Quality Manager

Gilder Search Group; Sycamore (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health

Dental

Vision

401K matching

Paid time off

Holidays

Job summary

Gilder Search Group seeks a Quality Manager for a Sycamore, IL manufacturing plant. You will own the site Quality Management System, lead a local quality team, and ensure audit readiness to ISO 9001 and API standards in a busy, high‑volume environment.

This hands‑on leadership role focuses on data-driven improvements, CAPA, supplier audits, calibration programs, and budget management, with measurable results and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt preferred.
• 3+ years in a Lean manufacturing environment preferred.
• Hands-on experience implementing and sustaining quality systems (ISO 9001; API a plus).
• Demonstrated leadership with coaching and mentoring ability.
• Strong data analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience owning nonconformance, root cause analysis, and CAPA in production.

Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve the site Quality Management System; keep the plant compliant and audit-ready to ISO 9001 and applicable API standards.
• Lead and develop the local quality team and drive a high-performing quality culture across operations and support functions.
• Run quality event management end to end: nonconformance handling, risk assessment, root cause analysis, and CAPA with verified closure.
• Own quality KPIs and turn data into action, closing gaps.
• Manage the supplier audit program, calibration program, and external material testing.
• Prepare and manage the quality department budget.
• Partner with internal teams and customers to resolve quality concerns professionally.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma Green Belt

Leadership

ISO 9001

API standards

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

CAPA

Engineering drawings

Quality culture

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Job description

#jobalert | DIRECT HIRE | QUALITY MANAGER | MANUFACTURING | Sycamore, IL area

A well-established manufacturer of engineered industrial products for the water, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure markets is hiring a Quality Manager to lead the quality function at its production plant. You will own the site Quality Management System, lead and develop a local quality team, and keep the plant audit-ready to ISO 9001 and applicable API standards. This is a hands‑on leadership seat in a busy, high‑volume manufacturing environment where quality is built at the source, not inspected in at the end. For a quality leader who wants ownership of a full site QMS and a team to build, this is a chance to set the standard for the plant and show measurable results.

• Anticipated $90K–$100K, based on experience
• Benefits include: Health, Dental, Vision, 401K w/ match, PTO, holidays

OVERVIEW

• Own and continuously improve the site Quality Management System; keep the plant compliant and audit‑ready to ISO 9001 and applicable API standards.
• Lead and develop the local quality team and drive a consistent, high‑performing quality culture across operations and support functions.
• Run quality event management end to end: nonconformance handling, risk assessment, root cause analysis, and CAPA, with verified, sustained closure.
• Own quality KPIs — track them, turn the data into action, and hold the plant accountable for closing the gaps.
• Manage the supplier audit program, the equipment calibration program, and external material and product testing.
• Prepare and manage the quality department budget.
• Partner with internal teams and customers to resolve quality concerns professionally and keep the relationship intact.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor's degree preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt preferred.
• Strongly Preferred — 3+ years in a Lean manufacturing environment.
• Strongly Preferred — hands‑on experience implementing and sustaining quality systems (ISO 9001; API a plus).
• Demonstrated leadership — direct management or clear team‑leadership experience, with real coaching and mentoring ability.
• Strong data analysis, critical thinking, and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience owning nonconformance, root cause analysis, and CAPA in a production setting.
• Comfortable reading and interpreting engineering prints and customer specifications.
• Experience in a unionized manufacturing environment preferred.
• Advanced Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Able to move about the plant floor, climb stairs and ladders, and lift up to 50 lbs; plant is non‑air‑conditioned with active forklift traffic.

KEYWORDS

Quality Manager, Quality Management System, QMS, ISO 9001, API, CAPA, corrective action, preventive action, root cause analysis, nonconformance, NCR, quality assurance, quality control, Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Green Belt, continuous improvement, supplier quality, supplier audits, calibration, gage calibration, KPI, quality culture, quality at the source, manufacturing quality, metal fabrication, welding quality, audit readiness, internal audit, quality engineering