We are looking for a skilled Senior Customer Quality Manager to join our team in Charleston, South Carolina. This is an on-site position based in Charleston, South Carolina. We value teamwork, inclusivity, and continuous professional development, and we offer competitive benefits along with opportunities for growth.
Export Control Requirements:This position must meet U.S. export control compliance requirements. To meet U.S. export control compliance requirements, a "U.S. Person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. a7120.62 is required. "U.S. Person" includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.JOB SUMMARYThe Senior Manager of Customer Quality serves as the primary quality liaison between Elevate Aircraft Seating's manufacturing locations, Onsite Support Services (OSS), Boeing, and airline customers, ensuring effective communication, timely resolution of quality issues, and alignment with customer and regulatory requirements. This highly visible, customer-facing position is responsible for leading defect investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective action coordination while driving quality improvements back into manufacturing operations to prevent recurring issues and strengthen product conformity. The Senior Manager of Customer Quality partners cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and customer stakeholders to drive accountability, proactively address quality concerns, and strengthen customer relationships. This position also provides executive leadership with data-driven reporting on quality performance, emerging risks, corrective actions, and continuous improvement initiatives to support informed decision-making and operational excellence.
SUMMARY OF JOB DUTIES -
Essential Functions(Other duties and projects may be assigned or requested.)Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential
Customer Quality Leadership & Stakeholder Management - Serve as the primary quality liaison between Elevate manufacturing locations, Onsite Support Services (OSS), Boeing, and airline customers, ensuring alignment on quality concerns, operational priorities, and resolution activities.
- Lead customer-facing quality discussions, providing technically accurate information, objective evidence, and clear communication regarding product conformity, nonconformances, and corrective actions.
- Establish and maintain structured communication cadences with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely escalation, consistent messaging, and accountability for quality-related issues.
- Build and maintain strong customer relationships through proactive engagement, effective problem-solving, and timely resolution of quality concerns.
Defect Management & Technical Quality Assurance - Lead the investigation, documentation, and resolution of product defects and nonconformances, identifying root causes, points of origin, and appropriate corrective actions across manufacturing, receiving inspection, and final assembly operations.
- Evaluate reported nonconformances against applicable Letters of Conformance (LOCs), approved craftsmanship documentation, engineering specifications, and customer requirements to ensure accurate defect classification and resolution.
- Partner with Boeing and internal Quality and Engineering teams on corrective action investigations, providing technical analysis, objective evidence, and recommendations to support effective resolution.
- Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of aircraft interior products, functionality, design requirements, and installation processes to effectively evaluate quality concerns and communicate technical findings.
- Coordinate appropriate inspection and acceptance testing support during aircraft installation activities, including verification of electrical connections, mechanical functionality, and applicable acceptance test procedures (ATP).
Quality Management Systems & Regulatory Compliance - Ensure customer-facing quality activities align with applicable FAA/EASA regulations, AS9100 standards, customer specifications, and internal Quality Management System (QMS) requirements.
- Maintain accurate, traceable quality documentation and defect records through established systems, including SharePoint, ensuring appropriate stakeholders have access to current information and supporting evidence.
- Coordinate the communication and implementation of applicable service bulletins, engineering changes, and product effectivity requirements across manufacturing locations, OSS, Boeing, and customers.
- Support customer quality reviews, audits, and regulatory compliance activities by providing technical documentation, investigation findings, and corrective action evidence.
Corrective Action & Continuous Improvement - Drive cross-functional corrective and preventive action initiatives to address customer quality concerns, eliminate recurring defects, and strengthen manufacturing process effectiveness.
- Translate customer quality feedback, defect trends, and investigation findings into actionable improvement opportunities for manufacturing, Engineering, and Quality teams.
- Apply root cause analysis, statistical methods, and structured problem-solving techniques to validate defect origins, assess corrective action effectiveness, and support sustainable improvements.
- Identify emerging quality risks and recurring issues, proactively escalating concerns and coordinating mitigation activities to minimize customer impact and prevent recurrence.
Executive Reporting & Cross-Functional Quality Performance - Develop and present quality performance reports, defect trends, corrective action status, and emerging risks to executive leadership, providing data-driven insights and recommendations to support operational decision-making.
- Establish and monitor key quality performance indicators (KPIs) related to customer defects, resolution timelines, recurring issues, and corrective action effectiveness.
- Partner with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and OSS teams to drive accountability, coordinate issue resolution, and ensure timely implementation of quality improvements across affected operations.
- Monitor customer quality deliverables, open issues, and corrective action commitments to ensure alignment with program milestones, customer expectations, and organizational quality objectives.
Other - Maintain a safe, secure and legal work environment, adhering to all Company policies and procedures.
- Protect the confidentiality of the Company's information and products.
- Contribute to team efforts by performing other job-related duties and projects as assigned or requested.
GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS - Education, Knowledge, and ExperienceEducation: - Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical field is required.
Experience: - Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in quality assurance, quality engineering, or quality management within aerospace manufacturing or a related highly regulated industry.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and present quality performance metrics, defect trends, corrective action status, and risk assessments to senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
- Proven track record of leading cross-functional quality improvement initiatives, influencing stakeholders without direct authority, and translating customer quality concerns into sustainable manufacturing improvements.
- Extensive background in defect investigations, root cause analysis, nonconformance management, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) across manufacturing and customer operations.
- Demonstrated ability to serve as a primary quality interface with customers, including managing complex quality concerns, presenting technical findings, and driving issue resolution.
- Minimum of 5 years working with aerospace quality standards, FAA/EASA regulatory requirements, product conformity, and applicable customer quality requirements.
Skills: - In-depth knowledge of AS9100 standards, FAA/EASA regulations, aerospace quality requirements, product conformity, and applicable airworthiness standards.
- Strong technical understanding of aircraft interior products, manufacturing processes, installation requirements, and quality documentation, including Letters of Conformance (LOCs) and approved craftsmanship standards.
- Advanced proficiency in nonconformance management, root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and evidence-based defect investigation and resolution.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills, with the ability to present complex technical findings, resolve customer concerns, and influence internal and external stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret quality data, identify trends, evaluate risks, and present actionable recommendations to executive leadership.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, establish structured communication processes, drive accountability, and implement sustainable quality improvements without direct supervisory authority.
Preferred Skills/Experience: - Familiarity with Boeing quality requirements, customer-specific specifications, craftsmanship standards, and aircraft final assembly or onsite support operations.
- Formal training or practical experience conducting customer, regulatory, or third-party quality audits within the aerospace industry.
- Working knowledge of advanced quality methodologies, including APQP, FMEA, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and AS9145 requirements.
- Proficiency in AS9102 First Article Inspection (FAI) requirements, Material Review Board (MRB) processes, and aerospace product conformity documentation.
- Knowledge of aircraft interior systems, including seating, electrical and mechanical functionality, installation processes, and acceptance testing procedures (ATP).
Other: - Extended or irregular hours may be required.
- Must be authorized to work in the United States.
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.
- Elevate Aircraft Seating is an "at-will" employer; employment is at the mutual consent of both the employee and the employer, and may be terminated at will for any reason, with or without cause, at any time during employment with the Company.
- As business conditions warrant a change in the operating necessities of the Company, all employees are expected to react productively, handle other essential tasks assigned now or in the future.
- Tasks may vary slightly based on products produced at a division.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSESUPERVISION PROVIDED TO THE POSITION - Direction is provided for assignments in terms of desired outcome (goals), timing and budget.
- Work is reviewed or measured in terms of meeting organizational objectives and schedules.
LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY - Oversee the work of others.
- Assist with coordination of adherence to organizational goals, operating policies, and budgetary guidelines.
PROBLEM SOLVING - Develop and provide solutions to complex problems based on established precedents and are consistent with organization objectives.
LANGUAGE SKILLS - Ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITSElevate Aircraft Seating offers competitive wages and benefits to recognize employees for their work. The base pay offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, experience and take into account internal equity.
Hourly Rate Transparency: $100,000- $180,000 annually
Featured Benefits: - Generous 401(K) matching with immediate eligibility and vesting
- 3 weeks of Paid Time Off
- 12 paid holidays
- Affordable health care plans for yourself and your family
- And so much more!
Other Perks: - On-site gym
- Free electric car charging stations
- Potential for growth within organization
- Supportive workplace environment with a team-oriented culture
