Quality Manager

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Quality Manager to join a long-established global manufacturer of specialised coatings, primarily serving the automotive industry. With more than 75 years of expertise and manufacturing operations across multiple countries, the business is strengthening its quality function and is looking for a confident leader to take ownership of its Quality Management System, develop the team and drive continuous improvement. This is a regular days-based role, working 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday . The position offers a salary of £45,000 to £50,000, a contributory pension scheme, 25 days holiday, learning and development opportunities and a wider benefits package.

As Quality Manager, you will lead the Quality Department and take full ownership of the company’s Quality Management System. You will ensure compliance with IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and customer-specific requirements, while supporting the development of the Quality team and embedding a culture of continual improvement across the business.

Key responsibilities:

Quality leadership and team development

• Lead, coach and develop the Quality Engineer and Quality Technicians, creating a clear direction for the department.
• Develop the quality strategy and continuous improvement roadmap, aligned to business and customer priorities.

Systems, compliance and audits

• Own, maintain and continually improve the IATF 16949 Quality Management System.
• Maintain ISO 9001, IATF 16949 and ISO 14001 certifications.
• Lead customer, certification and internal audits, ensuring robust preparation, follow-up and closure of actions.
• Conduct Management Reviews, report Quality KPIs and maintain quality procedures, control plans and supporting documentation.

Customer quality and operational improvement

• Review and approve customer 8D reports, corrective actions and responses to quality concerns.
• Ensure effective implementation of Automotive Core Tools, including APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC and MSA.
• Lead contract review activities for new customer requirements.
• Build strong relationships with key customers and represent the business during customer visits and audits.
• Work closely with Operations to reduce defects, improve process capability and strengthen customer confidence.

Requirements of the Quality Manager :

• Highly experienced in leading a Quality team within an automotive manufacturing environment.
• It is essential that candidates have a strong working knowledge of IATF 16949 and experience managing Quality Management Systems.
• Excellent understanding of Automotive Core Tools, including PPAP, APQP, FMEA, SPC and MSA.
• Proven experience leading customer, certification and internal audits.
• Experience developing and leading quality teams.
• Strong customer-facing communication skills, with the confidence to manage complex customer quality issues.

Salary and benefits:

• £45,000 to £50,000 basic salary
• 37.5-hour working week
• Monday to Friday, regular days
• Contributory pension scheme
• 25 days holiday
• Learning and development opportunities

If you are an experienced automotive Quality Manager looking for a role with ownership, influence and the opportunity to shape a growing quality function, this is an excellent opportunity to make a real impact.