Quality Manager

Job Title: Quality Manager

Job Description

The Quality Manager leads all aspects of the Quality Management System (QMS) for multiple manufacturing locations in Tennessee. This role provides strategic and hands-on leadership for all quality functions and staff, ensuring customer satisfaction, compliance with operating systems, and adherence to industry standards. The position oversees all quality activities across the locations, drives continuous improvement in quality performance, and manages significant project work related to new product launches.

Responsibilities

• Develop, improve, and lead the Quality Management Systems (QMS) for all Tennessee manufacturing locations, ensuring robust processes and compliance with applicable standards.
• Lead all activities related to Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), including monitoring and improving external and internal PPM measures, ensuring customer scorecard accuracy, and driving external and internal corrective action initiatives throughout the entire manufacturing process.
• Lead and maintain the internal Layered Process Auditing (LPA) system to ensure consistent process adherence and early identification of issues.
• Lead the process for maintaining all quality-related certifications, including IATF, and ensure ongoing compliance with certification requirements.
• Lead daily communication of customer satisfaction metrics and issues to the production management team and, as needed, to hourly personnel to drive awareness and corrective actions.
• Lead the disposition of non-conforming material on a continual basis using the MRB (Material Review Board) methodology, ensuring timely and effective resolution.
• Support dimensional layout and evaluation of production parts, samples, and prototypes as required by the quality system, and provide clear feedback on dimensional concerns to the tool room, engineering, and manufacturing teams.
• Provide effective leadership to the entire Quality department, including performance management, coaching, and development of team members for long-term career growth and organizational capability.
• Maintain the laboratory, equipment, and gauge calibration system for all customers, ensuring accuracy and reliability of measurement systems.
• Assist in the design and development of new quality gauges and equipment to support production and quality control needs.
• Complete special projects and studies related to supplier parts and materials, including analysis and recommendations to improve supplier quality.
• Prepare and write clear, professional reports for customer review as needed, summarizing findings, actions, and results.
• Create and maintain all required documentation for Production Part Approval Process (PPAP), ensuring completeness, accuracy, and timely submission for new and existing products.
• Lead quality-related project management activities for new product launches, coordinating with cross-functional teams to ensure quality requirements are met from development through production.

Essential Skills

• More than 10 years of work experience in the Quality function within automotive manufacturing.
• More than five (5) years of direct Quality Manager experience in Tier 1 automotive supplier manufacturing, preferably in metal stamping, roll forming, weld assembly, glass, or similar processes.
• More than five (5) years of direct experience managing a Quality department, including both hourly and salaried direct reports.
• More than five (5) years of experience developing and managing customer relationships in an automotive manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience in quality engineering and automotive quality practices.
• Proven ability to lead and improve Quality Management Systems (QMS) across multiple locations.
• Demonstrated experience with Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ), PPM metrics, customer scorecards, and corrective action management.
• Experience with Layered Process Auditing (LPA) systems and their implementation.
• Experience maintaining and supporting IATF or similar quality certifications.
• Ability to interpret and evaluate dimensional layouts of production parts, samples, and prototypes.
• Strong leadership skills with a track record of developing and mentoring quality teams.
• Ability to create, manage, and maintain PPAP documentation.
• Strong written communication skills for preparing reports and customer-facing documentation.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in Tier 1 automotive supplier environments involving metal stamping, roll forming, weld assembly, glass, or similar manufacturing processes.
• Experience leading Material Review Board (MRB) activities and disposition of non-conforming materials.
• Experience maintaining laboratory environments, including equipment and gauge calibration systems.
• Experience assisting with the design and development of quality gauges and measurement equipment.
• Experience conducting special studies on supplier parts and materials and providing recommendations for improvement.
• Strong interpersonal skills for daily communication with production management and hourly personnel.
• Project management experience related to new product launches within automotive manufacturing.
• Customer-focused mindset with the ability to balance customer satisfaction and compliance requirements.

Work Environment

This role operates within a Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment that supports multiple Tennessee locations. The Quality Manager works closely with production, engineering, tool room, and supplier teams, spending time both in office settings and on the manufacturing floor. The position involves regular interaction with measurement laboratories, quality gauges, and calibration equipment, as well as participation in audits, MRB activities, and customer reviews. The work environment emphasizes structured quality systems, adherence to IATF and other industry standards, and close collaboration across functions to support new product launches and continuous improvement initiatives.

This is a Permanent position based out of Athens, TN.

The pay range for this position is $140000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Medical, dental, vision

401k

This is a fully onsite position in Athens,TN.

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 15, 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 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S.,

Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

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 ... 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.