Quality Manager

Job Title: Quality Manager

Job Description

The Quality Manager leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of site-wide quality systems to ensure products and services consistently exceed total quality requirements. This role drives a transition from reactive to proactive quality by embedding robust quality processes into manufacturing, maintaining and enhancing ISO 9001, AS9100, and military specification programs, and serving as the primary quality interface for customers in an aerospace and defense manufacturing environment. The position offers the opportunity to build and strengthen a growing quality organization, deliver measurable business impact, and support products from prototype through full-rate production.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and mentor the Quality department team, including Quality Engineers, a Supervisor, and supporting personnel, while developing talent and building a sustainable organization that can support future growth.
• Own incoming quality activities and oversee supplier performance to quality requirements, including supplier quality initiatives, vendor certification, effective acceptance criteria, and ongoing product monitoring.
• Develop, interpret, and drive customer-specific quality requirements and standards, ensuring they are translated into clear internal processes and actions.
• Act as the primary customer-facing representative for quality, interfacing directly with customers to understand quality concerns, communicate corrective actions, and ensure compliance with customer quality expectations.
• Lead root cause analysis and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) activities to resolve quality problems, drive accountability, and prevent recurrence across the organization.
• Drive the quality team's efforts to improve internal quality and reduce total cost through continuous improvement initiatives, variation reduction, and process-based quality systems.
• Implement sustainable quality processes within manufacturing operations, focusing on embedding quality into production processes rather than relying solely on end-of-line inspection.
• Support Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Sales, and Customer Service in resolving quality issues and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
• Develop, implement, and maintain audit programs and procedures for internal and external audits, covering all levels of audit activity and supporting regulatory and customer compliance.
• Maintain and continually improve the ISO 9001 and AS9100 quality management systems, including document control, compliance, and quality system maintenance activities.
• Provide quality-related support and information for new and sustaining product development, including guidance on quality processes, tooling, fixtures, and approaches aimed at one-piece flow.
• Support products from prototype through full-rate production by establishing process controls, sample audits, and robust quality checkpoints throughout the product lifecycle.
• Utilize structured business processes, such as Daily Management and other operational excellence tools, to monitor performance, drive improvements, and sustain gains.
• Ensure consistency of purchased components through vendor certification, effective acceptance criteria, and ongoing monitoring of incoming materials.
• Respect and protect all confidential, privileged, personal, legally regulated, and proprietary information in all quality-related activities.
• Demonstrate strong project management capabilities by leading cross-functional quality initiatives that involve internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Drive organizational change management and quality-focused cultural improvements to support significant business growth and investment in people, equipment, and technology.

Essential Skills

• Proven experience as a quality leader in a manufacturing environment, preferably within the aerospace and defense industry.
• Hands-on experience with ISO 9001 and AS9100 quality management systems, including implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement.
• in CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) management, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead projects involving cross-functional teams and external stakeholders, driving measurable results and business impact.
• Experience reviewing, maintaining, and improving quality systems, including document control, compliance, and audit readiness.
• Ability to interpret customer quality requirements and translate them into internal processes, controls, and improvement actions.
• Experience supporting products from prototype through full-rate production within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing quality processes and controls, including process-based quality systems, sample audits, and in-process verification.
• Experience implementing sustainable quality processes and process controls embedded within manufacturing operations rather than relying solely on final inspection.
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing teams, conducting talent assessments, and elevating team performance.
• Cross-functional leadership experience working closely with manufacturing, operations, engineering, sales, customer service, and quality teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to act as the face of quality for the organization and effectively interface with customers.
• Excellent written, verbal, and technical presentation skills for communicating quality issues, corrective actions, and improvement initiatives.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to operate in a highly organized, task-focused manner with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with common software tools, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret strategic business information and apply it to quality strategies and decisions.
• Ability to solve practical and complex problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations with limited standardization.
• Bachelor's degree, preferably in a technical discipline or an applicable field.
• Supervisory or management experience leading quality teams.
• Prior quality systems experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Quality experience in the aerospace and defense industry.
• Ability to provide specific examples of results achieved in previous roles, including successful implementation of process improvements and controls.
• U.S. citizenship.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with military specifications and MIL-PRF standards, such as Mil-PRF- and Mil-PRF-27.
• Variation reduction skills and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Mathematical and statistical analysis skills applied to quality data and process performance.
• Experience with internal and external auditing, including supplier audits and regulatory compliance assessments.
• Experience in customer-facing quality management, including managing customer corrective actions and quality-related communications.
• Knowledge of document control practices and compliance requirements within regulated industries.
• Experience with continuous improvement initiatives and operational excellence tools, such as Daily Management processes.
• Supplier quality management experience, including supplier performance monitoring and qualification activities.
• Experience in organizational development and change management, particularly in growing manufacturing environments.
• Ability to drive accountability and execution across an organization through clear expectations and follow-through.
• Comfort working with limited standardization and creating structure through process definition and controls.

Work Environment

The role is based in a manufacturing facility within the aerospace and defense sector, where the noise level is typically moderate and work is performed in both office and production floor settings. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly uses hands to finger, handle, or feel, reaches with hands and arms, and communicates by talking and hearing. The employee frequently stands, walks, and sits, and occasionally climbs or balances, stoops, kneels, crouches, or crawls. The position occasionally requires lifting and moving up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities needed include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The environment emphasizes collaboration with cross-functional teams, use of standard office software tools, and adherence to established safety and quality procedures. The organization is experiencing significant growth and is investing in people, equipment, and technology, providing a dynamic setting focused on continuous improvement and proactive quality management.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of East Aurora, NY.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $120000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

Employer provided benefits (health, dental, vision, PTO, etc).

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in East Aurora,NY.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 24, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.