Job Title: Quality Manager – Automotive Metal Manufacturing
Bilingual English/Spanish Required
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Quality Manager to lead and continuously improve our quality function within a metal fabrication and automotive manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate will bring extensive knowledge of automotive quality standards, strong technical inspection capabilities, proven customer-facing experience, and the leadership skills necessary to build and develop a high-performing Quality team.
This is a highly engaged, operational leadership role for someone who leads from the production floor—not from behind a desk. The Quality Manager will take full ownership of the department, work closely with all shifts, collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Production, and senior leadership, and ensure that quality issues are identified, addressed, and prevented before they become larger problems.
The successful candidate will be equally comfortable working directly with production personnel, conducting inspections, leading root-cause investigations, managing customer concerns, and driving improvements to the overall quality management system. Strong communication skills in both English and Spanish are essential to effectively support our workforce and build strong relationships across the organization.
Key Responsibilities
Quality Management Systems & Compliance
- Lead, maintain, and continuously improve the company's Quality Management System (QMS) to meet IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 requirements.
- Ensure compliance with applicable ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management system requirements.
- Develop, implement, and maintain quality policies, procedures, work instructions, inspection standards, and documentation.
- Ensure effective management of nonconformances, corrective and preventive actions, process controls, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Monitor quality performance metrics, identify trends, and implement corrective measures to reduce scrap, rework, customer complaints, and internal defects.
- Maintain audit readiness and ensure timely closure and verification of corrective actions.
Automotive Quality & Technical Expertise
- Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of automotive quality planning and control processes, including PPAP, APQP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, and SPC, as applicable.
- Lead structured problem-solving activities using 8D, 5 Whys, root-cause analysis, and other appropriate methodologies.
- Apply advanced knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to evaluate part conformity, interpret engineering drawings, and resolve dimensional and functional quality concerns.
- Perform and oversee dimensional inspections using a FARO Arm, CMMs, and other precision measurement and inspection equipment.
- Work with Engineering and Production to establish effective inspection methods, process controls, and measurement practices.
- Identify opportunities to improve process capability, prevent defects, and strengthen overall product quality.
Audits & Corrective Action
- Plan, lead, and coordinate internal, customer, and third-party certification audits.
- Serve as a primary quality contact during customer audits and certification activities.
- Manage audit findings, document corrective actions, establish accountability, and verify effectiveness before closure.
- Conduct layered process audits and other production-floor assessments to ensure compliance with established procedures and quality requirements.
- Proactively identify risks and gaps in quality processes and implement sustainable solutions.
Customer Quality & Relationship Management
- Serve as a key point of contact for customer quality concerns, complaints, corrective action requests, and performance issues.
- Lead timely, thorough investigations and provide clear, professional, and technically sound responses to customers.
- Ensure customer concerns receive immediate attention, appropriate containment, effective corrective action, and documented follow-through.
- Develop and maintain strong customer relationships through responsiveness, transparency, accountability, and consistent execution.
- Monitor customer scorecards, quality performance, and emerging concerns to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Communicate quality risks and corrective action status effectively to customers and internal leadership.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, coach, train, and develop the Quality team, establishing clear expectations and accountability for performance.
- Provide active leadership and support across shifts to ensure consistent quality standards and effective communication.
- Develop team members' technical skills, problem-solving capabilities, and understanding of customer and regulatory requirements.
- Hold team members accountable for completing inspections, documentation, investigations, and corrective actions accurately and on time.
- Build a culture of ownership, urgency, prevention, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
- Remain visible and accessible on the production floor, working directly with employees and supervisors to resolve issues and reinforce quality standards.
Cross-Functional & Operational Leadership
- Partner closely with Operations, Engineering, Production, Maintenance, and senior leadership to improve manufacturing processes and product quality.
- Provide immediate support for production quality issues, containment activities, and disposition decisions.
- Balance customer requirements, production demands, and quality standards without compromising product conformity.
- Establish clear communication and escalation processes for quality issues across departments and shifts.
- Take ownership of departmental performance, prioritize critical issues, and ensure commitments are met.
- Drive proactive problem-solving and prevention rather than relying on inspection and reaction after defects occur.
Required Qualifications
- Bilingual in English and Spanish, with the ability to communicate effectively in both languages in a manufacturing environment.
- Extensive experience in quality management within metal fabrication, metal manufacturing, and automotive manufacturing.
- Extensive working knowledge of IATF 16949 requirements and automotive quality management systems.
- Experience with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards and associated audit and compliance requirements.
- Strong hands-on experience with PPAP, APQP, 8D problem-solving, 5 Whys, and formal root-cause analysis.
- Advanced knowledge of GD&T, engineering drawings, dimensional requirements, and measurement techniques.
- Demonstrated hands-on proficiency with a FARO Arm and other precision inspection and measurement equipment.
- Proven experience leading internal audits, customer audits, and third-party certification audits.
- Demonstrated success managing customer complaints, corrective action requests, and ongoing customer quality relationships.
- Experience developing, implementing, and improving quality systems, procedures, inspection methods, and corrective action processes.
- Proven ability to lead, train, develop, and hold a Quality team accountable.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production controls, nonconforming material, and defect prevention.
- Excellent written and verbal communication, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Strong follow-through, urgency, attention to detail, and a demonstrated sense of ownership.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading a Quality department in an IATF 16949-certified automotive supplier environment.
- Experience reducing scrap, rework, customer complaints, and cost of poor quality through structured improvement initiatives.
- Experience with continuous improvement methodologies and statistical process control.
- Experience developing quality performance dashboards, KPIs, and management reporting.
- Relevant technical education, quality certifications, or auditor training.
What Success Looks Like in This Role
The successful Quality Manager will:
- Establish a strong, visible presence on the production floor and provide effective support across shifts.
- Build a capable, accountable Quality team that consistently meets customer and internal requirements.
- Respond quickly and effectively to quality concerns, ensuring containment and corrective actions are completed on time.
- Reduce repeat defects by identifying and eliminating root causes rather than relying on temporary fixes.
- Strengthen customer confidence through timely communication, technical expertise, and reliable follow-through.
- Maintain audit readiness and ensure the quality management system is effective, practical, and consistently followed.
- Build strong working relationships across Operations, Engineering, Production, and senior leadership.
- Take full ownership of quality performance and drive a proactive culture in which quality is everyone's responsibility.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a working Quality leader who combines technical depth with strong people-management skills and a genuine sense of ownership. They are comfortable moving between the inspection area, production floor, customer discussions, audit activities, and leadership meetings throughout the day.
They do not wait for problems to escalate, delegate every technical issue, or manage the department exclusively from an office. They engage directly with the team, investigate problems at their source, communicate clearly, and ensure corrective actions produce lasting results.
Most importantly, they understand that quality is not simply about inspecting parts—it is about building reliable processes, developing people, protecting customer relationships, and continuously improving the operation.
How to Apply
Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their résumé highlighting their automotive manufacturing quality experience, IATF 16949 expertise, hands-on inspection capabilities, audit leadership, customer quality experience, and bilingual communication skills.
You should be proficient in:
| Location | Elk Grove Village, IL |
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