Quality Manager

Role Overview

Valence Surface Technologies is looking for a Quality Manager to lead a shift from a reactive inspection-based approach to a stronger, prevention-focused quality system built into day-to-day manufacturing. The role centers on improving quality performance, lowering escapes and defects, strengthening customer confidence, and helping the organization maintain required certifications and customer approvals.

Quality System Improvement

• Review the existing quality system and related processes, then update them where needed to improve overall performance.
• Build and manage process-improvement measures that drive customer escapes toward zero.
• Use root-cause analysis and corrective action to remove quality issues at their source.
• Partner with engineering and operations to embed quality controls into their workflows.
• Review program plans before production to confirm quality requirements are addressed.
• Coordinate and carry out required inspections and verify products meet customer standards.
• Track and reduce customer escapes, including individual incidents and defective units shipped, and make sure root-cause and corrective-action work is completed and effective.
• Monitor quality activity during production to prevent issues from progressing downstream.

Quality Metrics

• Define and roll out quality metrics across the organization to measure performance and improve discipline within the quality function.
• Focus on indicators such as scrap, rework, first-pass yield, cost of quality, cost of poor quality, and escapes.
• Embed quality metrics into the company’s new ERP system so it can produce the data needed to track performance accurately.
• Gain support from managers across departments so each team takes ownership of its results.
• Train employees as needed so everyone understands how the metrics are measured and why they matter.
• Once metrics are in place, identify opportunities for improvement and drive follow-through on necessary changes.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, motivate, and develop the quality team.
• Evaluate team performance, create individual development plans, and make staffing changes when needed.
• Build a stronger, more proactive quality organization with greater capacity and accountability.
• Oversee people and operations using sound practices and in line with company policies and procedures.
• Provide training for team members who need additional support or skill development.

Certification and Audit Support

• Maintain NADCAP and other relevant certification registrations with strong compliance.
• Support external audits and recertification audits as required.

Customer Relations

• Develop productive relationships with quality counterparts at customer organizations.
• Resolve customer concerns quickly and improve communication around quality matters.
• Maintain a cost-effective quality system that satisfies customer requirements and product-approval needs.
• Support customer quality audits, source audits, failure-analysis requests, design reviews, and sales visits.
• Serve as the point of contact with external parties on quality-system and product-quality topics.

Compensation and Benefits

The role offers a compensation range of $90,000 to $110,000 per year. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, long-term disability, an employee assistance program, 401(k) with a 3% match, and holiday pay.

Additional Information

This employer is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are entitled to a notice of rights under federal employment law, including the Department of Labor's Know Your Rights notice.