Quality Manager

Quality Manager - Job Description

Job Title: Quality Manager

Department: Quality Assurance

FLSA Status: Exempt/Full-time

Salary Range: $125,000 - $130,000

Position Summary

The Quality Manager is responsible for maintaining, improving, and executing the Quality Management System (QMS) at Aeronix in accordance with AS9100 and applicable customer, regulatory, and contractual requirements. This role serves as the primary quality focal point for the organization and partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Program Management, Contracts, Supply Chain, and executive leadership to ensure consistent quality performance across the business.

The Quality Manager will lead the ongoing development and maintenance of the QMS, coordinate internal and external quality audits, establish and monitor quality metrics, facilitate business reviews, and drive corrective and preventive actions. The successful candidate will be both strategic and hands-on, capable of operating independently in a technically focused aerospace and defense environment.

Key Responsibilities

Quality Management System / AS9100

• Complete the transition from ISO9001 and implementation of AS9100 certification.
• Own and maintain the company's Quality Management System in accordance with AS9100 requirements and applicable customer and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain QMS policies, procedures, work instructions, forms, records, and other controlled documentation.
• Monitor changes to AS9100, customer requirements, contractual requirements, and applicable quality standards and ensure appropriate implementation.
• Coordinate management of the QMS through the company's document and configuration control processes.
• Identify opportunities for continual improvement of QMS effectiveness, efficiency, and usability.
• Ensure quality requirements are appropriately flowed into business processes, programs, engineering activities, manufacturing, purchasing, and supplier management.
• Serve as the primary point of quality contact for customers and the certification body.

Auditing & Compliance

• Develop and maintain the internal audit program and annual audit schedule.
• Plan, conduct, and document internal QMS and process audits.
• Lead preparation for and support external registrar, customer, and government audits.
• Track audit findings, observations, and opportunities for improvement through closure.
• Ensure objective evidence is maintained to demonstrate compliance and effective implementation.
• Evaluate process effectiveness and identify systemic issues rather than simply documenting individual findings.

Nonconformance, Corrective Action & Continuous Improvement

• Own and administer the nonconformance root cause corrective action (RCCA) process.
• Lead / support root-cause analysis and corrective action activities using appropriate problem-solving methodologies.
• Monitor corrective action effectiveness and ensure timely closure.
• Identify recurring issues and systemic trends across programs, functions, and suppliers.
• Facilitate continuous improvement initiatives that improve quality, reduce risk, and increase operational effectiveness.

Business Reviews & Quality Performance

• Develop and maintain quality Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and performance dashboards.
• Establish meaningful quality metrics and scoring mechanisms for organizational and functional performance.
• Facilitate periodic quality and business performance reviews with functional leaders and executive management.
• Analyze trends in nonconformances, escapes, customer complaints, audit findings, corrective actions, supplier performance, and other quality indicators.
• Translate quality data into actionable recommendations for leadership.
• Support development and tracking of organizational goals, objectives, and improvement initiatives.
• Ensure quality performance is incorporated into broader business operating reviews.

Program & Product Quality

• Support Managers and functional leaders in identifying and managing quality risks.
• Ensure program-specific quality requirements are understood, documented, and implemented.
• Support customer reviews, quality investigations, and resolution of customer quality concerns.
• Monitor customer feedback and identify opportunities to improve customer satisfaction.
• Assist in evaluating quality risks associated with new programs, products, processes, and contracts.

Supplier Quality

• Support supplier qualification, evaluation, and ongoing performance monitoring.
• Establish and monitor supplier quality metrics.
• Participate in supplier corrective actions and quality investigations as required.
• Support supplier audits and assessment activities when appropriate.
• Ensure quality requirements are appropriately flowed to critical suppliers and subcontractors.
• Strengthen counterfeit parts prevention controls.

Training & Quality Culture

• Develop and maintain quality-related training programs and awareness activities.
• Ensure employees understand applicable QMS requirements and their individual responsibilities.
• Promote a culture of quality ownership and accountability throughout the organization.
• Work with functional leaders to embed quality into normal business processes rather than treating quality as a separate organizational activity.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing, Business, or a related technical field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or a highly regulated technical environment.
• Experience with aerospace and defense customer requirements, including U.S. Government programs.
• Familiarity withDOD/DOW, DCMA, DFARS/FAR, and government contract quality requirements.
• Demonstrated experience administering or managing an AS9100-compliant Quality Management System.
• Experience with configuration management, document control, and engineering change processes.
• Experience with supplier quality management.
• Strong understanding of AS9100 requirements and quality management principles.
• Experience with corrective action, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage KPIs and quality performance metrics.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and effectively across multiple functional organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• ASQ Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), or equivalent certification.
• Lead Auditor certification for AS9100.
• Experience with ISO 9001/AS9100 implementation or certification.
• Experience conducting internal quality audits and supporting external/customer audits.
• Experience with AS9102 First Article Inspections and aerospace Counterfeit Parts Prevention practices.
• Experience with ERP, QMS, or business intelligence systems.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or other process-improvement experience.

Desired Characteristics

The successful candidate will be:

• Practical and business-minded - understands that quality exists to enable successful program execution and customer satisfaction.
• Detail-oriented without being bureaucratic - maintains compliance while keeping processes efficient and usable.
• Data-driven - uses objective data and trends to identify problems and drive decisions.
• Proactive - identifies risks before they become customer problems.
• Collaborative - able to influence Engineering, Operations, Program Management, and leadership without relying solely on organizational authority.
• Accountable - takes ownership of QMS performance and follows issues through to resolution.
• Comfortable in a small-company environment - willing to roll up their sleeves and perform the work rather than simply administer a system.
• Continuous-improvement oriented - looks for ways to make the organization better rather than simply maintaining compliance.

Success Measures

Success in this position will be measured by the effectiveness of the company's QMS and the degree to which quality becomes an integrated component of business execution. Key measures may include:

• AS9100 certification and continued compliance.
• Successful internal, customer, and registrar audits.
• Timely closure and effectiveness of corrective actions.
• Reduction in recurring nonconformances and quality escapes.
• Customer quality performance and satisfaction.
• Supplier quality performance.
• QMS effectiveness and employee adoption.
• Timeliness and accuracy of quality KPIs and management reporting.
• Identification and mitigation of systemic quality risks.
• Demonstrated continual improvement in business processes.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to: President

Key Interfaces: Engineering, Operations, Program Management, Contracts, Supply Chain, Finance, Executive Leadership, Customers, Suppliers, and External Registrars.

Position Scope

This is a hands-on leadership position within a small aerospace and defense organization. The Quality Manager is expected to establish credibility throughout the organization, understand the company's products and processes, and work directly with functional leaders and employees to ensure that quality requirements are effectively integrated into day-to-day operations.

The position is not intended to function solely as a compliance administrator. The successful candidate will help the company use the QMS as a management system for improving execution, reducing risk, and delivering reliable products and services to aerospace and defense customers.