to prevent defects and improve process reliability.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles to improve quality, productivity, cost, and overall plant performance.
• Balance quality requirements with manufacturing efficiency and cost while ensuring customer expectations are not compromised.
• Partner with plant leadership to establish quality priorities, communicate performance, and drive accountability throughout the organization.

Skills

Quality management

IATF 16949

ISO 9001

Root cause analysis

APQP

FMEA

Control Plans

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

GD&T

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or related field

Master's degree or MBA in Engineering, Quality, Business, or related discipline

Tools

SolidWorks

MS Project

Job description

Position Summary

Core Molding Technologies is seeking a Quality Manager to lead plant quality systems, customer quality, and continuous improvement activities while ensuring our products consistently meet customer, regulatory, and internal requirements.

This role leads the plant Quality team and works closely with Operations, Engineering, Program Management, and customers to drive product and process quality from new program launch through ongoing production. The Quality Manager is responsible for strengthening quality systems, resolving complex quality issues, improving manufacturing processes, and developing a high-performing quality organization.

The ideal candidate combines strong IATF/ISO quality systems knowledge, structured problem-solving expertise, manufacturing experience, and hands-on leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the plant Quality organization and provide direction, coaching, and development to Quality Engineers and other Quality team members
• Establish and maintain quality standards, systems, processes, and controls that meet customer and industry requirements
• Ensure manufactured products consistently meet customer specifications, quality standards, and performance expectations
• Partner with Operations and Engineering to improve product quality, manufacturing yield, reliability, and process capability
• Serve as a key quality interface with customers and lead resolution of significant customer quality concerns
• Lead structured root cause analysis and corrective action using tools such as 8D, A3, 5 Whys, Six Sigma, and other advanced problem-solving methodologies
• Lead plant compliance with IATF 16949 and/or ISO 9001 requirements and support successful internal, customer, and third-party audits
• Develop internal auditing capabilities and provide training and coaching on quality systems and audit practices
• Oversee Layered Process Audits (LPAs) and ensure appropriate follow-up and corrective actions
• Support new product and program launches through APQP, FMEA, Control Plans, validation, and other quality planning activities
• Review customer specifications, engineering drawings, blueprints, GD&T, and technical requirements to ensure appropriate quality controls are established
• Use quality data, trends, and performance metrics to identify risks, prioritize improvements, and drive corrective actions
• Develop and implement mistake-proofing and Poka-Yoke solutions to prevent defects and improve process reliability
• Apply Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles to improve quality, productivity, cost, and overall plant performance
• Balance quality requirements with manufacturing efficiency and cost while ensuring customer expectations are not compromised
• Partner with plant leadership to establish quality priorities, communicate performance, and drive accountability throughout the organization

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, or a related technical field
• 4–6+ years of Quality Management experience or 10+ years of progressive Quality experience in a manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing Quality teams
• Advanced knowledge of IATF 16949 and/or ISO 9001 quality management systems
• Strong experience with structured problem solving, root cause analysis, corrective action, and quality improvement methodologies
• Experience with APQP, FMEA, Control Plans, automotive program launches, and quality planning
• Ability to interpret customer specifications, engineering drawings, blueprints, and GD&T
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, process controls, and quality systems
• Experience using quality data and analytical tools to identify trends, determine root causes, and drive improvements
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and mistake-proofing methodologies"? wait there is an issue. Let's complete last two lines.
• Strong customer‑facing, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and respond effectively to urgent quality or customer issues
• Hands‑on leadership style with the ability to work effectively on the manufacturing floor
• Strong organizational, decision‑making, and execution skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with composites, plastics, SMC, or molding processes
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
• ASQ certification
• Experience with Shainin problem‑solving methodologies
• Kaizen and continuous improvement experience
• Experience with CAD or SolidWorks
• Experience with Microsoft Project or similar project management tools
• Master's degree or MBA in Engineering, Quality, Business, or a related discipline

Key Competencies

• Quality and operational excellence
• Customer focus
• Leadership and talent development
• Structured problem solving
• Disciplined execution
• Collaboration and communication
• Managing complexity and change
• Continuous improvement

Position Details

• Position Type: Full-time
• Work Environment: Manufacturing office and shop-floor environment
• Schedule: Monday through Friday; extended hours and/or weekend work may be required based on business needs
• Travel: Up to 10%
• Supervisory Responsibility: Leads the plant Quality department, including performance management, employee development, and hiring