Manager Quality Management

L3HHCM20•Northampton, MA

2d•$116,500 - $216,500•Onsite

About The Position

The Supplier Quality Manager is responsible for overseeing and developing the supplier quality program for the Northampton site within the Maritime Acoustics & Imaging division. This role ensures that all external suppliers meet required quality, technical, and delivery standards to support high‑reliability maritime products. The Supplier Quality Manager drives supplier performance improvement, manages incoming quality processes, and works closely with Procurement, Engineering, and Operations to maintain a robust and compliant supply chain.

Requirements

12+ years in Operations/Quality/Supply Chain or related fields, with hands‑on experience in supplier quality/quality engineering within a manufacturing/technical environment.
Proven leadership/management. Ability to lead cross‑functional teams, interface across levels, and engage effectively with internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
Demonstrated supplier development and performance improvement, including constraint management and lean manufacturing principles.
Strong command of quality systems and auditing practices; supplier development methodologies and compliance frameworks (e.g., AS9100 or ISO 9001).
Analytical and critical‑thinking skills—data‑driven oversight, KPI/scorecard management, and effective prioritization.
Executive‑level communication and presentation; relationship building, team facilitation, and conflict resolution to create a trust‑based partnering environment.
Ability to work independently with minimal oversight.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Ability to obtain and/or maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance

Nice To Haves

Experience in aerospace, defense, maritime, acoustics, imaging, or other high‑reliability industries.
Certifications such as ASQ Certified Supplier Quality Professional (CSQP), CQE, CQA, or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt.
Familiarity with PPAP, APQP, FMEA, and other advanced quality tools.
Experience with high‑mix, low‑volume production environments and complex supply chains.

Responsibilities

Lead the supplier quality program for the Northampton site, including standards, procedures, and best practices for supplier qualification and performance management.
Plan and execute supplier qualification, audits/assessments, and ongoing monitoring to ensure compliance with internal, industry, and customer requirements.
Act as the primary escalation point for supplier quality issues—manage nonconformances, root‑cause/corrective actions, recovery planning, and Get‑To‑Green execution.
Drive preventive quality and risk mitigation—identify process gaps and implement closure plans to strengthen supply chain robustness.
Support Procurement with supplier selection, onboarding, and risk evaluation through data‑driven assessments and technical review.
Partner with Engineering on specs/drawings, NPI/design changes, and ensure technical reviews have appropriate SME coverage.
Lead continuous improvement with suppliers (defect prevention, process capability, delivery performance) and align with corporate improvement initiatives and common processes/lean/quality systems training.
Monitor and report supplier performance via scorecards and KPIs (defect rates, audit findings, corrective‑action timeliness), including line‑of‑balance metrics to gauge manufacturing health.
Ensure supplier compliance with applicable standards (e.g., ISO 9001), regulatory requirements, and customer‑specific quality clauses.
Verify suppliers’ capacity, demand, and resource planning to demonstrate rate readiness.
Foster cross‑functional collaboration across Supply Chain, Engineering, and Quality; build transparent partnerships with suppliers based on clear expectations and accountability.
Represent the Northampton site and align supplier‑quality efforts with USS divisional strategy, reviews, and improvement initiatives.